Tag: Activision Blizzard - Page 6
News Microsoft CEO 'Very Confident' About Activision Blizzard Approval
The Xbox & ActiBlizz merge is ongoing
We've heard from Phil Spencer recently about how the Xbox Activision Blizzard deal is progressing, especially in regards to Call of Duty and its exclusivity terms moving forward. While some aspects of the merger seem uncertain at this stage, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella still seems pretty confident it'll all go...
News Phil Spencer Passionately Defends Xbox Game Pass Over Call Of Duty Concerns
"Competition is about driving competitors to innovate"
As we've already mentioned today, Xbox boss Phil Spencer was recently interviewed by CNBC on a wide variety of topics as part of Tokyo Game Show 2022, including Sony's recent concerns with the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Spencer talked about vari
News Xbox's ActiBlizz Deal Set To Face Further Investigations, Sony Issues Critical Statement
The company says the deal "would have major negative implications"
Here we go again! OK, so you may remember that back on the 1st of September, the Competition and Markets Authority in the UK expressed concerns about Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and provided five working days for Microsoft to submit proposals in response, otherwise...
News Xbox's 'Approach' With Starfield Is Leading To More ActiBlizz Scrutiny
The UK CMA is once again concerned
Earlier today, we covered a little bit about the UK Competition and Markets Authority's concerns over the Activision Blizzard deal. Those concerns mostly related to how big some of Activision's games are, and whether Microsoft owning them could harm competition. Well, the whole first phase document has now been...
News Microsoft Says Sony Doesn't Need To Be 'Worried' About Call Of Duty Exclusivity
"We want people to have more access to games, not less"
Well, Microsoft seems to be on it today with its responses to concerns over the Activision Blizzard deal! Xbox boss Phil Spencer just put out a lengthy response to matters, discussing multiple elements of the merger, and now Microsoft president Brad Smith has made his own statement on things...
News Phil Spencer: We Intend To Put 'Call Of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch' On Xbox Game Pass
But when Phil, WHEN?!
As the Xbox ActiBlizz deal continues to push on through its regulatory rounds, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has come out with a fresh statement on what the deal means for the industry. Within that statement, Spencer talks about Xbox's Game Pass growth, and how the Activision deal will help expand the service. The Xbox boss says that...
News Xbox's Phil Spencer Responds To 'Concerns' Over Activision Blizzard Deal
"We will pursue a principled path"
Earlier today, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) revealed that it had "concerns" over Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and now Xbox's Phil Spencer has penned a long public letter in response. Speaking on the Microsoft website, Spencer recognised that "regulators, game developers and...
News UK Authority Reveals 'Concerns' Over Xbox's Acquisition Of Activision Blizzard
It could end up being investigated further
Update: Xbox boss Phil Spencer has now responded to this in a long letter on the Microsoft website: Read More: Xbox's Phil Spencer Responds To 'Concerns' Over Activision Blizzard Deal Original story: We've got some not-so-good news to share on the progress of the Activision Blizza
Reaction More Gaming Acquisitions Doesn't Necessarily Mean More Exclusives
The tides are changing
We seem to be caught in a whirlwind of gaming acquisition news as of late, from progress on the Xbox ActiBlizz deal, to Embracer buying a bunch of studios, to rumours about an EA deal, and even more besides. While these deals often bring out both supporters and sceptics in
News Xbox Boss Explains Two Things That 'Drove Our Interest' About Activision Blizzard
How the discussions started
As we've mentioned, Xbox boss and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer appeared in an interview with Bloomberg earlier this week, and he was asked during the discussion about how the Activision Blizzard deal came together. Interestingly, Spencer didn't point to Call of Duty or any other Activision Blizzard IP in response,...
News Xbox Continues To Look For Potential Acquisitions, Says Phil Spencer
Especially in different markets
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has sat down with Bloomberg to discuss all things Xbox, as the industry focuses on Gamescom 2022. Microsoft's head of gaming expressed how he feels about the ongoing Activision Blizzard deal, while also touching on what could potentially come next. In short, Spencer says the company continues...
News Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal Officially Approved By Saudi Authority
The Asian nation is the first to publicly approve the deal
Since Xbox announced its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard, official approval of the deal by nations around the world has been a key topic of discussion. The FTC is scrutinising the deal over in the US, while the UK CMA is taking a good long look at proceedings over here. Well, we've now...
