Microsoft has chosen to sell Obsidian Entertainment’s game Avowed on Blizzard’s Battle.net platform, marking the first time a non-Activision Blizzard game has been sold on Battle.net. Battle.net, the pioneering online gaming server, has been in operation since 1996 alongside the release of the first Diablo installment. Over the years, it has evolved to encompass both an online gaming system and a digital game store, previously featuring only Blizzard’s own games (World of Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo) and Activision’s (Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot).
Out of the blue, Microsoft announced the availability of Avowed on Battle.net, alongside its presence on the Xbox app on Windows and Steam as usual. No explanation was provided as to why Avowed was chosen as the inaugural game to be sold through Battle.net, as opposed to other previously released games like Flight Simulator 2024 or Indiana Jones and the Great Circle. Speculation from Windows Central suggests that Microsoft may be experimenting with Battle.net in some capacity.
Avowed is scheduled for release on February 18, 2025, but those who pre-order the game through any platform (Xbox, Battle.net, and Steam) will have early access on February 13.
TLDR: Microsoft partners with Blizzard to sell Obsidian Entertainment’s Avowed on Battle.net, a departure from Activision Blizzard exclusivity. Avowed’s release date is set for February 18, 2025, with early access for pre-orders on February 13.
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