Let’s start the year hot, hot. Microsoft go in with everything in 2022 and announce the acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $ 68.7 billion. Without a doubt one of the biggest events in the video game industry since many years ago.
With this move, Microsoft has added the franchises to its portfolio Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Call of Duty, Candy destruction, Starcraft, Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawks Pro Skater, Guitar Hero, Hearthstone y Spyro. In addition, it has also acquired all the studios running Activision, as among many others it could be Blizzard Entertainment, Beenox, Demonware or Digital Legends.
Bobby Kotick will follow the role of CEO of Activision Blizzard, and he and his team will continue the pressure to push efforts to further strengthen the company’s culture and accelerate business growth. Once the deal is finalized, Activision Blizzard’s business will depend on Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming.
Will it be now when we finally see the sequel to the popular MMORPG World of Warcraft? According to Spencer, “creative teams have so much more to offer,” so anything is possible and time will tell.
On the other hand, Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, mentions Metaversos, but we do not know if it refers to Metavers based on Blockchain or the metaverso that all entertainment platforms adhere to. Will Microsoft also close the NFT game?
Satya Nadella, President and CEO of Microsoft commented on the following in the press release;
Video games are the most dynamic and emotionally charged category of entertainment on all platforms today and will play a key role in the development of the media. We are deeply immersed in world-class content, community and the cloud to step into a new era of gaming that puts players and creators first and makes the game safe, inclusive and accessible to all.
To these statements, Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, would like to add;
Players around the world love Activision Blizzard games, and we believe creative teams have a lot more to offer. Together we will build a future where people can play the games they want, practically anywhere they want.
To conclude, the acquisition will also drive Microsoft’s Game Pass card with plans to launch Activision Blizzard games on this service, which has already received a new game and more 25 million subscribers. With nearly 400 million active monthly Activision Blizzard players in 190 countries and three million-dollar franchises, this acquisition will make Game Pass one of the most attractive and diverse gaming content lines in the industry. Following the closure, Microsoft will host 30 in-game game development studios, in addition to additional sports release and production capabilities.
