Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard means that the company will have access to massive range of IP, and Xbox fans are already calling on various franchises from Activision's storied history to be brought back in the future.
The one we're seeing requested most prominently right now is Blur. This was a beloved but underperforming Xbox 360 racer from back in 2010 — think of it as a cross between Project Gotham Racing and Mario Kart.
Unfortunately, it seems like Blur isn't going to get a backwards compatible release at this point, but there's still hope that Microsoft might see fit to produce a sequel... although the developer Bizarre Creations has since been dissolved:
Another one that seems to be getting some love at the moment is Guitar Hero. Activision hasn't produced a Guitar Hero game since Guitar Hero Live back in 2015, and while that game didn't exactly prove a big success, there's undoubtedly a lot of nostalgia for classic GH games such as Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock.
To be honest though, we think this is perhaps a little more unlikely. Microsoft would have to invest in new peripherals in order to make a new Guitar Hero happen, and based on Rock Band 4's history, it probably wouldn't be worth it.
As for the others? Take your pick. We've seen requests for the likes of the True Crime series, World of Warcraft on Xbox, DJ Hero, Skylanders, Geometry Wars and much more.
Ultimately, Microsoft might not be interested in bringing back some of the older properties in the Activision (and Blizzard) portfolio, but thanks to Xbox Game Pass, they can potentially afford the risk of a Blur sequel, for example. And, if there's any possible way of making more of these games backwards compatible, it'd certainly go down a treat.
Which classic Activision IP do you want to see brought back by Microsoft? Let us know below.
Comments 53
Can Xbox turn back on the transformers servers... I know activsion license for transformers expired but come on let us play the goddamn game
Give me the original Pitfall on Gamepass! I want to relive some childhood memories!
I still play Geometry Wars 2 to this day. Another one would be great!
The return of Blur and Prototype would be great.
If they want exclusives on the Xbox platform which would shift some units/use on XCloud those are Wonderful exclusives right there. A revamped True Crime too.
Also how about a series of smaller games that are remakes of classics, River Raid, Pit Fall, Chopper Command etc.
....Rock n Roll Racing!
Geometry Wars, well it's a shame that they brought it back already with the disappointing third instalment, but maybe taking a fresh look at it they could come up with something more inline with the first two awesome games.
MS will own a huge pile of franchises when this deal is done.
Geometry wars and tony hawk please!!
Can a nibba finally get Vanilla WoW (WoW Classic) on console?
Microsoft Studios was the publisher and Bizarre Creations = developer for the Project Gotham Racing series.
Maybe we'll finally get to play an enhanced version of PGR4 on ONE/Series S/X.
Crash, Banjo, Conker & Spyro in a platformer. That's what we need.
I'll ask for a really, REALLY old one: 1982's Pitfall!
Bring it to Game Pass, with achievements 😆
I'm very nostalgic for the slightly less old Pitfall: A Mayan Adventure (1994), which I played on the SNES.
Would love to see:
Baldurs Gate: Dark Alliance II
Champions Of Norrath
Reform Vicarious Visions and THPS 3+4 a must.
Bring back Pitfall & TRUE CRIME!
You have to read the fanboy comments on PS (by users and staffers!) making jokes about PS5 missing Candy Crush, Zork, Laura Bow Mysteries and Singularity. The amount of salt on there is certainly unhealthy! They'll be missing a lot more than that, I'm afraid 😂. I made a list with all Xbox Game Studios:
https://www.purexbox.com/forums/xbox-series-x/xbox_game_studios#reply-01
There are IPs there I don't know. I would be nice to have Guitar Hero back. I'm curious about Geometry Wars and, as I said yesterday, I'm very excited to have Beenox, Toys For Bob and Vicarious Visions, hopefully working on the kind of games they are great at and that Xbox needs so much.
I never bought a Skylanders game, but that would be cool. Also, yes to True Crime. We need a new entry.
Blur back compat asap please, there's no excuse now. Bought a PS3 copy recently and the game is still amazing, playing it with a DualShock 3 isn't. I don't even want a Blur 2 because Bizarre Creations wouldn't be making it. Just give me Blur BC!
Oh yeah, Geometry Wars 4 would be nice too..
To me it is all about better and more creative CoD campaigns that matters. Make games in SP only format in various wars across the history with IW engine. Vietnam war, WW1 and others.
I would love a singularity reboot or sequel!
Also prototype!
Considering that Acti really scaled backed and placed like four or five studios on COD, I'm going to go a head and agree with everything said above.
Reform studios, and revive IPs.
Also, place Raven, Sledgehammer, and the other one on something other than COD, and let COD slip from being an annual release franchise.
Swat 5 please.
Project Gotham Racing 5 please.
Activision owns Sierra, let's turn Game Pass PC into a gaming museum. Kings quest, leisure suit Larry, etc.
