Gaming just had its “Disney buys Fox” moment. Microsoft announced that it will spend nearly $69 billion to acquire Activision Blizzard, one of the largest third-party publishers in the video game industry. Or at least, it used to be. Microsoft stunned us two years ago by acquiring Bethesda, but it turns out that was just a warm-up for Xbox’s biggest expansion yet.
The acquisition raises many important questions that are bigger than just video games. Will this trigger antitrust lawsuits? What will happen to Activision’s workers and their burgeoning unionization efforts? Will Microsoft do anything to clean up Activision’s infamously toxic culture that has made headlines these past few months? What will happen to CEO Bobby Kotick after the transition? And why do so many pundits think this all ties back into the metaverse?
Obviously, Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard will have ramifications for the games themselves. Call of Duty alone remains one of gaming’s most enormous franchises, and we have to imagine the special partnership between PlayStation and CoD will soon come to an end. Will Sony make a play for Bungie? The company only barely managed to avoid getting snatched by Microsoft by ending its Activision partnership after Destiny 2. Microsoft also highlighted some of the other huge, exclusive properties it scooped up in this coup, including World of Warcraft, StarCraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and Candy Crush Saga.
Beyond these big names, though, Activision also has a treasure trove of overlooked classics. Along with all the alleged harassment, one of our biggest problems with the company is its cruel willingness to let awesome franchises go dormant just because they aren’t consistent megahits. That could change with Microsoft in charge. Whether it’s a new game, old games brought to Game Pass, or an appearance in a Microsoft Super Smash Bros. clone, here are 10, classic Activision games we’d like to see return on Xbox.
1. Crash Bandicoot
When Crash Bandicoot debuted, he was Sony’s mascot, PlayStation’s Mario. Crash’s original developer, Naughty Dog, is still the crown jewel PlayStation studio. So, Microsoft now owning this character just has a delicious level of irony. Bringing back the semi-connected Skylanders toy series (starring fellow former Sony mascot Spyro the Dragon and featuring Crash as a guest) would also help Xbox reach younger players.
2. DJ Hero
The 2000s plastic instrument boom blew up and burnt out like few other genres in gaming history. Guitar Hero took rhythm game concepts pioneered by Parappa the Rapper and Dance Dance Revolution, and brought them to the masses. The original developers at Harmonix are now owned by Epic, but Activision retains the Hero brand. Tthe best of the bunch was the eclectic, genre-hopping, turntable-twisting, mash-up masterpiece known as DJ Hero. It was so good that Daft Punk lent their robot likenesses to the game.
3. Geometry Wars
The first Geometry Wars was a breakout Xbox 360 launch title. Bizarre Creations combined addictive, top-down arcade shooter gameplay with gorgeous HD visuals. It proved little games could pack a big punch on new consoles. Geometry Wars returning to Xbox would be a homecoming to rival Halo Infinite. And while we’re talking about Bizarre Creations, can we get a new Blur racing game?
4. Hexen
Raven Software made its name as one of the most prolific developers in the 1990s first-person-shooter era. Games like Heretic and Hexen gave Doom and Quake a run for their money. Eventually, Raven became yet another Call of Duty support studio, but Microsoft would be smart to respect this history. If nothing else, Raven and Id being under the same roof has to be a real trip for PC gamers of a certain age.
5. Pitfall!
Activision basically invented the concept of a “third-party” by challenging Atari’s stranglehold on the 2600. The original Pitfall proved that other companies could make experiences even better than the folks who made the hardware. Forget Uncharted and Tomb Raider, it’s time for Pitfall Harry, gaming’s first nimble treasure hunter, to claim his prize.
6. Prototype
Browse through Activision’s back catalog and you’ll see a lot of licensed games. Microsoft would have to make new deals if it wanted to bring back Activision-published Marvel superhero games. But in 2010, Radical Entertainment used what it learned from making Hulk games to deliver an original adventure that let you unleash superpowered chaos in an open world. With the Crackdown name pretty tarnished, and Sony’s Infamous on hiatus, now’s the time for Prototype to reach its final stage.
7. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
Dark Souls and Elden Ring are multiplatform, but between Bloodborne and the Demon’s Souls remake, PlayStation is the best platform for fans of FromSoftware’s distinct brand of punishment. At the time, Activision seemed like a strange fit for Sekiro’s ninja-tastic take on Miyazaki’s formula, and we're not quite sure who exactly owns what, but Microsoft would be foolish not to continue its own exclusive Souls franchise.
8. The Lost Vikings
Last year’s Blizzard Arcade Collection brought a handful of retro hits to modern consoles, including Blackthorne, The Lost Vikings, and Rock N Roll Racing. It reminded us that Blizzard can make games besides Warcraft and Warcraft-themed card games. Activision smothered what used to be one of PC gaming’s most exciting and creative studios. Let’s bring that magic back, and the side-scrolling, time-jumping Vikings.
9. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater
After years of running the skateboarding sim into the ground, Activision got the Tony Hawk games back on the upswing thanks to the recent and remarkable Pro Skater 1+2 remake. All Microsoft needs to do is keep this good thing going with new levels, new games, and a new understanding that not everything needs to be an annual release.
10. Transformers: War for Cybertron
Out of all the awful 1980s toy cartoons, Transformers is my favorite if only because “robots that turn into cars” is a cool enough concept to overcome even the most cynical commercialization. High Moon Studios Transformers: War for Cybertron might be my favorite take on the material ever. Transforming into a vehicle on command adds fun possibilities to the third-person shootouts, while the mechanical planet Cybertron itself is a fascinating, doomed campaign setting. Activision doesn't own Transformers, so Microsoft would need to make a new licensing deal, but these games are too underappreciated to let fall into digital oblivion. At the very least, put Optimus Prime in Warzone.
For more on Microsoft gaming, check out our list of the best Xbox Series X and Series S games, our Halo game rankings, and our favorite memories from the past 20 years of Xbox.