Microsoft Acquiring EA: 8 Major Things That Could Happen

1. The Industry Finally Embraces Digital Consumption For The Majority

If Microsoft demonstrate the power of recruiting other companies' catalogues to their own monthly service, it could blow the entire industry wide open. Say distribution models begin to mimic those of Netflix, Amazon Prime, Now TV etc., you'd see timed release windows focusing on favourites from generation's past being added to a monthly catalogue, for a limited time.

As of April 2017, 74% of all game sales in the US are digital, highlighting the last vestige of consumers who insist on going down to a store or picking something up second hand. In fairness, the rise of streaming hasn't impacted Collector's or Limited Editions in the movie world, and you can expect this to be the case in gaming going forward.

It's also worth noting that Microsoft were clearly trying to pull the trigger on full digital distribution with their original, license-sharing Xbox One pitch... until Sony didn't follow suit and buried them with a viral video instead.

Many industry commenters have been decrying the death of physical/brick n' mortar stores for years, and though it wouldn't go away altogether (you'll never convince people that something they can hold or touch is obsolete), this is the biggest stride towards digital distribution yet.