Microsoft is buying Activison-Blizzard

[dope_danny]

https://twitter.com/devolore/status/1483435560349802498

Looks like no employees were told this was happening, good guy Activision.

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FFXIV has proven to be a game that works very well with controllers and on consoles. WoW would absolutely work fine on controllers (and it already does with ConsolePort, but it doesn't support easily switching between keyboard and controller mode).

That being said I was also very skeptical until I tried it out (both FFXIV and ConsolePort on WoW).

The main reason however why I want WoW on Xbox is not because of that. If I were to play on Xbox I would still mainly play with a keyboard (which is officially supported on xbox). This way I wouldn't have to have a desktop pc with a gaming gpu (which are extremely expensive rn).

Because of the massive console market and because building a PC nowadays is just too expensive, I do see a market for WoW on consoles IMO.

WoW would work but it would also mean designing without addons in mind and as we have seen during the great wowfugee crisis of 2021 into other games like FFXIV a lot of WoW players have not even realised how totally dependant they have become on third party programs going "RUN AWAY LITTLE GIRL, RUN AWAY" to tell them how to raid and the devs have leaned into that hard. That would have to change and i doubt the focus on high end raiding would be the same.

[Very Tired]

So is this Microsoft taking advantage of the recent scandals that absolutely tanked the stock price and made the company easier to buy?

[RobertMugabe]

https://twitter.com/devolore/status/1483435560349802498

Looks like no employees were told this was happening, good guy Activision.

To be fair, there's nothing wrong or unusual with that, at least in Europe. The company I work at had also bought up several companies in the past (one which I was part of) and we also never knew anything until they were already almost done. And that's fine, I don't see a reason why every employee should be involved in that from the very beginning.

WoW would work but it would also mean designing without addons in mind and as we have seen during the great wowfugee crisis of 2021 into other games like FFXIV a lot of WoW players have not even realised how totally dependant they have become on third party programs going "RUN AWAY LITTLE GIRL, RUN AWAY" to tell them how to raid and the devs have leaned into that hard. That would have to change and i doubt the focus on high end raiding would be the same.

There's of course always a certain risk, but again with FFXIV (and for example Elder Scrolls) it seems they're doing fine, so I am more optimistic. And if they'd put less focus on the top tier raiders, then I fine with that ngl.

As for addons, I am sure they can find a way to enable them or at least bake in some addons themselves. There is already a very basic DBM-like "announcer" (however it's just text in the middle with icons and no sound) built into the game (which DBM and Bigwigs auto disable). But we'll have to see ofc.

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So is this Microsoft taking advantage of the recent scandals that absolutely tanked the stock price and made the company easier to buy?

There was already something going a year or so ago if I am not mistaken. But this situation could've made the purchase far easier and cheaper.

[Kaleredar]

thoughts?

It doesn't matter. I mean microsoft is a successful company, but i don't see how them buying it will make the game any better. It is possible they do some house cleaning and get rid of some of these shit devs. If that's the case, then yes, maybe it will get better, but i doubt it will.

I doubt effing Microsoft is going to care about player complaints about how class balance feels wonky or about the length of daily rep grinds or thoughts about legiondaries or whatever.


If anything, I really see this resulting in little more than more integration of cash-shop features, more micromanagement of timelines and overhead rush, and an even greater disconnect between the game development team and the higher-ups.

[Sluvs]

Well, Activision-Blizzard was on sale and had a pretty hefty discount. I mean, at this price it was a steal!

In all seriouness now, Microsoft tends to let their niche games be niche and not always appealing to the majority. Which can be good for WoW, but its too early to tell.

The only thing that will change for blizzard is that Bobby is no longer the final word on budgets, approval and what not. This does not mean a lot at face value but can have far reaching implications. It all depends on how throughly will they merge I suppose.

[Miffinat0r]

I doubt effing Microsoft is going to care about player complaints about how class balance feels wonky or about the length of daily rep grinds or thoughts about legiondaries or whatever.


If anything, I really see this resulting in little more than more integration of cash-shop features, more micromanagement of timelines and overhead rush, and an even greater disconnect between the game development team and the higher-ups.

And if that happens Blizz will be dissolved.

The only 3 properties I see surviving right now for MS OW, Diablo, and Hearthstone. WoW is a money maker, don't deny that, but I just don't think MS will want multiple MMOs on their platform. Maybe WoW survives over FO76/ESO, but I just don't see a world where the game as it is now, with the design philosophy it has now, survives.

[Fencers]

Stock is up 27%.

