Many gamers are well aware of what a behemoth Activision Blizzard is in the gaming industry. The company is so massive that Microsoft’s acquisition comes with the historic price tag of nearly $69 billion, and should the acquisition go through, Microsoft will be the third-largest gaming company by revenue, sitting behind only Tencent and Sony. What may not be so obvious to many gamers is how much of Activision Blizzard’s value comes from the Candy Crush developer King. Activision Blizzard’s acquisition of Candy Crush cost $5.9 billion, and the simple puzzle game continues to rake in billions for its owners.
Candy Crush has managed to remain successful since it was released in 2012, and though it has improved in many ways over the years, the game is still far from perfect. Most notably, the social features are a little outdated, and this becomes a more glaring issue as the social aspect of gaming grows. There are a few ways that Candy Crush could improve its social features and make it a more enjoyable game to play with friends.
Candy Crush Could Use Some Voice Chat Support
Since its conception, Candy Crush has always tapped into the social aspects of gaming. The game had its beginnings on Facebook, where it was easy for people to share the game with friends and challenge them. The fact that the game is relatively simple yet addictive makes it an easy topic to post a quick message about, and it takes just a few moments of playtime for the game to hook new players in. Candy Crush has come a long way, but it still relies on social features and social media. For instance, players can connect the app to Facebook, invite friends, tap people’s avatars to discover more about them, and send lives to help other players out.
Candy Crush’s problem is not that it has neglected the social realm entirely. Instead, the problem is that its social features are beginning to feel outdated. One of the ways this could be changed is by implementing a multiplayer, split-screen mode that has voice chat support. In the modern gaming climate, voice chat in gaming has become ubiquitous, and the inclusion of voice chat in Candy Crush would help to make it more attractive to friends looking for a game that also offers an opportunity to socialize.
Candy Crush and Discord Integration
The need to update Candy Crush’s social features has been noted by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. In an interview with VentureBeat, Kotick said that with Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company may be able to create a Candy Crush experience where gamers can play against each other and socialize.
One of the ways this could be done is through Discord integration. Discord has proven itself to be an effective way of organizing gaming communities, and signs show that its prominence in gaming is only going to grow. In 2022, PlayStation made headway with its Discord integration plans, and the popular game Among Us features Discord integration too. In much the same way that Among Us uses Discord integration to allow gamers to connect their Discord account and easy link to groups, Candy Crush could do the same thing, allowing friends to easily connect in Discord groups before playing Candy Crush together.
In Kotick’s eyes, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard only spells good news for Candy Crush. With the tech giant’s resources at King’s disposal, the studio will have the opportunity to improve every aspect of Candy Crush and find new ways to extend its reach. Perhaps the best way to do that is by massively updating the game’s social features.
Candy Crush is available now on iOS and Android devices.
