A bit of wider industry news today. News which completely blows my mind - Microsoft are out to acquire Activision Blizzard. Pending all the regulatory approvals they need to go through which takes times and can be denied.
This continues the very worrying trend of these mega companies amassing huge resources. Microsoft now control a ridiculous amount of publisher and developer teams, easily helping towards more lock-in with Microsoft services and products. For Microsoft, it makes sense of course, since they can continue dumping titles into Game Pass and get more subscriptions for recurring revenue.
Activision Blizzard has been in a lot of hot water lately, which is probably a big understatement. Employees and investors have repeatedly called for the removal of the current CEO, Bobby Kotick. The press release is a bit vague on what will happen with Kotick, as it mentions Kotick "will continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard" and then "Once the deal closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming". So it somewhat makes it sound like Kotick might only be there until the deal is fully done but it's pretty vague. Probably intentionally vague due to the ongoing issues. Update: Kotick will remain, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed via email. Update #2: They tried to clarify again later that they were speaking generally about the acquisition so it's anyone's guess what will happen with Kotick (IGN).
This will be an "all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion" which is so much money I can't even begin to imagine it.
Microsoft will then own the likes of Activision, Blizzard and King studios with Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Call of Duty, Candy Crash and global eSports activities through Major League Gaming. The press release states this will make Microsoft "the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony".
Since Microsoft isn't quite the same as the Microsoft of old, we might end up seeing more Activision Blizzard games come to Steam and so making it even easier to run them on Linux through Steam Play Proton. Imagine having Diablo, Starcraft, Overwatch, various newer Call of Duty games and so on being a few clicks away on Steam + Linux.
What do you think to this news? The deal is expected to close in 2023.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Mohandevir Jan 18, 2022
Quoting: Liam DaweUpdate: Kotick will remain, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed via email.
wvstolzing Jan 18, 2022
Arehandoro Jan 18, 2022
Quoting: Mohandevir“Evil is evil, lesser, greater, middling, it's all the same. Proportions are negotiated, boundaries blurred. I’m not a pious hermit. I haven't done only good in my life. But if I’m to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.”
OK Geralt :P
Quoting: wvstolzingI've heard that Kotick is slated to replace Satya Nadella. Could that be true?Sounds like complete horseshit to me. Whoever said that has no idea what they're talking about.
Arehandoro Jan 18, 2022
Quoting: GuestQuoting: BielFPsMicrosoft to do list:Don't forget Nintendo off that list
[x] Bethesda
[x] Activision
[ ] Epic Games
If Nintendo wants to survive in this mega-corps acquisitions era, they should purchase SEGA, and Square-Enix, and maybe do an alliance with Valve to bring some of their titles to PC.
But another gaming crash is nigh. Who knows what will happen.
Arehandoro Jan 18, 2022
I admit that's the first thing I could think when I read the title.
Ok... that's heavy. I need some time to digest it.
Personally I don't care for Activision. But Blizzard is associated with a lot of my young age good memories. Ofc that Blizzard is gone, destroyed forever by Bobby long time ago. M$ won't ressurrect it.
But who knows. Microsoft is indeed changing its company culture in the better. Slowly. But surely. Maybe in the long run, once Bobby is removed for good (ofc he will stay for the time being), under Microsoft they will again produce good games made by gamers for gamers (possibly without abuses this time
). Or maybe not. For sure, the way things are right now, there is nothing to lose. Starcraft is the only thing I care right now and it's already in mantenance mode. So I'm fine I guess.
MessedUpHare Jan 18, 2022
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