Activision Blizzard is behind successful franchises like Call of Duty and Candy Crush. It is being acquired by Microsoft.
Image Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto / Getty
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Image Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto / Getty
Activision Blizzard is behind successful franchises like Call of Duty and Candy Crush. It is being acquired by Microsoft.
Image Jakub Porzycki / NurPhoto / Getty
Microsoft says it’s ready to buy Activision Blizzard’s game giant. According to a press release, the move allows Microsoft to take a place in the mobile games space as well as the upcoming metaverse.
Activision Blizzard is behind multi-tiered franchises like Call of Duty, StarCraft, Candy Crush, etc. That diverse list allows the company to achieve Massive audience – from e-sports enthusiasts to e-sports enthusiasts.
But the company has a fair share of the baggage. In November, The Wall Street Journal reported that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick was aware of years of alleged sexual misconduct — from alleged rape to harassment — and failed to notify the company’s board of directors. The company is currently sued by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing for failing to pay women equally as well as the “boyfriend male workplace culture”. In September, the company settled a $18 million lawsuit with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on allegations of harassment and discrimination against female employees.
Activision Blizzard employees have been so frustrated with Kotick’s handling of these situations for years that they have repeatedly pressed Kotick. step down from his position.
According to the press release, Kotick will continue to serve as the CEO of Activision Blizzard. However, “once the agreement is closed, Activision Blizzard’s business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming.” It’s unclear what Kotick’s place in the company will be once the ink dries.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella appeared to be alluding to Activision Blizzard’s reputation during an investor call Tuesday, where he stressed the importance of fostering a safe and equal workplace culture. “Once it’s over, we’ll have a lot of important work to do to continue building a culture where everyone can do their best work,” Nadella said.
The deal is worth $68.7 billion and is subject to regulatory approvals. This is just the latest news on game acquisitions. Last week, Take-Two Interactive (the company behind the Grand Theft Auto franchise) announced it would buy Zynga for 11.04 billion USD.
