Over the past few years, Microsoft has busily been acquiring first-party studios and solidifying its status as a leader in the video game software space. What gamers perhaps did not expect was for Microsoft to turn its sights to the realm of esports as well. Yet an announcement on the websitesmash.gghas revealed that Microsoft recently acquired the platform, which facilitates the organization of esports tournaments.
Smash.gg originally came about in 2015, when a group of esports fans decided to make a space where gamers could easily organizeSuper Smash Bros.tournaments. In just a few short years, the site has grown to support over 6,000 event organizers across a broad spectrum of games. The site provides assistance with registration and keeping track of brackets for online and live esports events of all sizes.
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Up until now, Microsoft certainly hasn’t been absent from the esports space. A few of the company’s first-party games—Halo, Gears, Forza—regularly have largeesports events and livestreams, and Microsoft has a website dedicated to keeping fans connected and apprised of the latest esports news.
It remains to be seen exactly what Microsoft has in mind with its acquisition of smash.gg. The site’s announcement of the purchase clarified that smash.gg will continue as a self-service platform for organizers. In the past, the site has been used by game developers to connect with their player communities andorganize tournaments. Perhaps, as Microsoft continues to acquire more studios, many of whose games could perform well in a competitive setting, the company will look to expand its presence in theesportsarena.
In September 2020, Microsoft purchased ZeniMax Media—the parent company of Bethesda, id Software, Arkane Studios, and others—for $7.5 billion. And according to Phil Spencer,Microsoft’s acquisition of game development studiosisn’t over, as the company intends to purchase more developers in the future to strengthen Xbox Game Pass. The corporation seems to be placing great importance on the success of its subscription service and is also toying with expansion into areas beyond esports.
In an interview last month, Spencer discussed Microsoft’s future plans and revealed that anXbox App that can run on smart TVsmay be revealed within 12 months, although it’s not yet clear what the app would offer that differs from what is already available on consoles. An Apple TV app has also been made available for Xbox Series X, a first for a Microsoft console, and the company hopes to launch the Xbox Game Pass app and xCloud for iOS sometime in 2021.
