Key information
Asha Sharma, the new CEO of Xbox, has explicitly stated that Battle.net will not attempt to compete with Steam. Despite historical efforts by major publishers to challenge Valve's platform, Sharma views Battle.net as an independent, supportive platform rather than a direct rival in the PC market.
The recent inclusion of The Witcher 3 on Battle.net was an extraordinary, isolated agreement with CD Projekt rather than a shift toward becoming a generalist storefront. Andrew Guerrero, Blizzard's vice president of product management, previously confirmed in September that the company has no intention of replicating the business models of Steam or the Epic Games Store.
While the platform will not expand into a generalist store, Sharma indicated that future additions may occur. The company plans to grow cautiously, selecting titles that align with the thematic preferences of the existing Activision Blizzard audience to ensure the strategy is executed correctly.
This strategic alignment is exemplified by a collaboration between Diablo IV and The Witcher 3. Available since September 29, players can obtain a Geralt-inspired skin for the Barbarian class by purchasing or pre-ordering the Songs of the Past expansion for PC exclusively through Battle.net.
