It’s official: Microsoft has acquired Activision Blizzard, the company behind franchises like Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo and World of Warcraft, for $69 billion.
This morning, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority approved Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The CMA was the final hurdle for Microsoft’s acquisition after it was approved in more than 40 countries and territories, including the US, earlier this summer. The deadline for Microsoft to close the deal was October 18, but reports indicated that the company is planning to finalize it today, October 13. Now it has, and Activision Blizzard is officially part of Xbox’s first-party studio umbrella.
Xbox released the video below to celebrate its acquisition:
Phil Spencer, head of Xbox and CEO of Microsoft Gaming Says that, “I’ve long admired Activision Blizzard, and King’s work, and the impact they’ve had on gaming, entertainment, and pop culture,” noting that his most memorable gaming moments Activision Blizzard and Mobile Giant appeared in the games. The king made “Welcoming such legendary teams to Xbox is incredible,” he says.
“As a team, we will learn, innovate, and continue to deliver on our promise to bring the joy and community of gaming to more people,” he writes in one. Xbox wire post. “We will do this in a culture that strives to empower everyone to do their best work, where all people are welcome, and focused on our ongoing commitment to gaming for everyone. We are committed to inclusion and We’re intentional about everything we do at Xbox. From our team, to the products we build and our stories, to the way our players interact and engage as a wider gaming community. live
Microsoft Gaming CEO and Xbox Head Phil Spencer
“Together, we’ll create new worlds and stories, bring your favorite games to more places for more players to play, and engage and delight players in new, innovative ways in those places.” wherever they like to play, including mobile, cloud streaming, and more.”
Spencer says Xbox and Microsoft will continue to listen to player feedback and build a community where developers can do their best work. He also says that, as promised, Xbox will “continue to make more games available in more places – which will now allow cloud streaming providers and players to stream Activision Blizzard games in the European Economic Area.” “Starts with Enable, a commitment with the European Commission. Today, we begin work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to GamePass and other platforms.” He says Microsoft and Xbox will share more about when you can expect to play these games on Game Pass in the coming months.
“To the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard and King Games, we want you to know that today is a great day to play. You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we’re honored to have them.” Be a part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you’re welcome here – and will stay welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise. Because when everyone else plays If so, we win. Our news today is sure to open up a world of possibilities for even more ways to play. Thank you for your continued support. We have more to come in the coming months – in the future. Excited for and can’t wait to share it with you.”
Below is the email Spencer sent to all Microsoft employees after the acquisition closed:
And below is Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick’s email to all company employees after the purchase closed.
Ubisoft, which will oversee Activision Blizzard cloud game streaming in the UK as part of Microsoft’s deal with CMA, released the following statement regarding today’s news:
“We are pleased to announce that Ubisoft has now acquired the permanent cloud streaming rights to Call of Duty and all Activision Blizzard titles released over the next 15 years. Ubisoft has long believed in the power of cloud gaming and streaming. holds. The rights will enable us to deliver even more experiences to players in more places than ever before. Now that the deal is complete, we can begin working on the operational aspects of bringing these games to Ubisoft+, which We have a subscription offering.”
Image from Xbox
Getting to today’s news was no easy feat for Microsoft. To catch up on what’s happened so far, first read about Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard for $69 billion , and then check out the story of how the CMA overcame cloud gaming concerns in the UK Stopped this acquisition. Then, read about how the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction was denied by a California judge this summer and then about Microsoft’s plans to have some conciliatory talks with the CMA Read on. Also read about Microsoft’s proposed Ubisoft deal, and then read about why the CMA gave Microsoft initial approval for the deal. And finally, read about how the CMA approved Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard earlier today, paving the way for the deal to close.
What Activision Blizzard games do you hope will be included in Xbox Game Pass first? Let us know in the comments below!