The inevitable merger of Battle.net and Gamepass

[dlld]

Bethesda launcher is being dissolved and everything put on steam, if they were going to do some big merge thing I doubt they'd do that.

[Very Tired]

Bethesda launcher is being dissolved and everything put on steam, if they were going to do some big merge thing I doubt they'd do that.

Honestly why are they doing that though? Thought the point of making their own launcher was so it wasn't on Steam and they couldn't take what, 30% of their games revenue. Why give that up after it's already done?

[dlld]

I guess they don't think keeping a storefront up and running that is making 0,001% of their profit to be worth it.

[Utrrabbit]

Wishful thinking at best, all of those bnet games are going to be part of gamepass soon, they are going to need a way for people to merge their liscences to have everything in one place.

Microsoft will not do that at all. Microsoft has not merged any launcher from any platform they've aquired. They will not do it wit b.net

[Eosia]

How does Microsoft handle Elder Scrolls MMO and other MMOs on Game Pass?

Bethesda just killed their launcher. Moving everything to Steam.

[Hobbidaggy]

Bethesda just killed their launcher. Moving everything to Steam.

I think keeping an eye on Bethesda and their existing MMO is a good indication as to how WoW will play out as both will be under Microsoft and they would be stupid to do one a different way to the other.

Who knows maybe the teams will share resources in a pinch and the quality of both games will improve….maybe….fingers crossed

[Eosia]

I think keeping an eye on Bethesda and their existing MMO is a good indication as to how WoW will play out as both will be under Microsoft and they would be stupid to do one a different way to the other.

I think Microsoft will probably keep BattleNet and probably merge other things into that like what happened with Activision's titles. It will need a UI redeisng to accommodate that, but it would be better than relying on a 3rd party one like Bethesda is doing now.

[Hobbidaggy]

I think Microsoft will probably keep BattleNet and probably merge other things into that like what happened with Activision's titles. It will need a UI redeisng to accommodate that, but it would be better than relying on a 3rd party one like Bethesda is doing now.

True but I don’t think they would put titles that aren’t created by the activision/blizzard division of the company. It would be weird to see Halo on there

[Raven]

They can link accounts to game pass, so I dont think they will remove battlenet, i think it will be the other way around, battlenet will be expanded and more added to it.

[Unholyground]

They can link accounts to game pass, so I dont think they will remove battlenet, i think it will be the other way around, battlenet will be expanded and more added to it.

Linking will be the simple first step but it will be completely merged out over time. They already announced D4 as a day 1 gamepass release which was a huge sign that it is already coming to fruition

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I think keeping an eye on Bethesda and their existing MMO is a good indication as to how WoW will play out as both will be under Microsoft and they would be stupid to do one a different way to the other.

Who knows maybe the teams will share resources in a pinch and the quality of both games will improve….maybe….fingers crossed

No other MMO under MS has the brand power that WoW has as it is instantly recognizable even from non-WoW players. Comparing any of the other MMO's they have to WoW is like saying Silver and Gold have the same value.

WoW is a flagship IP and you damn well better believe it is going to be part of gamepass in some big way.

[Icechaosss]

Linking will be the simple first step but it will be completely merged out over time. They already announced D4 as a day 1 gamepass release which was a huge sign that it is already coming to fruition

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No other MMO under MS has the brand power that WoW has as it is instantly recognizable even from non-WoW players. Comparing any of the other MMO's they have to WoW is like saying Silver and Gold have the same value.

WoW is a flagship IP and you damn well better believe it is going to be part of gamepass in some big way.

I disagree on the merging. Battle.net, in my opinion, has it's own "brand" per say.

I 100% think it will be like the Riot Games situation, where you link your account to Gamepass and you just go. That depends on how much Microsoft wants to get involved with the internal workings of Blizzard.

I also definitely think they will add it to gamepass. I know SO many people who said they would come back to WoW if it were a part of Gamepass. Gamepass is easily the best value in gaming right now, and Microsoft knows exactly what they're doing.

[Unholyground]

I also definitely think they will add it to gamepass. I know SO many people who said they would come back to WoW if it were a part of Gamepass. Gamepass is easily the best value in gaming right now, and Microsoft knows exactly what they're doing.

