Not even two years ago, Microsoft created shock waves in the gaming world when it acquired Zenimax Media, the company with among the game publisher Bethesda. Now it’s time for the next mega acquisition; Microsoft will buy Activision Blizzard for $ 68.7 billion, corresponding to just over SEK 623 billion.
The deal causes the Bethesda purchase, with its SEK 66 billion, to fade completely. In a press release, Microsoft states that with the Activision acquisition, it will be the world’s third largest game studio after Tencent and Sony. The company then goes from a fourth place and pushes Nintendo down from the “prize podium”.
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In fact, the purchase will make any gaming business ever fade. Warcraft, Starcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, Call of Duty and Candy Crush Saga are some of the franchises that will eventually belong to Microsoft. In total, Activision employs just over 10,000 people around the world.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella comments on the deal:
– Gaming is one of the most dynamic and exciting segments in entertainment today and will play a key role when the Metaverse platforms are developed. We invest heavily in world-class content, community and the cloud to step into a new gaming era where players and creators are put first, with a focus on security and inclusion.
Now, the usual legal processes that always precede the completion of this type of business await. The acquisition is expected to be completed during the end of the financial year 2023. Bobby Kotick, as it has been storming around a lot lately, will continue to lead Activision Blizzard as CEO. He will, upon completion of the transaction, report to Microsoft Gaming’s CEO Phil Spencer.
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