Microsoft has successfully completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This exciting news comes after Microsoft’s diligent efforts to address regulatory concerns and overcome legal challenges. With the $69 billion deal announced in January 2022 finalized, Activision Blizzard is now officially a member of the Microsoft family, alongside Xbox Game Studios and ZeniMax Media.
Xbox now has ownership of some of the biggest and most beloved video game franchises worldwide, including Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo, and many others. The much-awaited acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has been successfully completed, despite encountering several regulatory obstacles and legal battles.
Potential changes after the Microsoft-Activision merger
Microsoft has just wrapped up the most massive takeover in gaming history. This incredible achievement will give a fantastic boost to the US tech giant as it aims to tempt even more folks into trying out their awesome Xbox consoles and Game Pass subscription service. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella totally shared the news with everyone on X.
Today is a great day for gamers everywhere. Together with Activision Blizzard, we will deliver on our vision to help people connect and play great games wherever, whenever, and however they want. https://t.co/NIpF6yz2a9
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) October 13, 2023
Below are a few ways that the deal might affect the gaming industry, and they’re worth considering.
Introducing an incredible gaming studio
Microsoft is set to become the proud owner of every single developer under the Activision Blizzard company, which includes big names like Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, and King. This exciting acquisition covers an extensive list of subsidiaries such as Treyarch, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Beenox, Toys for Bob, and Activision Shanghai Studio, among others.
Boosting Microsoft’s footprint in mobile gaming
Microsoft is all set to make big waves in the mobile gaming industry with a significant boost from this deal. With Activision’s strong presence in mobile gaming, Microsoft’s growth in this arena is bound to skyrocket. This partnership is a major win for Microsoft as it aims to establish a strong presence in the ever-growing mobile gaming industry.
New gaming industry leader
Activision Blizzard has long been known as the biggest game publisher in North America, thanks to their smash hit “Call of Duty” and other popular titles like “World of Warcraft,” “Diablo,” and “Overwatch.” But now, Microsoft is stepping up its game by adding new incredible franchises. This move will catapult Microsoft into the top three gaming companies worldwide, trailing only Tencent and Sony in terms of global revenue.
Xbox exclusivity
The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) trial focused heavily on the exclusivity of Call of Duty following the acquisition. However, Microsoft made an important announcement in July, stating their intention to release new Call of Duty games on various platforms including PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
It’s worth noting that this commitment by Microsoft to bring Activision Blizzard games across all platforms is solely limited to Call of Duty. This raises the possibility that Microsoft may consider making Activision’s other beloved franchises like Diablo, Overwatch, Crash Bandicoot, and Spyro exclusive to Xbox.
Sony’s new game plan to stay ahead in the gaming world
Sony and Microsoft’s mega-merger is set to make the gaming industry more competitive. With this acquisition, Sony must adapt its strategy to maintain its market dominance. To keep up, Sony is already working on expanding its live services games. However, experts suggest that Sony still needs to make substantial improvements to its live service game catalog in order to compete with the new industry leader.
Enhancing Microsoft’s impact in mobile gaming
This partnership will greatly bolster Microsoft’s position in the thriving mobile gaming sector. Activision Blizzard boasted an impressive monthly active user base of 368 million until March 2023. Their consolidated revenue for the first quarter of 2023 reached a staggering $2.4 billion, with a significant portion of $956 million generated from mobile gaming alone.
Microsoft officially welcomes Activision Blizzard King to the Xbox family in this new announcement video. pic.twitter.com/dHRMyeaKaE
— IGN (@IGN) October 13, 2023
The Activision Blizzard acquisition is now official and there’s no turning back. Although this is a big deal for the gaming world, you might not feel the immediate effects unless you’re a heavy user of cloud gaming services. However, get ready to witness a surge in Activision Blizzard games on Xbox Game Pass and other cloud gaming platforms in the near future.