Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Deal Closes, Bobby Kotick to Stay Till Year’s End

Microsoft has officially closed its Activision Blizzard purchase just a day after the UK's Competition and Markets Authority signed off on the deal....
Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Deal Closes, Bobby Kotick to Stay Till Year’s End
Written by Matt Milano
  • Microsoft has officially closed its Activision Blizzard purchase just a day after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority signed off on the deal.

    The CMA signed off on Microsoft’s acquisition once the company agreed to license its game streaming rights to Ubisoft, easing concerns regulators had that Microsoft could dominate the game streaming market.

    Just a day later, Xbox head Phil Spencer welcomed the Activision Blizzard team to Microsoft:

    We love gaming. We play games, create games, and know first-hand how much gaming means to all of us as individuals and collectively, as a community. And today, we officially welcome Activision Blizzard and their teams to Xbox. They are the publishers of some of the most played and most beloved franchises in gaming history across console, PC and mobile. From Pitfall to Call of Duty, World of Warcraft to Overwatch, Candy Crush Saga to Farm Heroes Saga, their studios have pushed the boundaries of gaming for players around the world.

    Spencer added that fans of Activision have plenty of reason to be happy with this acquisition:

    For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a good day to play. You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honored to have you as part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you are welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise. Because when everyone plays, we all win. We believe our news today will unlock a world of possibilities for more ways to play. Thank you for the ongoing support. We have so much more to come in the months ahead – I’m excited for the future and cannot wait to share it with you.

    At the same time, in an email to Activision employees, CEO Bobby Kotick says he will stay on through the end of the year to help assure a smooth transition:

    I have long said that I am fully committed to helping with the transition. Phil has asked me to stay on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do that through the end of 2023. We both look forward to working together on a smooth integration for our teams and players.

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