After months of rumours, the news has arrived officially: Microsoft is currently acquiring Activision Blizzard for 68.7 billion dollars.  

The huge publisher of Call of Duty – and many other successful brands – is now going to be owned by Microsoft, along with all associated companies. 

Microsoft will now become the third largest company in the world among video game producers, after Tencent and Sony. 

At least for now Bobby Kotick, the current CEO of Activision Blizzard, will remain at the top of the company. For Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s top executive, the acquisition is strategic due to the value of gaming now. 

The acquisition process will officially end in 2023, Microsoft officially takes control of some of the most popular franchises in the world, such as Call of Duty, Overwatch, Diablo and Starcraft. 

Bobby Kotick will continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard, and he and his team will maintain their focus on driving efforts to further strengthen the company’s culture and accelerate business growth. 

Once the deal closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming. 

“Gaming is the most dynamic and exciting category in entertainment across all platforms today and will play a key role in the development of metaverse platforms,” said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft. “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.” 

“Players everywhere love Activision Blizzard games, and we believe the creative teams have their best work in front of them,” said Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming. “Together we will build a future where people can play the games they want, virtually anywhere they want.” 

“For more than 30 years our incredibly talented teams have created some of the most successful games,” said Bobby Kotick, CEO, Activision Blizzard. “The combination of Activision Blizzard’s world-class talent and extraordinary franchises with Microsoft’s technology, distribution, access to talent, ambitious vision and shared commitment to gaming and inclusion will help ensure our continued success in an increasingly competitive industry.” 

What does it mean for us gamers? 

Obviously for the players of the world the news is incredible, mainly for the fact that one can think of the arrival of the Activision Blizzard games on Game Pass.  

And the idea of ​​having titles like Call of Duty “included in the price” is certainly tempting. 

What do you think?