Definitely bring the old blizzard games like diablo, warcraft and starcraft to GP.
Game Pass PC can be a very solid platform.
Oh heck yeah to Blur 2. Blur was a great game. Would love to see the original in Game Pass while we wait for a sequel.
I know there are some sketchy licensing deals with Sony, but would love if Microsoft managed to work a deal with Disney to get the Marvel Activision games re-released or added to BC.
The list is by no means short.
But I'm looking in particular to Spider-man Edge ofTime, Shattered Dimensions, Web of Shadows, Amazing Spiderman 1 & 2, and X-Men Origins Wolverine. Oh and Deadpool. I have that one already but more people deserve to play it and only way to get it is physical these days.
@Skedaddle I would love that. Great talents in there. The studio was unfairly closed.
Please hexen and heretic. They could release them as a classic doom addon. Hexen 2 as a quake addon as it is build with the quake engine. Oh and remasters of soldier of fortune and wolfenstein 2009.
dont they now own all the old sierra games ?
singularity on backwards compat please
2019: 'Xbox has no games.'
2022: 'Xbox has all the games.'
Some family games would be great so Spyro, crash and maybe some Skylanders without the need for Skylander figures.
blur 2... do it now Phil (pleeease).
@Royalblues That and also Crash Bandicoot N.sane Trilogy and Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled, all of them are 30fps on Series X.
Guitar Hero? Really? I thought that whole genre was played out.
Don't know who would work on it and I doubt it would have a chance of happening but I'd love to see Gun get another shot pun completely intended. I loved that game!
I’d love to see a horizons blur dlc add on. If it sells well do a horizons blur and compete with Mario kart. I’d love to see stand alone Warcraft games and star craft games and Diablo. Let ninja theory try a single player on that. Or obsidian. Let the studios shine and let them do what they want and the audience will be there. Now I see how Microsoft wants a first party game out every three months. Totally achievable now with 30ish studios giving AAA games three years.
@Smeltos Those weren't even done by Activision-Blizzard.
OLDER Tony Hawk GAMES PLEASE (even if they have to remove unlicensed tracks, idc) and Guitar Hero too, playing with an Xbox controller is fun too, you don’t need the guitar controller. Crash Twinsanity, the list goes on.
Tony Hawk is a no-brainer - the remake was hugely popular. Bring back 3+4, and make a new one!
Another Project Gotham Racing, along with Blur 2 would suit me....
Or even just remasters if done well.
Chances seem quite slim, but you never know..😏
@BANJO I think the reason we will never get another PGR is because of Forza Horizon.
Blur was SO GOOD!!
We have all these studios now, so how about a new platform game to rival even Mario.
It’s about time.
@iplaygamesnstuff Sad but true, I still play play PGR 4 every now and then. That game in itself is enough reason to keep the 360 connected up... A Series X/S remaster would be great.
I know some may laugh but I’d LOVE to see an Activision Atari 2600 collection!! Or release them one at a time digitally at say $1.99 each!! I’d be all over that! Would love to play Stampede, Seaquest, River Raid, Kaboom etc on my Series X! Although Kaboom never plays well without the original Atari paddles lol.
Come to think of it, they also had quite a few 8-bit computer classics as well!
Toy Bizarre
Park Patrol
Zone Ranger
Dreadnaught Factor
Little Computer People to name a few!!
Given how successful Forza has become with its two-tier strategy, I can't see MS, which owns the Project Gotham Racing IP, reviving Bizarre and bringing PGR back. But that would be awesome, it'd be my no.1 wish if I thought there was even a slight chance.
As it stands, it'd probably be easier for MS to rebuild Vicarious Visions and put the team to work on a new Tony Hawk game. Definitely would love to see that happen. It's utterly pathetic that Activision's 'reward' to for the great, and successful, TH remasters was to become a Call of Duty support studio.
Blur would be great. Had to buy a disc version from Ebay and play on my 360 last year !
@Gamer83 Toys For Bob also received the same "reward" after finishing Crash Bandicoot 4.
@Banjo-
Yup. Disgusting. Crash 4 is one of my favorite PS4 games.
I really only want 3 franchise things out of this. WoW on console, Pitfall! 1 and 2 (maybe even a new game), and most importantly, H.E.R.O.! Actually, just give me a collection of all the Activision Atari games.
Blur was a hidden gem. Also while on this topic where the hell is PGR5!
Who owns the rights to Star Control?
@UltimateKGB major tom he also owns ground control
I'd like to see a proper follow up to Rock 'n' Roll Racing, something 3D with a behind the car view and weapons.
@Banedracul, damn... H.E.R.O.. love that game , Pitfall too.... what else from that era... Little Computer People was fun (early form of the Sims I guess) , Last Ninja on c64, was Activision also I think, only as publisher I guess, but they still could have rights to this stuff, these are frkn 35+ years old by now.... yep I'm a dino...
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