Microsoft expects Name of Obligation Cell to be ‘phased out’ for Warzone Cell

Microsoft has stated it expects Name of Obligation: Cell to be “phased out over time” for Warzone Cell.

Developed by Tencent’s Timi studio, the free-to-play Name of Obligation: Cell was launched in October 2019 and had topped 650 million downloads as of Could 2022, in accordance with its writer Activision.

The corporate stated on the time that Name of Obligation: Cell had loved a file yr in 2021, with shopper spending “effectively above” $1 billion, following a surge in downloads coinciding with its launch in China.

However in accordance with Microsoft, Activision’s long-term plan is to interchange the sport with Warzone Cell, which is scheduled for launch this yr.

Formally revealed final September, Warzone Cell is being co-developed by Activision’s Shanghai, Beenox, Digital Legends, and Strong State studios.

“CoD: Cell was developed and is owned by TiMi Studios, a subsidiary of Tencent,” Microsoft stated in a newly printed response to the UK competitors regulator’s investigation into its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

“CoD: Cell is predicted to be phased out over time (outdoors of China) with the launch of Warzone Cell,” it added.

The Competitors and Markets Authority (CMA) has stated Microsoft could must divest a part of Activision Blizzard or Name of Obligation if the watchdog is to approve the $69 billion merger.

However Microsoft is reluctant to entertain such structural treatments given the dimensions of the Name of Obligation model and Activision Blizzard’s cellular experience.

“A divestment would have extreme hostile results on the event of competitors as a result of it might stop Microsoft from attaining its key strategic goal, specifically constructing a cellular gaming enterprise with ample scale with the intention to problem Google and Apple,” the Xbox maker stated in its response to the CMA’s provisional findings.

“A divestment of the Activision phase would come with a divestment of CoD: Cell and CoD Warzone Cell. A further divestment of the Blizzard phase would additionally embrace Diablo Immortal (which is obtainable on PC and cellular).

“These are among the many most related cellular video games printed by Activision. It’s these video games, significantly Warzone Cell and Diablo Immortal (quite than the King video games), which would offer Microsoft with the belongings, know-how and expertise to develop cellular variations of its personal console video games.”