Microsoft is set to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, Microsoft announced on January 18, 2022. The acquisition will be the largest in Microsoft’s history and will make it the third-largest game company in the world.
The acquisition will give Microsoft access to Activision Blizzard’s library of games, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush. It will also give them access to a new generation of games that are still in development.
The acquisition is also notable because it’s a rare instance where a hardware company buys out a software company, as opposed to vice versa. Microsoft has been trying to turn their Xbox platform into an entertainment hub, and acquiring the world’s most popular video game publisher gives them a stellar piece of content to start with. It also gives them an advantage against Sony and Nintendo, who they compete with in the console space.
According to Microsoft, this acquisition is “an opportunity to accelerate growth in its gaming business and expand reach for Xbox Live”
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