Exactly what I am saying!

[Smeagolski]

I don't mind the merger, don't mind the Gamepass Ultimate idea, it's not bad, but please, use the Battle net app as the only app, and call it whatever the fuck you want. change colors to xbox colors, do whatever, call it xbox for all I care.
Just please, don't use the current xbox app. that thing is an abomination.

[Witchblade77]

ok, to clarify ESO thing. its b2p game. its NOT a free to play game, its a subscription optional game, but its not free either. yes, ESO charges you for every DLC IF you wish to have acess without subscribing. if you subscribe - it works almost like WoW in that you get acess to everything for as long as you are subbed, with exception of the newest expac. why almost? because subsequent content packs that continue current expac's story are ALSO included into a subscription, think of it like... if you had to buy acess to Covenant zones and the original Maw, but the Korthia and Zereth Mortis were included with subscription even if you don't have latest expansion. this in part works becasue ESO doesn't level gate anything unlike WoW.

unless Microsoft changes how acess (as it subscription still required or optional) to WoW works/how far you can get within free trial? I don't see it being any kind of gamepass addition. I mean.... maybe they'll have a special where you can redeem a transmog or a mount/pet or something but that's about it.

[mrgreenthump]

Don't know if it will, maybe something like you get all the expansions with game pass and have to sub still to get over level 20. Might be that they change that sub is only for the current expansion content access.

[Nymrohd]

No other MMO under MS has the brand power that WoW has as it is instantly recognizable even from non-WoW players. Comparing any of the other MMO's they have to WoW is like saying Silver and Gold have the same value.

WoW is a flagship IP and you damn well better believe it is going to be part of gamepass in some big way.

I'd says Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Elder Scrolls are all more or at least equally recognizable as brands as Warcraft. Since you were arguing about IPs and brands and not about the games themselves.

[Nzx]

So I have been thinking about this a lot and it is a certainty that it will happen. I am wondering how long they will wait and how they will go about it.

My best personal guess is that they move the WoW sub into Gamepass Ultimate when it happens and then phase out the battle.net app and then make some kind of season pass you can get for cosmetic rewards.

Why did you post this thread/make that signature as if you're some kind of psychic, when it's something so blatantly obvious a child could predict it? Of course this is going to happen. Overnight you turn every WoW subscriber into a Gamepass subscriber, which means you get more eyes on your advertising and more numbers in your B2B pitch. Similarly, you turn every Gamepass subscriber into a potential WoW player, even if they had zero interest before.

Congratulations, you've completed day one of Marketing 101. Day two is where you make other shocking predictions like "Microsoft will show advertising for games that aren't WoW in the launcher app" and "people will like getting stuff for free".

[Zenfoldor]

We will feel the changes from the MS merger in our apps, it just hasn't shown up yet. Most likely this will take the form of adverts and other increased monitization. I'm more of the thought that MS will use Battle.net to promote gamepass and not vice versa. I don't expect battle.net to go away, I expect it to change. I would also expect Blizzard games to be day 1 on gamepass ultimate including the wow sub but still upcharge for current dlc, not at first, but soon. MS' priority is gamepass, this company is just a tool they have purchased to promote it. Battle.net has value most other launchers do not, and I expect MS to leverage that value to first promote gamepass ultimate.

[Unholyground]

Why did you post this thread/make that signature as if you're some kind of psychic, when it's something so blatantly obvious a child could predict it? Of course this is going to happen. Overnight you turn every WoW subscriber into a Gamepass subscriber, which means you get more eyes on your advertising and more numbers in your B2B pitch. Similarly, you turn every Gamepass subscriber into a potential WoW player, even if they had zero interest before.

Congratulations, you've completed day one of Marketing 101. Day two is where you make other shocking predictions like "Microsoft will show advertising for games that aren't WoW in the launcher app" and "people will like getting stuff for free".

I actually predicted MS buying Blizzard like 3 years ago..

[Biomega]

I actually predicted MS buying Blizzard like 3 years ago..

No. You guessed, and it happened to be right.

That's not a prediction