As Microsoft strives to take over the gaming market with its Xbox and PC services, it may soon absorb Activision, a renowned name in the gaming community. This is what the ideal gamer and ideal company can expect from the new record contract.
Written by Sarthak Dogra: Microsoft has revealed that it will acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, making it the largest acquisition in the history of the video game industry. The staggering sum is expressed as Rs 5,12,000 crore (Rupees five lakh twelve thousand crores), the Indian unit of money.
Today, Microsoft announced the all-cash acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and in its wake, both Microsoft’s gaming business Xbox and Activision revealed their intention to collaborate on future projects. Microsoft claims it will be “the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue” if the deal is finalized. When compared to Tencent and Sony, this places it third.
Activision, headquartered in the United States, is the studio behind hit games like “Warcraft,” “Diablo,” “Overwatch,” “Call of Duty,” and “Candy Crush,” all of which are owned by Activision Blizzard. Activision’s ubiquity among gamers stems from the success of its games and the company’s dedication to eSports by hosting tournaments on a regular basis.
The current workforce totals over 10,000 people, and the corporation has studios all over the globe. Activision Blizzard will retain Bobby Kotick as its CEO following the transaction. The company will keep operating as usual, with the same goal of rapid expansion at its core. Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, will be the point person for all Activision Blizzard-related matters.
According to Microsoft, the transaction should wrap up in fiscal year 2023. The deal, which has been approved by Microsoft and Activision Blizzard’s boards of directors, is still subject to usual closing conditions, such as the “completion of regulatory review and Activision Blizzard’s shareholder approval.”
So, what exactly does this purchase imply for players?
Microsoft emphasizes that, with Activision Blizzard by its side, it plans to have a major impact in the mobile gaming market. The future portability of “Halo” and “Warcraft” lore to mobile devices is hinted at as well. Success with “Candy Crush” and other mobile games by Activision is being leveraged to expand into the mobile gaming market.
With this acquisition, Microsoft hopes to increase the library of games available on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass. Phil Spencer, Xbox’s head honcho, has stated that the company will do its best to include “as many Activision Blizzard games” as possible across both of Xbox’s paid membership tiers.
Microsoft’s plans for Cloud Gaming will be sped up thanks to Activision’s internationally acclaimed franchises. It aims to encourage “more people in more places around the world to participate in the Xbox community” via the company’s multiple platforms, all of which will continue to be supported by Microsoft following the takeover.