Microsoft is currently going through the process of having regulatory bodies approve its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. A deal that is worth $68.7 billion will take a while to process.
While Microsoft is busy dealing with the paperwork, Activision Blizzard on the other hand is still making and releasing games. We are creating a list of the games that are likely to come out from the studio before the deal is finally approved.
This list has been narrowed down to the likely window of approval which is expected in 2023. There is a rumored survival game that is in the works but it will not be included in this list since it is highly doubtful that the game will release before the Microsoft deal is approved.
World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic
The World of Warcraft classic expansion is set to arrive today. The critically acclaimed Wrath of the Lich King expansion revolves around the story of Arthas Menethil and his accession to the Frozen Throne.
The classic version of WOTLK will introduce the plot and events related to the Lich King lore but will still retain much of the feel of the vanilla version of WoW. Classic players consider WOTLK as the final vanilla expansion of the MMORPG.
In Wrath of the Lich King Classic, players will be able to play as a Death Knight and travel to Northrend to confront Arthas in a final boss raid. The expansion will also raise the level cap for characters to 70.
Expect to have a long queue for WoW Classic in the next few days as a lot of players will surely be logging in to check on the expansion. World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Classic is now available for download on PC.
Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 will be the successor of the hit first-person competitive shooter game and make several changes such as the switch to a free-to-play model and the introduction of a Battle Pass.
There will be Seasons for OW2 with the first one lasting nine weeks. During the season, players can unlock the Battle Pass Tiers to gain cosmetic items and unlock heroes. There will be a total of three heroes introduced in the first season with Kiriko being locked behind the Battle Pass.
Players can purchase a Premium Battle Pass to unlock more items and instant access to Kiriko when the game drops. The Premium Battle Pass costs 1000 Overwatch coins or an equivalent of $10. Players can also grind for Overwatch coins by playing weekly challenges.
Overwatch 2 will be launching on October 4 on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch. The Overwatch servers will be offline for the transition starting on October 2.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is a sequel to the COD: Modern Warfare of 2019. MW2 is part of the reboot that was started with its predecessor to have a more realistic theme. The Call of Duty title has been controversial during the acquisition as there were rumors that Microsoft was planning to make it an exclusive title.
In Modern Warfare 2, Captain John Price and Taskforce 141 are assigned to take on the task of de-escalating a crisis triggered by a US missile strike on a foreign general. A new terrorist organization, the Al-Qatala, as well as the drug cartel, Las Almas, will also play a huge role in the story.
Returning in MW2 will be familiar characters such as Gaz and Ghost from the previous title. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be released on October 28 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 is an upcoming free-to-play battle royale game and is a sequel to Warzone. During a match, players or teams are dropped into an island where they fight other players. The last surviving player or team wins the match.
The island where players are dropped onto is surrounded by toxic gas. The area that is safe from the gas shrinks as time passes, forcing players into gunfights. Players who are unable to reach the safe area will constantly take damage from the gas until they are eliminated.
There will be AI NPCs in Warzone 2 that players can engage. These NPCs guard strongholds and other points of interest. Players who wish to control these areas must first eliminate the NPCs.
Call of Duty: Warzone 2 will be coming on November 16 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
Dragonflight will be the ninth expansion for World of Warcraft and add a new class called Dracthyr. The new class can switch between human and dragon forms. There will also be a new dragon riding mount system.
The new expansion introduces the Dragon Isles as a new playable area. Players can explore Waking Shores, Ohn'ahran Plains, Azure Span, and Thaldraszus. These areas were designed with more verticality to match the new Dragon Riding system.
World of Warcraft: Dragonflight is rumored to be released on November 28 for the PC.
Diablo 4
Diablo 4 is the newest entry into the Diablo franchise. The action RPG game will feature a more “grounded” story compared to Diablo 3 and revolve around Sanctuary's residents. The main antagonist of the story will be Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto.
Blizzard confirmed that Diablo 4 will feature five classes at launch: Barbarian, Sorceress, Druid, Necromancer, and Rogue. There will also be five regions in the Sanctuary world and feature an open-world setting. Players can traverse these regions without a loading screen.
All dungeons will be procedurally generated and party instanced therefore players will not be encountering other players that do not belong to their party during dungeon activities.
Diablo 4 will be released on the PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2023. There are rumors that a pre-order will be announced during The Game Awards in December. Be sure to sign up for the beta tests that are coming for Diablo 4.
