Microsoft is buying Activison-Blizzard

[Iheartnathanos]

This is pretty huge, holy shit

could we see blizzard properties being developed on by other devs under the microsoft banner?

singleplayer Warcraft RPG dont give me hope

My number 1 pipe-dream project of all time...

[Venziir]

if this is true microsoft could remove the cancerous growth called bobby kotick and many other parts and finaly let it prosper again

Sadly, that seems to be off the table. https://www.wsj.com/articles/microso...ts_pos1&page=1 " Bobby Kotick will remain CEO of videogame maker after acquisition"

[Val the Moofia Boss]

I wonder what Microsoft's aim is at here. Blizzard's productivity has dropped off the face of the earth over the last decade. Hearthstone is Blizzard's only game that is still making them money. All of their other projects are either stuck in development hell (D4, OW2, Diablo Immortal, whatever the incubation unit is working on) or is in actual maintenance mode (D3, Starcraft 2, HotS, OW1). Blizzard as a game studio has completely broken down and I doubt Microsoft will fix that. I'm guessing Microsoft is either after what Activision has, and/or the Blizzard IPs so they can license the IPs to competent studios.

[Ludek]

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/01/...osoft-gaming/?

WoW in gamepass when?

[babyback]

The timing is correct, since Activision-Blizzard's stock will only get worse, Microsoft is spending lots and lots of money to strengthen their XBOX line-up without a huge success so far (but it is very promosing for the future), if this take over happens, then we talk about a HUGE deal.

OMG, it as already happened !!!! This is HUGE!!!

What are you on about? The stock has been climbing steadily since the dip in November. It’s also higher now than when it started it’s climb to be all time high in 2021.

Stop talking about stuff when you’re absolutely clueless about it.

[TEHPALLYTANK]

Damn, bold move from Microsoft. Here is to hoping they have the ability and will to actually fire Kotick after all the shit he has ignored.

Edit: My hope was brutally murdered within minutes. I'll foster a smaller hope now, that hopefully Frances Townsend will get canned at least (though if they're keeping Kotick I can't imagine them really worrying about hiring on Townsend, what is a torture apologist when you're already cool with Kotick ignoring rampant sexual harassment in the company culture for years).

[Venziir]

I wonder what Microsoft's aim is at here. Blizzard's productivity has dropped off the face of the earth over the last decade. Hearthstone is Blizzard's only game that is still making them money. All of their other projects are either stuck in development hell (D4, OW2, Diablo Immortal, whatever the incubation unit is working on) or is in actual maintenance mode (D3, Starcraft 2, HotS, OW1). Blizzard as a game studio has completely broken down and I doubt Microsoft will fix that. I'm guessing Microsoft is either after what Activision has, and/or the Blizzard IPs so they can license the IPs to competent studios.

Good question indeed. I honestly also wonder how or if this will change... Well ANYTHING really. From game quality to workplace morals....

[vincink]

Well those or Amazon or Apple I suppose.

Amazon buying Acti-Blizz... now that is nightmare fuel.

[Tartys]

Kotick worked so well that will remain CEO :/

Wall Street Journal
https://www.wsj.com/articles/microso...d=hp_lead_pos1

Deal for $68.7 billion including net cash; Bobby Kotick will remain CEO of videogame maker after acquisition


Also Bloomberg:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...premium-europe


Waiting to the opening of the NY WALL STREET to watch Microsfot / Activion stocks skyrocketing

[Venziir]

Damn, bold move from Microsoft. Here is to hoping they have the ability and will to actually fire Kotick after all the shit he has ignored.

"Bobby Kotick will remain CEO of videogame maker after acquisition"

[Le Conceptuel]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/microso...d=hp_lead_pos1

Deal for $68.7 billion including net cash; Bobby Kotick will remain CEO of videogame maker after acquisition

Kotick worked so well that will remain CEO :/

About as I expected. There is no reasonable motive to remove Kotick.

[Enter Name Here]

blizzard stock goes BRRRR

[Edward Wu]

I wonder what Microsoft's aim is at here. Blizzard's productivity has dropped off the face of the earth over the last decade. Hearthstone is Blizzard's only game that is still making them money. All of their other projects are either stuck in development hell (D4, OW2, Diablo Immortal, whatever the incubation unit is working on) or is in actual maintenance mode (D3, Starcraft 2, HotS, OW1). Blizzard as a game studio has completely broken down and I doubt Microsoft will fix that. I'm guessing Microsoft is either after what Activision has, and/or the Blizzard IPs so they can license the IPs to competent studios.

My guess: They see the enduring strengths of the IPs but understand that Blizzard needs restructuring and better management, and swooped in in order to make that happen. Microsoft is enormous with a near endless amount of resources, so this could actually spell a really good thing for Blizzard games, particularly WoW. All these colossal acquisitions Microsoft is doing smell like long-term investments to me, really thinking of the bigger picture, so I have actual faith that they will take this philosophy with WoW and not continue damaging it in favor of quick profit returns like Kotick's style has been.

This could be the best news WoW has received in years.

[artline]

https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/01/...rosoft-gaming/

Its complete

[Eazy]

Personally I don't care who buys who, I only care about good quality games.

[TheramoreIsTheBomb]

I called this happening. I knew and said the company would get bought. There was absolutely no way they would be able to survive with the shit going on by themselves. Heads are gonna roll and Bobby's contract will be one of the last.

[Holdodlig]

Microsoft didn't fix Bethesda, and they sure didn't make Mojang better.

How so ? Minecraft's last update was dope. Also they managed to bring Age of Empires back from the grave with the excellent Age of Empire 2 definitive edition and Age of Empire 4.

[Le Conceptuel]

My guess: They see the enduring strengths of the IPs but understand that Blizzard needs restructuring and better management, and swooped in in order to make that happen. Microsoft is enormous with a near endless amount of resources, so this could actually spell a really good thing for Blizzard games, particularly WoW. All these colossal acquisitions Microsoft is doing smell like long-term investments to me, really thinking of the bigger picture, so I have actual faith that they will take this philosophy with WoW and not continue damaging it in favor of quick profit returns like Kotick's style has been.

This could be the best news WoW has received in years.

This strikes me as a little bit copium. I'm not saying I'm not hoping for it, but that's a vast misinterpretation of the financial strength the Warcraft IP has these days. It would be great overestimation to say they're going to simply make the game perfect because they believe the IP will carry them sufficiently—Microsoft is a big company, so unless they have a real profit maximization plan, they won't make any money. We'll see how this proceeds and how they make money off of this.

- - - Updated - - -

I called this happening. I knew and said the company would get bought. There was absolutely no way they would be able to survive with the shit going on by themselves. Heads are gonna roll and Bobby's contract will be one of the last.

The copium is strong in this thread. Again, this is not an assurance of anything. Just because they're buying the company doesn't mean they'll do restructuring of employees. More likely, we'll see a more efficient money-making system. I think the game ought to improve because of it, but this isn't like they're a bunch of superheroes here to save us. Microsoft is as much a company as Activision-Blizzard, if not more so. They are a massive company that would surely only do what would maximize profit margins.

[Nyel]

Microsoft didn't fix Bethesda, and they sure didn't make Mojang better.

How can they fix a company within a mere months that hasn't released really anything since then? Uhm...

[TheramoreIsTheBomb]

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 fantastic franchises across Activision Blizzard will also accelerate our plans for Cloud Gaming, allowing more people in more places around the world to participate in the Xbox community using phones, tablets, laptops and other devices you already own. Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward.

Good news.