Three Xbox franchises are already pulling in more than a billion dollars a year each — and instead of chasing new hits, Microsoft has decided to double down on what already works.
The news comes from an internal memo by Xbox CEO Asha Sharma that made its way to journalists. Microsoft hasn’t officially named the franchises, but industry watchers have little doubt: it’s almost certainly Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Candy Crush — three brands that stopped being “just games” a long time ago and turned into full-blown media empires.
Table of Contents
Why Microsoft Is Betting on These Brands Specifically
The logic is straightforward: why risk budget on new IP when three existing brands generate billions reliably, with minimal extra investment. Minecraft runs on an endless stream of loyal players fed by schools, streamers, and mods. Call of Duty pulls in a massive audience year after year through annual releases and a thriving multiplayer scene. Candy Crush is a perpetual revenue machine in mobile, where monetization practically runs itself.
The strategy is already shaping real decisions. Microsoft is reshuffling priorities across its studios, including Bethesda, and clearly leaning harder into its most successful series — Fallout, for instance, is getting extra attention precisely because it’s a franchise with proven commercial upside.
What This Means for Players and the Rest of Xbox’s Studios
Here’s the key nuance: the bet isn’t limited to games. Microsoft plans to grow these brands through movie and TV adaptations, merchandise, sponsorship deals, themed events, and new international partnerships — including in China. In other words, Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Candy Crush could turn into full multimedia franchises along the lines of Marvel or Pokémon.
For players, that cuts both ways:
-
Upside — these fan-favorite series are guaranteed funding and support for years to come;
-
Downside — lower-profile Xbox franchises risk getting fewer resources and less studio attention;
-
Uncertainty — it’s unclear how this shift in focus will affect new IP and experimental projects in Xbox’s portfolio;
-
Expansion beyond games — movies and merchandise may stop being a bonus and become core to the monetization strategy;
-
Brand fatigue risk — over-exploiting a franchise has historically cooled fan interest over time.
Xbox still hasn’t confirmed the actual list, which leaves room for speculation — maybe it’s not Candy Crush in the top three, but another mobile or console hit from Microsoft’s lineup. Still, the direction is clear: Microsoft is moving away from betting on a high volume of releases and toward concentrating resources on a handful of ultra-profitable brands. Worth watching whether this strategy gets an official confirmation, and which studios end up seeing their projects scaled back in favor of the current flagships.