News Xbox Says Sony's Concerns About Call Of Duty Are 'Simply Unjustifiable'
The fight continues
Scrutiny surrounding Xbox's Activision Blizzard deal is increasing, especially as Microsoft has seemingly submitted all of the required info to the FTC. While such a process is formality in a deal of this nature, we're now seeing Xbox react to other opposing parties. In the gaming space specifically, Xbox appears to believe Sony...
News Call Of Duty To Detail The 'Immediate Future' Of The Franchise At September Showcase
Next level
Activision and Infinity Ward have shared details about an upcoming showcase set to reveal the future of the Call of Duty franchise. The 'Call of Duty Next' event takes place September 15th, with a lot more than Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer on show. Hosted by developer Infinity Ward, the livestream will break down the "immediate future of...
News Analyst Predicts Activision Blizzard Deal Could Be Finalised This Year
Depending on how the FTC reacts
Earlier today, we highlighted Michael Pachter's recent appearance on Yahoo Finance Live and his suggestion that Xbox Game Pass will reach 100 million subscribers, and the Wedbush Securities analyst also mentioned during the discussion that he believed the Activision Blizzard acquisition could conclude by the end of...
News Xbox Game Pass Will Reach 100M Members Thanks To ActiBlizz & Cloud Gaming, Claims Pachter
"Will they go from 25M to 100M? Yes."
The well-known Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter made an appearance on Yahoo Finance Live last week to discuss all things Activision Blizzard, and he made some interesting predictions about what to expect from the deal. Perhaps most notably, Pachter claimed that Xbox Game Pass will jump from 25 million...
News Microsoft Defends Activision Blizzard Deal With Eyebrow-Raising Statement
It makes sense though!
Yeah, this is a weird one. You remember how a couple of days ago, we reported that Sony seemed a little bit worried about Xbox's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and specifically the Call of Duty franchise? Since then, RPS has pointed out that Microsoft had an interesting way of justify
Feature The Exciting Prospect Of ActiBlizz On Xbox Game Pass Is Starting To Feel Real
So close we can almost taste it
With the recent news that Xbox has reportedly submitted all the requested info to the FTC regarding the big Activision Blizzard deal, we’re starting to get excited about the prospect of the publisher’s titles hitting Xbox Game Pass. Sure, we’ve known for some time that Xbox is hoping to bring as many Activision...
News Xbox's Activision Blizzard Purchase Could Be FTC-Approved By Next Month
Microsoft has reportedly submitted all relevant info
Xbox's monumental acquisition of Activision Blizzard is the biggest of its kind in the gaming industry. It's had multiple hurdles to jump over to get closer to actually happening, but one of the most noteworthy might be about to pass. According to a report by the financial analysts over at...
News Xbox's Activision Blizzard Deal Is Being Scrutinised In The UK
Under the microscope
With the huge Xbox Activision Blizzard deal still going through various phases, it's beginning to face scrutiny in various markets. The latest of which is the UK, where the region's Competition and Markets Authority is now looking into the deal and whether it could harm competition in the market. CNBC reports that the UK...
News Huge Batch Of Activision Blizzard Games Still Planned For Xbox Game Pass
"We want as many as possible"
It was mentioned back in January when Microsoft announced the intention to acquire Activision Blizzard that lots of games from the company would be coming to Xbox Game Pass ASAP, and that's still very much the plan. Speaking recently (as highlighted by IGN
News Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal Is 'Moving Fast' Says Microsoft President
But it's not there yet
Microsoft shattered the gaming landscape earlier this year by announcing its intentions to acquire Activision Blizzard. We're a good few months on from the announcement now, and Microsoft thinks things are going well, at this stage. Microsoft president Brad Smith recently discussed the deal with Belgian outlet L'
News Elden Ring Has Outsold Call Of Duty: Vanguard In The US
A new duty calls
The Elden Ring success stories just keep on coming. Earlier this week, we learnt that by the end of March 2022 the game had shipped 13 million copies. As it turns out, by the end of April 2022 it had managed to outsell the biggest name in gaming. That's right, in just two months on the market, Elden Ring has outsold Call of Duty:...
News Activision Blames Its 'Own Execution' For COD: Vanguard's Poor Reception
"Our 2021 premium release didn't meet our expectations"
Activision Blizzard has released its big annual report as we move into the new financial year, and the company has made some pretty stark admissions. These mostly relate to last year's Call of Duty release in Vanguard, which the company says "didn't meet out expectations". As for who's to...
News Activision Blizzard Stockholders Approve Microsoft Acquisition
An "overwhelmingly supportive" vote
It's been confirmed today that Activision Blizzard's stockholders have voted to approve the acquisition of the company by Microsoft, with a press release suggesting that more than 98% of the shares voted in favour of the deal. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick described it as an "overwhelmingly supportive...
