At long last, after a dramatic 20-month tug of war involving lawsuits, regulatory roadblocks, and even a handful of unexpected leaks, Microsoft’s colossal acquisition of Activision Blizzard, tagged at a whopping $68.7 billion, is inching towards its climax. The best part? The finish line seems to be Friday the 13th.
While the superstitious might consider that date a bit ominous, there’s no solid data suggesting anything particularly malevolent occurs on that day. But, if you’re Microsoft, perhaps it’s just another level to conquer.
It’s intriguing to note that the acquisition doesn’t merely represent Microsoft buying a company. It’s akin to acquiring an empire, with franchises that have shaped gaming for years: think Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, WarCraft, StarCraft and even the addictive Candy Crush. If this deal finalizes, these big-hitters will operate under the Microsoft banner. Can you imagine booting up your Xbox to play the latest Call of Duty sequel, knowing all of these games (and more) are all under one tech giant’s roof? This is the reality that Sony and the FTC were so vehemently against for over a year.
But the process hasn’t been a mere walk in a digital park. Earlier this year, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, the CMA, momentarily halted the acquisition due to concerns over cloud gaming monopolies. Microsoft had to bunny hop and slide its way across multiple regulatory bodies just to find a way to get through. Ultimately, the solution was to offload certain cloud gaming rights of Activision Blizzard over to Ubisoft. This clever maneuver, akin to a strategic in-game alliance, helped Microsoft secure preliminary approval from the CMA.
Still, this doesn’t mean every regulator has given Microsoft a power-up. Across the Atlantic, the United States’ Federal Trade Commission remains a formidable end-boss. Despite having its injunction denied, the FTC has an appeal in the works. And while they might attempt a post-acquisition dismantling of this merger, it would be akin to putting the Prime Evils back into their respective soulstones – a rather impossible task unless you have help from an Archangel or two.
However, the acquisition isn’t just about corporations and regulators. For gamers, there’s a silver lining. Those who are patiently waiting for Microsoft to show some love to franchises like StarCraft might see their wishes granted. After all, Xbox’s Sarah Bond did drop some hints at Tokyo Game Show 2023, igniting hopes.
But amidst all the excitement, one wonders about the post-acquisition landscape. Phil Spencer, the Xbox boss, reminds everyone that bringing Activision Blizzard’s gems to Game Pass won’t be an overnight affair. Activision and Blizzard are both “against” bringing Call of Duty and Diablo to the industry-leading subscription service as well. Although all these companies will now operate under a much larger umbrella, we suspect that the much larger gaming titan will have some figuring out to do over the next year or two.
Of course, we also bid adieu to the somewhat controversial Activision Blizzard CEO, Bobby Kotick, who’s expected to be gone once the acquisition curtains are drawn.
So, as the dice roll on this high-stakes game, one can’t help but wonder: Will Microsoft’s acquisition unlock a new era of gaming brilliance, or will it be a case of “too many cooks”? Only time, and perhaps the next Call of Duty edition, will tell.
Speaking of Activision Blizzard, the company is “going out” with a bang. For the month, its biggest games are crossing over with each other. In particular, Diablo-based cosmetics have and are headed to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Overwatch 2 this month.
