Tuesday, January 18th 2022
Microsoft to Acquire Activision Blizzard to Bring the Joy and Community of Gaming to Everyone, Across Every Device
With three billion people actively playing games today, and fueled by a new generation steeped in the joys of interactive entertainment, gaming is now the largest and fastest-growing form of entertainment. Today, Microsoft Corp. announced plans to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc., a leader in game development and interactive entertainment content publisher. This acquisition will accelerate the growth in Microsoft's gaming business across mobile, PC, console and cloud and will provide building blocks for the metaverse.
Microsoft will acquire Activision Blizzard for $95.00 per share, in an all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion, inclusive of Activision Blizzard's net cash. When the transaction closes, Microsoft will become the world's third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony. The planned acquisition includes iconic franchises from the Activision, Blizzard and King studios like "Warcraft," "Diablo," "Overwatch," "Call of Duty" and "Candy Crush," in addition to global eSports activities through Major League Gaming. The company has studios around the word with nearly 10,000 employees.
Bobby Kotick will continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard, and he and his team will maintain their focus on driving efforts to further strengthen the company's culture and accelerate business growth. Once the deal closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming.
"Gaming is the most dynamic and exciting category in entertainment across all platforms today and will play a key role in the development of metaverse platforms," said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft. "We're investing deeply in world-class content, community and the cloud to usher in a new era of gaming that puts players and creators first and makes gaming safe, inclusive and accessible to all."
"Players everywhere love Activision Blizzard games, and we believe the creative teams have their best work in front of them," said Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming. "Together we will build a future where people can play the games they want, virtually anywhere they want."
"For more than 30 years our incredibly talented teams have created some of the most successful games," said Bobby Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard. "The combination of Activision Blizzard's world-class talent and extraordinary franchises with Microsoft's technology, distribution, access to talent, ambitious vision and shared commitment to gaming and inclusion will help ensure our continued success in an increasingly competitive industry."
Mobile is the largest segment in gaming, with nearly 95% of all players globally enjoying games on mobile. Through great teams and great technology, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard will empower players to enjoy the most-immersive franchises, like "Halo" and "Warcraft," virtually anywhere they want. And with games like "Candy Crush," Activision Blizzard's mobile business represents a significant presence and opportunity for Microsoft in this fast-growing segment.
The acquisition also bolsters Microsoft's Game Pass portfolio with plans to launch Activision Blizzard games into Game Pass, which has reached a new milestone of over 25 million subscribers. With Activision Blizzard's nearly 400 million monthly active players in 190 countries and three billion-dollar franchises, this acquisition will make Game Pass one of the most compelling and diverse lineups of gaming content in the industry. Upon close, Microsoft will have 30 internal game development studios, along with additional publishing and esports production capabilities.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and completion of regulatory review and Activision Blizzard's shareholder approval. The deal is expected to close in fiscal year 2023 and will be accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share upon close. The transaction has been approved by the boards of directors of both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard.
Source:
Activision Blizzard
Microsoft will acquire Activision Blizzard for $95.00 per share, in an all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion, inclusive of Activision Blizzard's net cash. When the transaction closes, Microsoft will become the world's third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony. The planned acquisition includes iconic franchises from the Activision, Blizzard and King studios like "Warcraft," "Diablo," "Overwatch," "Call of Duty" and "Candy Crush," in addition to global eSports activities through Major League Gaming. The company has studios around the word with nearly 10,000 employees.
"Gaming is the most dynamic and exciting category in entertainment across all platforms today and will play a key role in the development of metaverse platforms," said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO, Microsoft. "We're investing deeply in world-class content, community and the cloud to usher in a new era of gaming that puts players and creators first and makes gaming safe, inclusive and accessible to all."
"Players everywhere love Activision Blizzard games, and we believe the creative teams have their best work in front of them," said Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming. "Together we will build a future where people can play the games they want, virtually anywhere they want."