News Former Nintendo Boss Applauds Xbox's 'Fantastic' Acquisition Of Activision Blizzard
Phil's the man
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has been on rather good terms with the team over at Xbox, and during a recent appearance at SXSW 2022 to discuss all things gaming and promote his new book 'Disrupting the Game', he was asked to share his thoughts the acquisitions currently taking place. In terms of the purchase...
News Former PlayStation Exec Thinks Xbox Would Have Made COD Exclusive 10 Years Ago
But things have changed
There's been a lot of talk about where Xbox could go with the Activision Blizzard deal, particularly in regards to exclusive games. Of course, Call of Duty is one of the most lucrative series' out there — owned by Activision — and former PlayStation executive Jack Tretton thinks Xbox may have handled the series...
News Xbox Fans Plead With Microsoft To 'Undo' Vicarious Visions Merger
Not gonna happen
It was all the way back in January 2021 that Activision Blizzard confirmed Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 studio Vicarious Visions was being permanently merged into Blizzard Entertainment. This meant that instead of working on the likes of the Crash, Spyro and Tony Hawk
News Activision Blizzard Reveals 1,100 QA Testers Are Getting Full-Time Jobs
And pay rises
Ahead of Activision Blizzard being acquired by Microsoft at some point either later this year or next year, the company has announced that it's giving nearly 1,110 of its quality assurance workers full-time jobs and pay rises. In a statement, Activision Blizzard’s vice president of corporate communications Jessica Taylor enthused...
News Four US Senators 'Deeply Concerned' Over Microsoft's Acquisition Of Activision Blizzard
"It threatens worker-led demands for accountability..."
We've got another story to share in the ongoing saga that is the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard today, as four US senators including Bernie Sanders have shared 'deep concerns' about certain aspects of the deal. In a letter penned to FTC chairwoman Lina Khan (thanks Video Games...
News Activision Blizzard Warns Of Financial Consequences If Microsoft Deal Falls Through
Stock would likely "decline significantly"
Microsoft's deal to acquire Activision Blizzard is still going through the boring legal processes right now, and the next step is for Activision Blizzard's shareholders to vote to approve the deal, with this set to take place on April 28th. As you'd expect, the company is advising that the terms of the...
Deals This Week's Backwards Compatible Offers Include Major Call Of Duty Sale
Cheap CoD classics
It's another bumper sales week on Xbox Live, with over 500 games currently discounted on Xbox. Hidden in there is quite a big sale on Call of Duty games, most of them being Xbox 360 classics. Deals: 500+ Games Are On Sale On Xbox This Week (March 8th-14th) XCOM 2 Collection Is a Massive 95% Off This Week (March 8th-14th)
Poll Would You Be Happy To See Call Of Duty Skip 2023?
Make or break?
Since Xbox announced its intention to buy Activision Blizzard, a lot has been said about Call of Duty and its hectic release schedule. Last year's game, Vanguard, fell below expectations for the publisher, and reports
News Microsoft Picked An Interesting Week To Start Acquisition Talks With Activision Blizzard
Back in November 2021
We've been treated to a few new details about Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, with a regulatory filing revealing that Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer first initiated talks about the idea back in November 2021. But why is that particularly interesting? Well, the day quoted in the report is November 19th, which...
Feature 10 Activision Blizzard Games We're Hoping To See On Xbox Game Pass
Potential highlights from Xbox's massive acquisition
Microsoft's recent record-breaking acquisition of Activision Blizzard for a cool $70bn brings some of gaming's most-well known franchises, and industry-leading developers, under the banner of the Washington-based corporation. The likes of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch,
News Microsoft Wants To Create A 'Universal' Store That Works On Any Device
Console, PC, mobile... and more?
In the face of regulatory approval of its Activision Blizzard purchase, Microsoft is looking to change the way it operates. The company has laid out its plans for after the deal goes through, and it'll include a universal app store for all devices. By all devices, Microsoft means all devices. The vision, seemingly,...
News Microsoft Confirms Plans For Activision Blizzard Games On PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
"We believe this is the right thing for the industry..."
The Activision Blizzard news is back in force today, as Microsoft has issued a brand-new statement clarifying plans for ActiBlizz games on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, confirming the intent to keep supporting those platforms. Microsoft President and Vice-Chair Brad Smith had the following...
News Indie Devs Worry About What The Activision Deal Means For Xbox Game Pass
Will it harm discoverability?
