Microsoft to Release AA Tier Games of AAA IPs

Microsoft and Activision have created a new team within Blizzard focused on developing smaller AAA games based on existing franchises. Read on to learn more about Microsoft's goals and potential projects within Teams.

Microsoft and Activision have reportedly created a new team within Blizzard that is primarily staffed by King
veterans

, according to Jez Corden of Windows Central. This move comes after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard in 2023, giving the company access to a vast library of popular game properties

like Diablo and World of Warcraft. According to Corden, this new team's objective is to work on AA games based on existing franchises within Blizzard universes. AA games are smaller in scope and budget than AAA releases , and with King being renowned for mobile

successes

like Candy Crush and Farm Heroes, the speculation is that the new team will focus on developing these games for mobile. King does have experience with developing mobile games based on existing franchises. They previously developed Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!, an endless runner akin to Temple Run, in 2021, and announced plans for a Call of Duty mobile game in 2017. While the The former has since been discontinued, the latter's progress remains unclear, especially considering Call of Duty: Mobile is developed by a separate team.

Microsoft Aims to Strengthen Their Mobile Market Share

At Gamescom 2023, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, in an interview with Eurogamer, emphasized the pivotal role of mobile gaming in Xbox's growth strategy. He cited mobile capabilities as the primary catalyst behind Microsoft's $68.7 billion bid for Activision Blizzard.

Spencer elucidated, "The rationale behind our acquisition discussion with Activision Blizzard King revolves around their mobile capability because it's simply something we lack… We manifestly already have Call of Duty on our platform; we already have Diablo on our platform . Therefore, it's not about novel games that Xbox players don't have access to today. It's about a capability on mobile, and certain broader aspirations that we have on the most extensive gaming platform, which is mobile phones."

To further bolster their gaming presence, Microsoft is actively developing a mobile store to rival Apple and Google. While specific details remain confidential, Spencer suggested at CCXP 2023 that it would release sooner rather than "multiple years away."

With the escalating costs of AAA game development, Microsoft is exploring a new approach. According to Jez Corden, the company plans to experiment with smaller teams within its larger structure to address this growing change.

While specifics remain under wraps, the formation of this new team has made fans speculate as to what they could be working on. Possibilities include scaled-down versions of popular franchises like World of Warcraft, similar to League of Legends’ mobile counterpart, Wildrift. They could also work on a mobile Overwatch experience akin to Apex Legends Mobile or Call of Duty: Mobile Season 7.