Satya Nadella: The ABK acquisition has given Microsoft 13 different video-game franchises worth $1 billion or more.

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

This was said in the earnings call.

Edit: With AoE and Flight Sim confirmed I took out Doom and Starfield, at my best guess these are:

Minecraft

Halo

Gears of War

Forza

AoE

Flight Sim

TES

Fallout

COD

Warcraft

Overwatch

Diablo

Candy Crush

If not those 13, what are your best guesses for the other ones?

Edit: From Idas and the FTC trial MSFS and AoE are definitely part of the list.

Idas said:
From the FTC leaks (2019 data). I was also surprised that Flight Simulator and Age of Empires were so big:

E.Balboa · Oct 24, 2023

Forza Horizon should be separate from plain Forza.

StarCraft maybe?

elenarie · Oct 24, 2023

If you count Hearthstone as a separate thing from Warcraft, that's probably one of them.

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

E.Balboa said:
Forza Horizon should be separate from plain Forza.

StarCraft maybe?

I am reluctant to say Starcraft, same as AoE.

AgeEighty · Oct 24, 2023

He says that like it's something they achieved themselves.

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

elenarie said:
If you count Hearthstone as a separate thing from Warcraft, that's probably one of them.

But Warcraft should count everything no? So the strategy games and WOW as well, but I dont know how they are counting these.

AnotherDayAnotherDollar · Oct 24, 2023

That's pretty good. I'm trying to think how many other companies own 13+ 1B franchises.

elenarie · Oct 24, 2023

Marano said:
But Warcraft should count everything no? So the strategy games and WOW as well, but I dont know how they are counting these.

They are likely together, I just don't know if they count Hearthstone as part of Warcraft, even though it is "technically" part of that franchise.

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

E.Balboa said:
Forza Horizon should be separate from plain Forza.

StarCraft maybe?

And for Forza, Horizon for sure would be counted as part of it.

Kschreck · Oct 24, 2023

I hope Fable is good and turns into a huge success. I'm curious to see what they do with Perfect Dark as I still feel like that is a franchise that has a lot of potential depending on the direction they go with it. Would be cool if these two could eventually be billion dollar franchises.

E.Balboa · Oct 24, 2023

AgeEighty said:
He says that like it's something they achieved themselves.

I'm pretty sure he specifically mentioned 'the acquisition' enabled that. So don't know what you mean.

IDontBeatGames · Oct 24, 2023

This thread should be totally healthy and not filled with console war nonsense... right?

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

AnotherDayAnotherDollar said:
That's pretty good. I'm trying to think how many other companies own 13+ 1B franchises.

Nintendo, Tencent, EA and T2.

E.Balboa · Oct 24, 2023

Marano said:
And for Forza, Horizon for sure would be counted as part of it.

I wouldn't honestly. They are two very different type of racing games.

SaintNicholas98 · Oct 24, 2023

Brute Force billion dollar franchise babey

Golding · Oct 24, 2023

IDontBeatGames said:
This thread should be totally healthy and not filled with console war nonsense... right?

Of course not. era will behave

Radec · Oct 24, 2023

For 69 Billion it better be lol

Theorry · Oct 24, 2023

Guitar hero offcourse

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

Kschreck said:
I hope Fable is good and turns into a huge success. I'm curious to see what they do with Perfect Dark as I still feel like that is a franchise that has a lot of potential depending on the direction they go with it. Would be cool if these two could eventually be billion dollar franchises.

The reality is the bulk of billion dollar franchises cant do it being SP only, Bethesda being the exception here.

Fossora · Oct 24, 2023

I know Hearthstone is based on Warcraft lore but maybe its counted separately? I think of it as big enough to be considered its own thing rather than just "that WoW card game."

The Dave · Oct 24, 2023

Crash Bandicoot is up there surely?

SEATLiens · Oct 24, 2023

Wow so cool!

overthewaves · Oct 24, 2023

Tony Hawk trillion dollar franchise

elenarie · Oct 24, 2023

Lost Vikings finally found their billion.

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

Fossora said:
I know Hearthstone is based on Warcraft lore but maybe its counted separately? I think of it as big enough to be considered its own thing rather than just "that WoW card game."

It is hard to say, but my guess is they count them together (like Forza).

XaviConcept · Oct 24, 2023

Candy Crush alone is worth more than most of those combined btw

SuikerBrood · Oct 24, 2023

It's not Sea of Thieves, but it should be.

bsigg · Oct 24, 2023

Marano said:
I am reluctant to say Starcraft, same as AoE.

