Microsoft to Acquire Activision Blizzard to Bring the Joy and Community of Gaming to Everyone, Across Every Device

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

What does this mean for CoD on Playstation?

 

[dir_d]

Activision/Blizzard doesn't need money. They need a revamp of culture.

Microsoft ain't the best when it comes to programmer/developer culture, but they're likely better than Activision/Blizzard was.

I still believe this will help more than hurt them. Now as far as good old Blizzard quality games that remains to be seen.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

On the plus side. We could be seeing some very old IP come back into the spotlight. The only risk is if Microsoft lock those IPs down as xbox exclusive

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.

 

[Lycanwolfen]

Imagine a whole world run by Microsoft. I would rather hang myself.

 

[dragontamer5788]

I still believe this will help more than hurt them. Now as far as good old Blizzard quality games that remains to be seen.

I agree. Activision/Blizzard have plenty of skilled developers, plenty of important IP with a large fanbase (albeit an exiled one right now). But if WoW gets a good revamp, I'm sure that plenty of their old playerbase will come back from Final Fantasy XIV for example.

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.

 

[Dux]

well I guess taking toys (games) away from other kids is easier than making your own.

 

[dragontamer5788]

well I guess taking toys (games) away from other kids is easier than making your own.

Lets be frank here, the current Activision/Blizzard leadership is pretty crap. The best thing that can happen to them is get bought out by someone more responsible (aka: anybody, even Microsoft).

 

[Dux]

Lets be frank here, the current Activision/Blizzard leadership is pretty crap. The best thing that can happen to them is get bought out by someone more responsible (aka: anybody, even Microsoft).

Monopoly is never a good thing. Who's next on the list? EA? Ubisoft? And MS isn't a good guy. Just another soulless corporation. All those games would come out on XBOX and PC anyways. This purchase just means future games won't come out on Sony and Nintendo platforms. The leadership of Ac/Blizz was doing a phenomenal job on the financial side. On being absolute human garbages...that's another story that is widespread across entire planet, and not just in gaming industry.

 

[Totally]

holy shit that's a massive sum.
I really didn't expect ActiBlizz to be bought, thought they and EA would be "un-aquireable" due to size and cost.
Let's see how MS will deal with ActiBlizz thought, it hasn't exactly been the cleanest reputation recently....

Heck, they can burn that shit to the ground and it would be an inprovement. What they need to do the most is clean house by getting rid of all those who only seem to want to gatekeep, play identity politics, and other "talents."

 

[Dr_b_]

Yikes, now the blizz game launcher will be integrated into the $h1tty windows store platform
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?

 

[windwhirl]

where are the regulators?

The deal has to be approved by regulators first.

 

[Ravenas]

There is one juggernaut that remains. Valve. It has remained quality and extremely profitable since the mid 1990s, and I would argue it is a blessing and a curse to Microsoft.

 

[lexluthermiester]

The deal has to be approved by regulators first.

Is this a regulated buyout? If so I hope they give it a smack down!

 

[windwhirl]

Is this a regulated buyout? If so I hope they give it a smack down!

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and completion of regulatory review and Activision Blizzard’s shareholder approval.

 

[lexluthermiester]

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and completion of regulatory review and Activision Blizzard’s shareholder approval.

Missed that. Kinda glossed over the article. Thanks all the same.

 

[Timelessest]

Fable also has nothing to do with either Activision or Blizzard. Microsoft owns the franchise since 2006 when they bought Lionhead Studios. And the new title is in development at Playground Games which is also owned by Microsoft since 2018.

They could bring people from Activision to work in next the Fable game.

 

[WhoDecidedThat]

And the timing of thing accusation is not good

This is the best timing. Waiting would make the acquisition more expensive.

Each acquisition removes any spark of talent or original game design that little bit more.

Not necessarily. Then again I am really hoping Microsoft can replicate the success Sony had with God of War, Uncharted, Horizon Zero Dawn, Last of Us and Spiderman and this is a step towards that. Sony's PlayStation division is a juggernaut and Microsoft clearly wants to be them and beat them.

It would be funny as hell if they were to make CoD an xbox exclusive though.

How popular is CoD on PlayStation? I always saw CoD as a Xbox/PC game. With PlayStation players focusing on Sony's first party titles (mentioned above in my comment).

There is one juggernaut that remains. Valve. It has remained quality and extremely profitable since the mid 1990s, and I would argue it is a blessing and a curse to Microsoft.

Yup. With Vulkan, Valve + Steam really has the potential to be a big thorn in Microsoft's side.

 

[Yraggul666]

And here i was thinking that maybe, just maybe the bubonic plague aka bobby k would be out of the picture.
Looks like no such luck...yet

 

[FreedomEclipse]

And here i was thinking that maybe, just maybe the bubonic plague aka bobby k would be out of the picture.
Looks like no such luck...yet

Apparently he is... According to VGC. Take it with a pinch of salt though.

Bobby Kotick is ‘expected to leave’ Activision Blizzard following Xbox’s takeover | VGC

The company’s CEO will remain in place until the Microsoft acquisition closes…

www.videogameschronicle.com

 

[Ravenas]

This is the best timing. Waiting would make the acquisition more expensive.

Not necessarily. Then again I am really hoping Microsoft can replicate the success Sony had with God of War, Uncharted, Horizon Zero Dawn, Last of Us and Spiderman and this is a step towards that. Sony's PlayStation division is a juggernaut and Microsoft clearly wants to be them and beat them.

How popular is CoD on PlayStation? I always saw CoD as a Xbox/PC game. With PlayStation players focusing on Sony's first party titles (mentioned above in my comment).

Yup. With Vulkan, Valve + Steam really has the potential to be a big thorn in Microsoft's side.

I don’t like Microsoft buying up a bunch of IPs so they can load literally every game in to game pass “games as a service”. It’s pushing the market, rather than the market deciding naturally it wants to go there. This could be the only reason regulators shoot this down.

 

[Easo]

In words of one of the big bads in WoW:"Times change."
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.

 

[Turmania]

Blizzard became french company owned and after that everything went downhill for them. I would welcome the chance they being american company back again.
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.

 

[MarsM4N]

2nd best news this week, after Novax Djocovic got deported from AUS. Now let's hope they will get the CoD franchise back on track.
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???

I guess the cancer is too deeply seated to be removed at this stage. Im willing to bet that Kotick and the rest of the board members agreed to the sale to microsoft as a get out of jail free card for them to further destroy and hide evidence of what went on before the the acquisition.

Or is Microsoft also 'one of the boys' who is also in on it when it comes to the accusations from members of staff??

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.

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

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

What does this mean for CoD on Playstation?

Probably. Be fine it says joy to the world on Every device.

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.

 

[windwhirl]

I assume the Battle.net Launcher will be outsourced in the future. One less launcher to babysit.

I'd bet the games would be made available through the Microsoft Store. And only through there.