Sony stock dives following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Another interesting theory is that the deal will force Sony to push up the timeline of its rumored Game Pass competitor, Spartacus. Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently noted that this was an eventuality, so releasing it earlier as a response would make sense.

At the moment, the Game Pass' success hangs a massive shadow over the PlayStation Now and PlayStation Plus. Even combining both services might not be enough anymore. Thanks to Microsoft's latest investment, the Game Pass will get first dibs on franchises like Diablo, Overwatch, Call of Duty, and more. Also, the coup gives Microsoft a reason to find a way to bring World of Warcraft to the Game Pass as well, which would give the Game Pass two of the most popular MMOs right now in The Elder Scrolls Online and World of Warcraft.

Of course, there's also the fact that Microsoft's newest purchase shouldn't make Sony sweat as much. As noted by Niko Partners Senior Analyst Daniel Ahmad, Sony is still the second biggest gaming company in the world, just right behind Tencent. In terms of gaming revenue, Sony is still bigger than Microsoft. Even if you totaled Microsoft and Activision Blizzard's combined gaming revenue, it would still put them nearly a billion short of Sony's annual gaming revenue.

Ultimately, Microsoft's newest purchase was bound to make changes to the gaming industry. We'll find out within the next couple of years what kind of effect it will have on, not just Sony, but Microsoft too course and all of gaming.