As Xbox continues its restructuring, with developers like Rare and Halo Studios now under Activision's supervision, one reader suggests this could ultimately be beneficial. The reader reflects on the 24th anniversary of Microsoft's acquisition of Rare, noting the initial promise and subsequent struggles of the partnership.
Rare's History Under Microsoft
The reader recalls that early Rare releases under Microsoft, such as Grabbed By The Ghoulies, Kameo: Elements Of Power, and Perfect Dark Zero, were poorly received. Viva Piñata was considered decent but likely would have performed better on the Wii, given Xbox's reputation as a shooter-focused console with an older audience.
The reader speculates that without Kinect, Microsoft might have shut down or sold Rare in the early 2010s. Since being freed from Kinect-related work, Rare has only produced Sea Of Thieves, with no other projects in sight.
Activision's Management Expertise
The reader argues that Activision, despite not being the most creative publisher, understands the business and knows how to work with developers. They point to Call Of Duty's annual release schedule as evidence of Activision's ability to consistently produce games.
Activision has also taken over Halo and Age Of Empires. The reader believes that if Activision had been in charge since Bungie's departure, there wouldn't have been such long gaps between new games.
Potential Risks and Outcomes
The obvious danger is that Rare and other studios become support studios for Call Of Duty or other projects. Another possibility is that they get sold after a few years of Microsoft pretending to try to revive them.
The reader also considers a wilder option: Microsoft might bundle Rare with Activision and Bethesda for a potential sale, similar to "buy Activision, get Rare free." However, the reader assumes this won't happen and hopes Activision can impose order, as both Rare and Halo Studios have struggled to finish games.
The reader concludes that whether this move is positive depends on how many Microsoft people have infiltrated Activision. If Activision remains largely unchanged, there's a good chance this could be a positive move for Rare and others—better than withering under Microsoft's direct control.
