Where does PlayStation fit into Microsoft’s Activision purchase? [Updated]

Enlarge / A small selection of the characters that may not be appearing on PlayStation in the long term.

In the wake of Microsoft's announcement that it intends to acquire Activision, it has been fun to gawk at the big numbers and speculate about the fate of rich CEOs, among other business implications. But for many PlayStation owners, there's only one question that matters: will I need to buy an Xbox or PC to continue playing Activision franchises in the future?

Microsoft's acquisition, which could be finalized as early as July 1, could threaten PlayStation owners' access to everything from Diablo and Overwatch to Spyro and Tony Hawk. Even Crash Bandicoot, which used to be synonymous with the PlayStation brand, would be a Microsoft property after the deal closes.

And then there's Call of Duty, the annual first-person shooter mega-franchise that's particularly hard to imagine not being a part of the PlayStation universe anymore. Call of Duty games continue to be some of the PlayStation's bestsellers year after year, so a Microsoft acquisition could leave a big gap in the PlayStation catalog. Sony also declared that PlayStation was "the new home of Call of Duty" back in 2015, hyping up early access to betas and map packs for PlayStation owners, and Call of Duty's official esports home shifted over to PlayStation that same year.

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