Microsoft purchased Bethesda and is looking to acquire Activision, getting exclusive rights to many massive franchises like Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Call of Duty, and many others. Not to be outdone, Sony has been sweeping up many studios who were generally associated with the console maker. Some examples include Insomniac Games, Bluepoint Games, and Housemarque.
Most recently, Sony bought Bungie, which has been working on the Destiny franchise since 2014 and before then created Halo for Microsoft. The following memes were made soon after the news broke and showcase the full range of emotions and reactions. Hopefully, these memes will help clear up some confusion about what this acquisition actually means for the parties involved.
10 Please Don't Feel Betrayed
Some Xbox fans might be feeling betrayed following this news. They should not be for a variety of reasons. For one, Bungie has not worked on Halo since Halo: Reach in 2010.
Secondly, it is not as if Sony is buying the developer directly from Microsoft. Bungie has long since been independent and even had a deal with Activision in the time between leaving Microsoft and joining Sony.
9 If Bungie Had Stayed With Activision
Bungie's situation would be radically different if it never broke its deal with Activision. Assuming the developer was still working with the publisher, it would have once again fallen under Microsoft's umbrella when the company announced the deal with Activision.
As it stands now, Bungie is still out of Microsoft's grasp. Who knows what the future holds, though? Maybe Microsoft will try to come after Sony next. If this happens, then there will be no escape for the Destiny developer.
8 No, Sony Does Not Own Halo
People might have gotten a little too excited when this acquisition was announced. In no way does this mean Sony has any claim to the Halo franchise. Microsoft still owns the IP and Bungie has not been associated with it since 2010.
While having the immensely talented studio with Sony is a plus, it does not mean fans will see a Halo game on PlayStation anytime in the foreseeable future in this universe or any other.
7 It's Not The Cost Of The Acquisition That Counts
Compared to the other purchases Microsoft has made, Sony purchasing Bungie for $3.6 billion feels like small change. All the same, most people would not even know what to do with so much money. It just goes to show how big the industry has grown in the past decade.
Numbers like this would not be thrown around so easily. While this comparatively small number might be a point of criticism, one has to remember that Bungie is an independent developer and not a publisher like Activision or Bethesda.
6 But Why Though?
This meme shows some irrational reactions to this recent purchase. Given what both Bungie and Sony have said about the transaction, little will change about Destiny for the time being. Any gamer who does not follow the happenings within the industry might not even realize anything happened at all.
Some gamers are still going to be mad for whatever reason. It is okay to be upset with the consolidation of the gaming industry, which very well might have negative repercussions for consumers in the future, but to take it out on the game itself is silly.
5 Nintendo Is Gonna Nintendo
These acquisitions feel awfully like a reaction to other purchases made by the opposite team. While Microsoft and Sony are sweeping up whatever companies they can, Nintendo is off in a separate corner doing its own thing.
Given the success of the Nintendo Switch and its first-party library, the company does not need to change things up anytime soon. Some fans wish Nintendo would operate a little differently, but why would it when it is doing so well?
4 Sony Probably Already Knows This
Some people might make rash purchases, but Sony was probably already well aware they would not earn the right to use Halo upon buying Bungie.
All the same, it is still funny to think about this reaction, and an opportunity to share a meme featuring Willem Dafoe is always worth taking. While Halo won't be on PlayStation anytime soon, at least an Xbox Series S is relatively affordable and the whole series is available on the Game Pass service.
3 Is This A Bad Thing, Though?
Immediate reactions to this purchase had people thinking Destiny would become a PlayStation exclusive. The game only recently added crossplay support, so it would leave a bad impression if it was taken away so soon.
Sony loyalists might be upset by this, but a live-service game should have the biggest player base possible. This acquisition is interesting because it does not actually give Sony any exclusive games. Maybe in the future, Bungie will make a new IP and make it exclusive to PlayStation.
2 Destiny Changes
Bungie and Halo made Xbox a force to be reckoned with in the console's early years. It is funny to see Bungie now partner with Sony. Go back 17 years and people were throwing insults at Sony because they could never have an exclusive FPS anywhere near as good as Halo.
If only they knew where the developer would be in the future. Bungie's goal was never to destroy Sony, though. The developer was just making the best games they possibly could.
1 Console Wars Have Changed
People thought the console wars had gone away. This new string of big acquisitions has heated things up and changed the way companies battle. No longer is it about having a killer IP. Sony and Microsoft are now sweeping up entire companies and publishers to claim several IPs all at once.
So far, Microsoft has bought bigger names, but Sony probably has some more purchases lined up. Who knows what comes next. Will Ubisoft or EA become a Sony brand soon?