Microsoft acquires game company Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion

Microsoft has announced that it will acquire game company Activision, the publisher of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Diablo. The deal is reported to cost $68.7 billion and is Microsoft’s biggest push into the gaming industry to date. Furthermore, once the deal closes the company claims that it will be the “third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony.”

Following the acquisition, Microsoft aims to publish franchises like Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Call of Duty, and Candy Crush.

“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,” says Microsoft’s CEO of gaming Phil Spencer.

As Microsoft continues to acquire studios Xbox Game Pass subscriber count will reach about 25 million.

“We’re investing deeply in world-class content, community, and the cloud to usher in a new era of gaming that puts players and creators first and makes gaming safe, inclusive, and accessible to all,” says Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella.

The deal comes after Blizzard’s internal issues as the company has dealt will multiple allegations of sexual harassment. Last July, the company was sued for promoting a culture of “constant sexual harassment,” according to the California Department of Fair Employment (DFEH). Since the initial allegations, employees have continued to come forward against Blizzard. As the settlement is being appealed, reports indicate that close to 40 employees have exited the company.

“As a company, Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players,” says Spencer.

“We deeply value individual studio cultures. We also believe that creative success and autonomy go hand-in-hand with treating every person with dignity and respect. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. We’re looking forward to extending our culture of proactive inclusion to the great teams across Activision Blizzard.”

Source: The Verge