As a former Microsoft exec who worked across media and gaming, the answer is yes, both and then some... Yes, Microsoft's proposed acquisition on Activision would given Microsoft strong ARR from Activision's AAA titles like Call of Duty. The lifetime value associated to tentpole gaming titles dwarfs movies-- by a magnitude and Microsoft loves ARR. (Both) Put V-Bucks and the revenue associated to enhancing the in-game experience into the same ARR bucket. Fortnite, World of Warcraft and others offer a constant albeit somewhat less predictable revenue stream-- truly a gift that keeps on giving, especially when run by a world-class organization like Microsoft. Finally (...and then some), Microsoft has and will continue to learn from and extend the learnings from these augmented and virtual environments into commercial enterprise applications. AR application for skilled workers (think enhanced robotics) is in its infancy but by the time your sons enter the workforce it will likely be the norm. The big loser, if there is a loser, is Facebook... or whatever headfake they call themselves today. Like all Facebook attempts at hardware, Oculus is DOA, Zuck's vision is copycat, and despite billions in R&D to invest, Facebook has lost the hearts and minds of developers due to their greed and gross incompetence. Continue to fix-up that basement, there's lots more coming.
As a former Microsoft exec who worked across media and gaming, the answer is yes, both and then some... Yes, Microsoft's proposed acquisition on Activision would given Microsoft strong ARR from Activision's AAA titles like Call of Duty. The lifetime value associated to tentpole gaming titles dwarfs movies-- by a magnitude and Microsoft loves ARR. (Both) Put V-Bucks and the revenue associated to enhancing the in-game experience into the same ARR bucket. Fortnite, World of Warcraft and others offer a constant albeit somewhat less predictable revenue stream-- truly a gift that keeps on giving, especially when run by a world-class organization like Microsoft. Finally (...and then some), Microsoft has and will continue to learn from and extend the learnings from these augmented and virtual environments into commercial enterprise applications. AR application for skilled workers (think enhanced robotics) is in its infancy but by the time your sons enter the workforce it will likely be the norm. The big loser, if there is a loser, is Facebook... or whatever headfake they call themselves today. Like all Facebook attempts at hardware, Oculus is DOA, Zuck's vision is copycat, and despite billions in R&D to invest, Facebook has lost the hearts and minds of developers due to their greed and gross incompetence. Continue to fix-up that basement, there's lots more coming.