Xbox Fans Yearn for the Revival of Classic Activision Titles

With Microsoft on the brink of successfully acquiring Activision, Xbox gamers are expressing their desire for the return of some old-school Activision titles.

The Power of Acquisition

Microsoft’s impending acquisition of Activision will grant Xbox control over all of the gaming franchises under the company’s umbrella. This has sparked hope among Xbox fans for the revival of games like True Crime: Streets of LA, Tony Hawk’s Underground, and Blur, either through backward compatibility, remakes, or remasters.

However, licensing issues and Microsoft’s apparent disinterest in expanding the backward compatibility program make it unlikely that these titles will be available on modern platforms shortly.

Activision’s Legacy

Activision, currently renowned for its blockbuster first-person shooter franchise Call of Duty, once boasted a more diverse portfolio of games. This included a range of titles from classic skateboarding games to platformers to open-world crime games, clearly influenced by Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto franchise.

While Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision doesn’t guarantee the return of these dormant franchises, it does increase the chances somewhat.

Hopefully, Nintendo fans somewhat get their wish on knowing if one of Microsoft’s documents hinted at a possible Switch successor in the future is real.

The Games Xbox Fans Want

Xbox gamers have specifically named True Crime: Streets of LA, True Crime: New York City, Tony Hawk’s Underground games, and Blur as older Activision-published titles they’d like to see revived on Xbox Series X.

Some fans are calling for these games to be added to the Xbox backward compatibility program, while others are advocating for remakes or remasters. However, fans should temper their expectations.

The Roadblocks

The biggest obstacle to this dream becoming a reality is likely to be licensing issues that prevent the games from being sold again. Coupled with Microsoft’s decision to stop adding games to the Xbox backward compatibility program, it seems highly unlikely that these titles will be made available on modern platforms anytime soon.

Remasters or remakes seem more likely, but Activision appears to have lost interest in reviving the classic Tony Hawk games after releasing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, with Tony Hawk himself stating that plans for Pro Skater 3 and 4 remakes were scrapped.

However, Activision has expressed interest in Microsoft enabling it to revive some of its abandoned franchises, specifically mentioning Guitar Hero and Skylanders. There are indications that Skylanders could be making a comeback, albeit without the toys-to-life gimmick, but fans will have to wait and see what happens.