Microsoft Was Notably Absent From The 2022 Game Awards

Microsoft was notably absent from the 2022 Game Awards, a surprising move for a company that has been a major player in the gaming industry for decades.

The Game Awards, which are held annually to recognize and celebrate the best in video game development, featured a number of impressive games and moments this year. But Microsoft, which has a rich history in the gaming industry with its Xbox platform, had no reveals or trailers at the show.

Key Takeaways:

• Microsoft did not have any first party unveils or any major announcements at The 2022 Game Awards
• The lack of announcements could be due to the ongoing investigations into their acquisition of Activision-Blizzard
• Microsoft promises to talk about its 2023 plans in the near future 

Microsoft is often known for teasing games years in advance, especially at The Game Awards. In 2020, Microsoft had a large slate of trailers at the awards. One of which was Perfect Dark, a game that may not release until 2023 or 2024 at the earliest.

TGA 2021 was also a big show for Xbox. Xbox unveiled a slew of titles, including gameplay for Hellblade II. This Game Awards could be the first from Microsoft in recent memory to not announce or unveil anything. While no new games were announced, there was no shortage of Game Pass trailers, including a trailer of Xbox’s future slate of releases.

It has been speculated that Microsoft’s absence could be related to its ongoing battle with the FTC over its planned $69 Billion acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. The FTC recently moved to sue Microsoft over the planned acquisition, accusing Microsoft of engaging in anti competitive practices.

Industry Insider Jez Corden had speculated that Microsoft could be absent from the awards due to the ongoing acquisition of ATVI. Microsoft may be wanting to lay low and not give regulators any more bones to pick.

Xbox VP commented on the discussion over Xbox’s absence from the awards ceremony. He said that gamers will be able to see what the company is up to in due time. 

We have a lot planned to show and share about an incredibly exciting year ahead for 2023. Appreciate folks are eager to learn and see more. Timing is always key, but don’t worry you will not have to wait too long for what’s next from us. 🙏🏻💚 https://t.co/d1dca2i2Nt

— Aaron Greenberg 🙅🏼‍♂️💚U (@aarongreenberg) December 9, 2022

It should be noted that Microsoft has a massive slate of first party AAA releases coming out in 2023. These include Starfield, Redfall and potentially other large titles such as Perfect Dark, Fable, Avowed and more. We still do not have a solid release date for either Starfield or Redfall, and the Game Awards could have been a good time to release more info on their 2023 plans. 

While The Game Awards is an important event for Microsoft to make reveals, their summer event at E3 and the Xbox/Bethesda showcase tends to be a more important event. Despite this Microsoft’s absence at TGA is eyebrow raising. 

While the lack of trailers or announcements have come at a surprise to many, the most likely cause are Microsoft’s legal issues with the FTC, and they may want to be laying low for now. Xbox has a big slate of AAA first party coming in 2023, we will just have to wait and see what Xbox has in store for next year.