Microsoft's recent acquisition of the video game publisher Activision has sparked discussions about the potential impact of crypto and the metaverse on the operations and products of both companies.
When the purchase was initially announced in January 2022, Microsoft expressed its intention to "boost the growth of Microsoft's gaming division" and provide foundational components for the metaverse. They went on to state that gaming would play a pivotal role in the development of metaverse platforms.
However, as of the completion of the transaction on October 13, Microsoft Gaming did not mention the metaverse in their official statement. In fact, during an interview with Bloomberg in August, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer expressed skepticism about the entire concept of the metaverse.
Spencer remarked, "My perspective on the Metaverse is that gamers have essentially been in the Metaverse for the past 30 years. When you're engrossed in gaming, whether it's World of Warcraft, Roblox, or a multiplayer racing game, you're essentially in a shared virtual world."
He went on to describe the Metaverse as a "poorly constructed video game" and emphasized that video games have been immersing players in 3D environments for many years. He also mentioned his disinterest in spending most of his time in a metaverse that resembles a meeting room.
Interestingly, Microsoft's original vision for the Metaverse might align with this perspective. In a February 2022 interview with the Financial Times, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella highlighted "meetings and gaming" as a single metaverse application that the company was concentrating on.
Microsoft's metaverse platform, Mesh, has already entered preview stages, incorporating aspects of both business communication and gaming into its offerings.
While Microsoft's stance on the Metaverse remains uncertain, internal documents leaked from the company last month hinted at a possible inclusion of crypto wallets in its Xbox gaming device. However, specific details regarding the integration plan were not disclosed.
Although CEO Spencer attempted to downplay the leak, he did not refute its contents. In a Twitter statement, he expressed his discomfort with the unauthorized sharing of their team's work, given the evolving nature of the situation. He stated, "It is challenging to see our team's efforts being circulated in this manner because so much has evolved. We will unveil the actual plans when they are fully developed."