"For more than 30 years our incredibly talented teams have created some of the most successful games," said Bobby Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard. "The combination of Activision Blizzard's world-class talent and extraordinary franchises with Microsoft's technology, distribution, access to talent, ambitious vision and shared commitment to gaming and inclusion will help ensure our continued success in an increasingly competitive industry."
Mobile is the largest segment in gaming, with nearly 95% of all players globally enjoying games on mobile. Through great teams and great technology, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard will empower players to enjoy the most-immersive franchises, like "Halo" and "Warcraft," virtually anywhere they want. And with games like "Candy Crush," Activision Blizzard's mobile business represents a significant presence and opportunity for Microsoft in this fast-growing segment.
The acquisition also bolsters Microsoft's Game Pass portfolio with plans to launch Activision Blizzard games into Game Pass, which has reached a new milestone of over 25 million subscribers. With Activision Blizzard's nearly 400 million monthly active players in 190 countries and three billion-dollar franchises, this acquisition will make Game Pass one of the most compelling and diverse lineups of gaming content in the industry. Upon close, Microsoft will have 30 internal game development studios, along with additional publishing and esports production capabilities.
The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and completion of regulatory review and Activision Blizzard's shareholder approval. The deal is expected to close in fiscal year 2023 and will be accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share upon close. The transaction has been approved by the boards of directors of both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard.
215 Comments on Microsoft to Acquire Activision Blizzard to Bring the Joy and Community of Gaming to Everyone, Across Every Device
Call of Duty might finally get a proper re-work instead of the cut and pasting theyve been using for the last 15 years.
This buyout has really big potential. Also - its more games for Microsoft's gamepass portfolio Activision has sat on so much IP and done absolutely nothing with them over the years.
It would be funny as hell if they were to make CoD an xbox exclusive though. That would be a really mean thing to do and will cost them money but it would be hilarious to see Sony and their console players go into a rage over it.
You can also see how strong the fanbase is. Diablo II Resurrection is terrible, but so many people are playing it. Ideally, Blizzard should have made it... ya know... a good remake? But it goes to show how strong the latent memory / nostalgia runs in us. We're all pissed off right now because Activision/Blizzard keeps making shovelware crap... but we're all waiting for a good came to come out of that old company.
When a large company owns all of the gaming franchises, it can set prices, and decide which games it thinks are worthwhile, where are the regulators?
Looks like no such luck...yet
www.videogameschronicle.com/news/bobby-kotick-is-expected-to-leave-activision-blizzard-following-xboxs-takeover/
This feels strange for me, an era truly has ended. Well, will see what time will bring, maybe it will be bad, maybe it will be good.
Having said that, French are notoriusly left wing sided, they could say Activision is rooted deep in french culture and we wont approve the acquisition by a foreigner. Just like they did when Pepsi tried to buy Danone.
Hope Microsoft also get's their itchy fingers on the Battlefield IP. Will be a bargain now after the EA/DICE wokeboys have run it into the ground.
I assume the Battle.net Launcher will be outsourced in the future. One less launcher to babysit.
Just wondering, what will happen to the games that where purchased on it???Well, as pedo pimp Ghislaine Maxwell is now barred for 86 years and she's now willing to cooperate to get a better deal, who knows.
Rumors are in her client diary are names like Donald Trump, Bill Clinton, Prince Andrew and ... Bill Gates.
Going to get interesting ... if she's not getting Eppstein'd. :cool:
And there is this: Microsoft launches fresh investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Bill Gates and will release finding to public in spring after activist investors demanded answers
So it's going to be fine eh.
Word, I don't even like my post coming after that post, ,, , some need to try harder to stay on topic.
honestly the only thing that might bring activision back is maybe like a Starcraft 3 rts and warcraft 4 rts set in a new story/realm but with references to the older games as a mythology so to speak. starcraft 2 co-op was amazing, but they never had enough maps for it, and they never allowed modding for making maps... I don't know the company has been overrated for a very long time now.all activision blizzard games on xbox game pass possibly too? still 95 billion... seems like a huge mistake imo. i bet they lose a lot of money on this in ten years.