[Gaidax]

So is this Microsoft taking advantage of the recent scandals that absolutely tanked the stock price and made the company easier to buy?

No, because it's not you going to purchase a loaf of bread on a whim.

This shit takes years and price very likely was closed long before the whole thing that does not matter.


P.S. Imagine the fools who thought ActiBlizz will go under KEKW.

[Lahis]

And if that happens Blizz will be dissolved.

The only 3 properties I see surviving right now for MS OW, Diablo, and Hearthstone. WoW is a money maker, don't deny that, but I just don't think MS will want multiple MMOs on their platform. Maybe WoW survives over FO76/ESO, but I just don't see a world where the game as it is now, with the design philosophy it has now, survives.

"We have Fallout-fucking-76 so better kill of one of the mist significant videogames in the history of the medium despite it still being highly succesful and profitable."

...said nobody ever.

[tromage2]

First thing Microsoft has to do is see what devs are part of the crazy woke movement and get ride of them.
And if they do that then i am onboard and even get an x-box.

[Traveler Voltin]

This was a mistake but hopefully they can clean house.

[DarkAmbient]

https://twitter.com/devolore/status/1483435560349802498

Looks like no employees were told this was happening, good guy Activision.

Why is he reacting like a child? Posting in caps, boasting about being drunk and behaving as if he should have been clued in. Maybe he forgot he's a "content creator relationship manager" and being clued in on shit like this isn't part of his remit. He needs to shut up and behave like an adult. Embarrassing.

[m4Zzo928]

Why is he reacting like a child? Posting in caps, boasting about being drunk and behaving as if he should have been clued in. Maybe he forgot he's a "content creator relationship manager" and being clued in on shit like this isn't part of his remit. He needs to shut up and behave like an adult. Embarrassing.

For attention. Wow fans should be very happy today. Good management can be the difference between a quality product, and a product that is just good enough.

[Hawg]

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

Its complete

Its strange that they are acting like its complete... it still has to get past the regulators and that does not appear to be a certainty.

[Sluvs]

No, because it's not you going to purchase a loaf of bread on a whim.

This shit takes years and price very likely was closed long before the whole thing that does not matter.


P.S. Imagine the fools who thought ActiBlizz will go under KEKW.

I mean, it has been almost six months now. I am sure it affected the price in one way or another.

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Its strange that they are acting like its complete... it still has to get past the regulators and that does not appear to be a certainty.

Yep, but with this much money rolling I don't expect the regulators having something to say about it.

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Or maybe they already talked to some regulators?

[m4Zzo928]

Its strange that they are acting like its complete... it still has to get past the regulators and that does not appear to be a certainty.

I'm going to assume the MS legal department might know a thing or two about large scale acquisitions, and have done their homework regarding this purchase. I also thing Act/Blizz wants to sell at this point lol. I doubt regulations block this.

[Cosmic Janitor]

P.S. Imagine the fools who thought ActiBlizz will go under KEKW.

Going under means getting bought out in this league. It's not like they would ever have just put up forclosure signs at the gates and let it rot until the actual rats outnumber the human ones by a factor of 1000.

[zealo]

FFXIV has proven to be a game that works very well with controllers and on consoles. WoW would absolutely work fine on controllers (and it already does with ConsolePort, but it doesn't support easily switching between keyboard and controller mode).

That being said I was also very skeptical until I tried it out (both FFXIV and ConsolePort on WoW).

The main reason however why I want WoW on Xbox is not because of that. If I were to play on Xbox I would still mainly play with a keyboard (which is officially supported on xbox). This way I wouldn't have to have a desktop pc with a gaming gpu (which are extremely expensive rn).

Because of the massive console market and because building a PC nowadays is just too expensive, I do see a market for WoW on consoles IMO.

To be fair, FF14 does have a GCD that's 2.5 seconds at it's baseline, and at that with where all the serious content have 8 players max in a group.

That helps massively with what that game does for it's controller setups. There's a good chance WoW would have to lengthen that up from it's 1.5 and adjust approach to content design to become reasonably playable on a controller with the amount of buttons MMOs make use of.

[m4Zzo928]

Going under means getting bought out in this league. It's not like they would ever have just put up forclosure signs at the gates and let it rot until the actual rats outnumber the human ones by a factor of 1000.

No it doesn't lol. Imagine their franchises still have potential. There's millions of Wow players on standby ready to come back if it's worth it. These games can without a doubt be turned around on a upward trajectory.

[chiddie]

If this means they will rip the cord between AV and B it will be a more than welcomed change.

B fall started when Vivendi sold it to AV.