From the Xbox OT:
$1 billion franchises as of 2019

Halo
Minecraft
Gears of War
Age of Empires
Flight Simulator
Forza

Idas said:
From the FTC leaks (2019 data). I was also surprised that Flight Simulator and Age of Empires were so big:

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

XaviConcept said:
Candy Crush alone is worth more than most of those combined btw

Absolutely, year on year as well.

Kschreck · Oct 24, 2023

Marano said:
The reality is the bulk of billion dollar franchises cant do it being SP only, Bethesda being the exception here.

Yeah it doesn't happen very often. Either way, I do hope those two games are good regardless of how much money they bring in. :)

defaltoption · Oct 24, 2023

AgeEighty said:
He says that like it's something they achieved themselves.

It literally says after the aquisistions....

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

bsigg said:
From the Xbox OT:
$1 billion franchises as of 2019

Halo
Minecraft
Gears of War
Age of Empires
Flight Simulator
Forza

Oh so Flight Sim and AoE were as well? That changes my list then.

finally · Oct 24, 2023

I don't understand this," AB acquisition has given Microsoft 13 different video-game franchises worth $1 billion" and then you proceed to mention the following games which are not published by AB??

Minecraft

Halo

Gears of War

Forza

SuikerBrood · Oct 24, 2023

Call of Duty
Candy Crush
Minecraft
Warcraft
The Elder Scrolls
Fallout
Halo
Diablo
Overwatch
Starcraft
Microsoft Flight Simulator
Age of Empires
Gears of War

That's my guess.

OtakuCoder · Oct 24, 2023

Fossora said:
I know Hearthstone is based on Warcraft lore but maybe its counted separately? I think of it as big enough to be considered its own thing rather than just "that WoW card game."

elenarie said:
They are likely together, I just don't know if they count Hearthstone as part of Warcraft, even though it is "technically" part of that franchise.

Hearthstone's full title is "Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft" so it will absolutely be counted as part of Warcrafr.

ToddBonzalez · Oct 24, 2023

do you mean Starcraft? I doubt Starfield has generated $1b.

t67443 · Oct 24, 2023

Wolfenstein doesn't rank up there?

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

SuikerBrood said:
Call of Duty

Candy Crush

Minecraft

Warcraft

The Elder Scrolls

Fallout

Halo

Diablo

Overwatch

Starcraft

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Age of Empires

Gears of War

That's my guess.

Forza is confirmed to be one btw, the question is Doom.

I am guessing Starcraft isnt one at least.

Marano · Oct 24, 2023

ToddBonzalez said:
do you mean Starcraft? I doubt Starfield has generated $1b.

With AoE and Flight Sim confirmed to be there, Starfield definitely isnt and maybe not Doom either.

Wrench · Oct 24, 2023

Age of Empires
Flight Simulator

BobLoblaw · Oct 24, 2023

XaviConcept said:
Candy Crush alone is worth more than most of those combined btw

Let console/PC gamers dream.

Beardlini · Oct 24, 2023

OtakuCoder said:
Hearthstone's full title is "Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft" so it will absolutely be counted as part of Warcrafr.

I thought they took that out.

Humanity · Oct 24, 2023

AgeEighty said:
He says that like it's something they achieved themselves.

I'm pretty sure he's not implying they created these franchises, but rather thay they can now leverage them for future profit.

Ramala · Oct 24, 2023

Doom?

Buried In Time · Oct 24, 2023

Blackthorne
Gabriel Knight
King's Quest
Leisure Suit Larry
The Lost Vikings
Phantasmagoria
Pitfall
River Raid
Rock N' Roll Racing
Space Quest
True Crime
Vigilante 8
Zork

shadowsdarknes · Oct 24, 2023

What other major IPs and publishers will the largest tech company on earth engulf?

808s & Villainy · Oct 24, 2023

Congrats

EN1GMA · Oct 24, 2023

Kameo

bsigg · Oct 24, 2023

Guitar Hero could be on the list, it was at $2 billion 13 years ago

Guitar Hero tops $2 billion, Activision Blizzard earns $981 million in Q1

Rhythm franchise only third series to top lifetime-sales milestone; COD4 sales hit 13 million; World Tour, Lich King top multiplatform, PC charts for quarter; MMORPG revenues more than $100 million per month.

www.gamespot.com

Jaded Alyx · Oct 24, 2023

finally said:
I don't understand this," AB acquisition has given Microsoft 13 different video-game franchises worth $1 billion" and then you proceed to mention the following games which are not published by AB??

Minecraft

Halo

Gears of War

Forza

It could be interpreted both ways but yes, this is a good point.

Satya Nadella: The ABK acquisition has given Microsoft 13 different video-game franchises worth $1 billion or more.

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