Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard

Here is some massive news that most of us did not see coming, Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard. The press release from Microsoft reads as follows:

As a team, we are on a mission to extend the joy and community of gaming to everyone on the planet. We all know that gaming is the most vibrant and dynamic form of entertainment worldwide and we’ve experienced the power of social connection and friendship that gaming makes possible.

As we pursue that mission, it is incredibly exciting to announce that Microsoft has agreed to acquire Activision Blizzard.

Over many decades, the studios and teams that make up Activision Blizzard have earned vast wellsprings of joy and respect from billions of people all over the world. We are incredibly excited to have the chance to work with the amazing, talented, dedicated people across Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, Beenox, Demonware, Digital Legends, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, King, Major League Gaming, Radical Entertainment, Raven Software, Sledgehammer Games, Toys for Bob, Treyarch and every team across Activision Blizzard.

Until this transaction closes, Activision Blizzard and Microsoft Gaming will continue to operate independently. Once the deal is complete, the Activision Blizzard business will report to me as CEO, Microsoft Gaming.

Upon close, we will offer as many Activision Blizzard games as we can within Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, both new titles and games from Activision Blizzard’s incredible catalog. We also announced today that Game Pass now has more than 25 million subscribers. As always, we look forward to continuing to add more value and more great games to Game Pass.

The fantastic franchises across Activision Blizzard will also accelerate our plans for Cloud Gaming, allowing more people in more places around the world to participate in the Xbox community using phones, tablets, laptops and other devices you already own. Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward.

As a company, Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players. We deeply value individual studio cultures. We also believe that creative success and autonomy go hand-in-hand with treating every person with dignity and respect. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. We’re looking forward to extending our culture of proactive inclusion to the great teams across Activision Blizzard.

Around the world, there is no more exciting venue for fun and connection than video games. And there has never been a better time to play than right now. As we extend the joy and community of gaming to everyone, we look forward to welcoming all of our friends at Activision Blizzard to Microsoft Gaming.

The acquisition has cost Microsoft $68.7 billion.

Over the past year, Activision Blizzard has been in trouble due to sexual harassment cases. There have been walk-outs, online protests, and a lot of employees laid off.

Many of us were wondering why Bobby Kotick has been digging in and not resigning and now it’s become a clearer. The whole company has been sold. No doubt Kotick will do well from this which will probably frustrate many of those affected by what went on behind the scenes at Activision Blizzard.

If there is one plus point to come out of this acquisition it’s that employees will eventually have new upper management and there will be a culture shift within the whole Activision Blizzard operation.

There is one point to note. This deal will conclude in the 2023 fiscal year which means Kotick will stay in place until it does. This deal could take up to 18 months to be signed off.

No doubt we’ll hear more about how it will affect Blizzard in the coming weeks and months but at least the end could be coming for the whole sexual harassment saga now this deal has been agreed.