After dealing with many legal hurdles and challenges from competitors, Microsoft has acquired Activision Blizzard King for $69 billion. This represents the largest closing ever in the video game industry and the largest acquisition in consumer tech in over 20 years.
The announcement arrived as soon as Microsoft was able to overcome the final obstacle from British regulators. This is a signal that attempts from governments to scrutinize major tech corporations have done little to curb their incredible power or growth.
Microsoft officially entered the gaming industry back in 2001 with the introduction of the Xbox, a console that revolutionized online multiplayer and gave birth to some of the most successful franchises ever seen, including Halo, the original killer app. Over the years, it struggled to compete with Sony and Nintendo, losing out to many first-party exclusives. This acquisition represents Microsoft once again using its massive resources to win back its turf in gaming.
As a result of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft is now the proud owner of almost every single major franchise in the modern era of gaming, with very few exceptions. Here are some of the biggest names under its belt:
- Call of Duty
- Warcraft
- Starcraft
- Diablo
- Hearthstone
- Overwatch
- Heroes of the Storm
- Minecraft
- Candy Crush
- The Elder Scrolls
- Fallout
- Starfield
- Forza
- Crash Bandicoot
- Spyro the Dragon / Skylanders
- Guitar Hero / DJ Hero / Band Hero
- Tony Hawk
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, celebrated the closure of the deal in a blog post, noting that “today is a good day to play.” He also acknowledged the concerns from rivals and fans of other systems about concerns over losing access to Activision’s games by not owning an Xbox.
The good news is that Xbox Game Pass brings access to a number of console-exclusive titles to PC, and studios that Microsoft has acquired over the years still release to the PC platform as well.
“Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC, or mobile, you are welcome here — and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise”, wrote Spencer.
Still, Microsoft has not fully satisfied international regulators and still faces a pending case with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in administrative court. Spokeswoman Victoria Graham has said, “The FTC continues to believe this deal is a threat to competition.”
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has faced calls to resign for a long time but has confirmed in an email to staff that he will remain through to the end of the year.