A major gaming shakeup was announced today. Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) has announced it plans to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) in a cash deal reportedly worth $68.7 billion. Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming notes “together we will build a future where people can play the games they want, virtually anywhere they want.”
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As the digital and physical worlds come together, it will play a critical role in the development of metaverse platforms.
Satya Nadella, CEO Microsoft on the Activision acquisition
The purchase will see Microsoft scoop up Activision Blizzard at $95.00 per share. This deal will make Microsoft the world’s third-largest gaming company (by revenue) behind Tencent and Sony. Activision Blizzard boasts an impressive lineup of franchises including Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Call of Duty and Candy Crush. The deal also includes the ensuite of global eSports activities through Major League Gaming.
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In an email to Miscrosoft employees, Satya Nadella wrote “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.”
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Gaming By The Numbers
- The $200+ billion gaming industry is the largest and fastest-growing form of entertainment.
- In 2021, the volume of video game releases was up 64% compared to 2020.
- 51% of players in the United States said they spent more than 7 hours per week playing across console, PC and mobile.
- There are approximately 3 billion gamers globally and Microsoft expects that to grow to 4.5 billion by 2030.
- More than 100 million gamers, including over 25 million Xbox Game Pass members, play Xbox games across console, PC, mobile phones and tablets each month.
*All stats pulled from Microsoft.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
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About Activision Blizzard
Our mission, to connect and engage the world through epic entertainment has never been more important. Through communities rooted in our video game franchises we enable hundreds of millions of people to experience joy, thrill and achievement. We enable social connections through the lens of fun, and we foster purpose and meaning through competitive gaming. Video games, unlike any other social or entertainment media, have the ability to break down barriers that can inhibit tolerance and understanding. Celebrating differences is at the core of our culture and ensures we can create games for players of diverse backgrounds in the 190 countries our games are played.