For most gamers, Xbox Game Pass has been a hugely positive force. It allows us to access more games for a lower price, without having to commit to as many individual purchases. However, the model is starting to worry some indie devs, especially after the Activision Blizzard deal. In a BBC report
News The Xbox Activision Deal Will Receive An Antitrust Review In The US
Will it pass?
So, it's already been a few weeks since Xbox announced its intentions to buy Activision Blizzard. Concerns over a 'monopoly' were brought up pretty much straight away, with many looking at how much Microsoft is growing its Xbox division. Well, according to Bloomberg, a review of the deal will go ahead in the US, conducted by the...
Talking Point 10 Days Later, How Are You Feeling About The Activision Blizzard Acquisition?
Has your opinion changed since January 18th?
It might not seem like it, but it's already been 10 full days since Microsoft announced its intent to acquire Activision Blizzard for a little under $70 billion, and we've learned a fair few things about the deal in the days since. For example, we know that the acquisition is set to conclude somewhere...
Feature Alright, It's Time For Xbox To Make A Smash Bros. Game
It would be ridiculous not to at this point
With Microsoft announcing the acquisition of Activision Blizzard earlier this week, the topic of Xbox Game Studios potentially commissioning a Super Smash Bros. style multiplayer game has cropped up once again. There are a few reasons why you might not want to pursue it, but in our opinion, it's an...
News Activision Blizzard Employees Dissatisfied With Kotick At Internal Meeting
But there's optimism about Xbox
There's still a lot that needs to happen at Activision Blizzard before the Xbox takeover can be considered a success. For those working at Activision Blizzard, CEO Bobby Kotick's involvement in the company is a top priority. Kotick recently addressed his workforce in an internal meeting about the Xbox deal. Dubbed...
Feature Call Of Duty Might Be Ditching Yearly Releases, And It's About Time
We [don't] need to bring him back
Ah, Call of Duty. One arrives each and every year like clockwork, delivering a quick adrenaline shot of shooter action for millions of us worldwide. Usually, that shot is pretty polished, as publisher Activision Blizzard pours resources into its creation. However, development struggles, and a pandemic, meant...
News Xbox Will Get Activision Blizzard To Work On Classic Franchises, Says Phil Spencer
"I’m looking forward to these conversations"
Xbox boss and Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has been talking to The Washington Post as part of a new interview, and he mentioned during the discussion that he wants Activision Blizzard to work on some of its classic franchises. Spencer highlighted during the chat that Xbox now owns IP such as...
News Financial Times Predicts EA To Be Next In Line For A Major Takeover
"EA fits the bill"
Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard came out of nowhere earlier this week, and now it's got everyone guessing who might be next — interestingly, the Financial Times (paywall) believes there's a chance it could be EA. The outlet says that EA "fits the bill" with major franchises and "astute" mobile gaming investments...
News Activision CEO Wants Guitar Hero & Skylanders To Return On Xbox
"Phil and I started riffing on things for the future"
Remember when Activision Blizzard made games that weren't Call of Duty? Look, we know we're exaggerating, but seriously, the publisher's output was once a lot more varied than in recent years. That output included the likes of Guitar Hero and Skylanders, which Activision Blizzard's CEO seems to...
News Sony Expects Xbox To 'Ensure' Activision Games Are Still Available On PlayStation
Update: Microsoft plans to keep CoD on PS
Update: Phil Spencer has issued a statement on Twitter today, promising that Xbox will honour any existing agreements while also expressing a "desire" for Call of Duty to remain on PlayStation in the future. Original story: There's been a lot of speculation that
Video Phil Spencer & Bobby Kotick Discuss The Future Of Activision Blizzard Under Xbox
"We really saw this as an amazing opportunity"
So far, we haven't seen much of the two bosses since the Xbox and Activision Blizzard deal shook us. Sure, the Xbox announcement was written by Phil Spencer, and Bobby Kotick has commented on the deal, but talking on camera feels more direct. Well, the pair of them went live on CNBC yesterday, January...
News Xbox Fans Call For Microsoft To Bring Back Classic Activision Games
Blur, anyone?
Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard means that the company will have access to massive range of IP, and Xbox fans are already calling on various franchises from Activision's storied history to be brought back in the future. The one we're seeing requested most prominently right now is Blur. This was a beloved but...
News Activision Looked For Other Buyers Before Accepting Xbox Offer
"The board weren’t sold on Microsoft as the acquirer"
Xbox might be one of the biggest players in gaming, but it took some convincing for Activision Blizzard to accept Microsoft's offer. Looking at who else was involved, we can be happy Xbox came out on top! According to another Bloomberg report, Activision was looking for potential buyers when...
