Rewinding more than a year a year ago, Microsoft took the industry by surprise with the announcement of its newest acquisition project: Zenimax Media. The new purchase for the Xbox company included the long list of Bethesda IPs and over a handful of namely developers like MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, and id Software. However, fans are left hungry what the next one will be.
Last year in 2021, Xbox boss Phil Spencer shared that Microsoft’s arrangement to welcome new talent to the first-party network of teams has “no quota” to meet or a budget to maintain. Essentially, leaving the possibility for anything to be the new buy for the Xbox firm. Later on, Spencer also told that casual gaming experiences is also an aspect intrigued for a purchase as well.
On Tuesday, Microsoft has announced it will be welcoming the greater Activision/Blizzard conglomerate to Xbox.
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.
Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming
Spencer continues, “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 acquisition comes as a large surprise after recent reports surfaced once again towards Activision CEO Bobby Kotich for sexual misconduct within the business. The status of the situation was responded by both Spencer and Sony Interactive Entertainment President & CEO Jim Ryan condemning Kotich and rethinking its relationship with the firm.
“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.” What are you most interested about the acquisition for Activision/Blizzard?
Source: Xbox Wire
