Shagger Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 You read that right. Microsoft's Xbox division is closing in on a deal to buy Activision-Blizzard in the largest acquisition in the companies' history. Full details form Variety here. The deal isn't set to close until the end of the next fiscal year (June 2023) and still needs approval from Activision-Blizzard shareholders, but this is looking for now like it will happen. I must say, bravo Microsoft! The more I think about it, I better understand the genius of this move because of the scandal surrounding Activision-Blizzard that came to light during 2021. Not only have Activision-Blizzard's share prices plummeted by 30% over the past year, making this great timing, but Activision-Blizzard are also a company desperate to shake the horrendous image that scandal brought to them. Who better to do that than Xbox? A brand that's really been impressing gamers with thier business decisions in recent years. I know that there will be concerns among PlayStation and Nintendo fans about Activision-Blizzard games becoming exclusive to the Xbox brand, and those concerns are justified, but for me, they publish almost nothing but crap anyway, so it doesn't bother me. And this might genuinely be a turning point for Activision-Blizzard. With Xbox in control, we might finally see an improvement in thier output. Let's face it, it can't get much worse at this stage. And if this leads to the culture change that the company so desperately needs, than even better. So...yeah. I find myself strangely optimistic about this. DC 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Not unexpected. Long time coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DylanC Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 This is wild news! Obviously Microsoft has deep pockets, but this is on another level. Why try to grow and develop something when you can just buy, buy, buy, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reality vs Adventure Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I bet that's the reason why they kept Kotick on was because they were negotiating with Microsoft and didn't want to seem like all the accusations were true by getting rid of him. They probably could have gotten even more money if that controversy wasn't there. Microsoft would still have to clean house, and how many of the original employees would be left? So Activision might be entirely new and with different talent. Could go either way. They could even keep all the scumbags that made the workplace toxic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 This is the greatest thing I have ever heard. Crash and Spyro are Xbox guys now! Now Crash Bandicoot 5 might happen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boblee Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I can't say that I'm surprised at this development. Activision-Blizzard have been in a deep shit for a while now and they are looking for a safe haven to save their rotten face. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Here is how many studious they know own. Withywarlock, Boblee and DC 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boblee Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 26 minutes ago, Techno said: Here is how many studious they know own. Xbox is currently becoming a big force to reckon with in the gaming industry over the years now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Withywarlock Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 (edited) There's good and bad news to be found in this. Good for Game Pass owners who will (one day) have their favourite Activision-Blizzard titles, either in the form of re-releases, remasters, ports and/or sequels. Good for the developers who (hopefully) will see their abhorrent work culture hacked away at and replaced with something that doesn't involve Cosby cults and drink-fuelled sexual harrassment. And good for Microsoft to, again, (eventually) have their return on investment by capitalising on the market. Unfortunately this news leaves a lot to be desired. Acquisitions are common, Sony and Nintendo have done it before, but no-one in the industry has bought anyone as big as Activision-Blizzard. This now means that the scope of competition has been significantly shortened, as no company is too big for Microsoft to claw up. And until they actually produce some games, they're no better than Electronic Arts with taking intellectual properties (IP) and not using them, but they're not yet that bad because time is on their side, and development takes time. But time is all they have before they're seen as a worse EA. In some circles, that's already happened. Bobby "I'll have you killed" Kotick still remains in charge, and even if his six month contract comes to an end, he'll leave with a god-almighty severance package after years of abusive and neglectful behaviour inflicted upon his staff. I had suspected that EA or Ubisoft would be bought up first, having seen more controveries and less profits. EA Access probably keeps Xbox from gobbling them up, or maybe it brings them closer. Ubisoft may want to think about accepting or denying an offer to bring Uplay to their platform, if they haven't already, if they want a merger (which, fair play to them, why concern yourself with monopolies when you're looking at nearly $70bn?) Square Enix, THQ, and Focus Home Interactive will follow suit. I'll eat my hat if Sony or whoever beats Microsoft to the punch. For now this is good news, but this industry often moves too fast for its own good. To quote one of the jolly green giant's newly acquired intellectual properties, "you will serve the Horde, or be crushed beneath it." Edited January 18, 2022 by Withywarlock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Techno Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 It's been confirmed, once Xbox has Activision, Bobby will be gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Withywarlock Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 2 minutes ago, Techno said: It's been confirmed, once Xbox has Activision, Bobby will be gone. Capital. Good riddance, though I suspect any tears caused by our jeering will be wiped away with the millions of dollars he'll retire on, unless he finds 'work' elsewhere. 🤢 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boblee Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 8 minutes ago, Techno said: It's been confirmed, once Xbox has Activision, Bobby will be gone. That's something that should have been done a very long time ago. At least Xbox doesn't have to cover up for him or the board. He should be sued in my opinion. Withywarlock 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 Pretty big news and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes out of it. Makes sense for them and I'm sure they got a good deal out of it thanks to the recent controversies. Looking forward to the addition of some of their games to the Xbox Game Pass now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazycrab Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 2 hours ago, Techno said: It's been confirmed, once Xbox has Activision, Bobby will be gone. That's not going to bother him, the fucking leech will be sure to give himself a massive going away present. I apologize in advance for my pessimism but I'm not feeling good about this. What Microsoft are doing is monopolistic and greedy, not to mention it's going to gate off even more content for gamers on other platforms like Nintendo and PlayStation. I don't think it's a good business move for Microsoft either. Even with Activision Blizzard's share price down $68 billion is MASSIVE amount of money even for a corporation with pockets as deep as Microsoft. If they keep doing this XBox is just going to turn in to a massive hemorrhage that will constantly need to be resupplied with blood and oxygen from the rest of Microsoft's business. Maybe I'm being to cynical here but I really don't like where this is going. Withywarlock 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyfire Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 I think games that are designed to suck would suck no matter who acquires it. But yeah the sports games and the FPS games would have better future if microsoft acquires some of those franchise though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
