Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard: A Move to Dominate the Gaming Industry

In a major deal, Microsoft has acquired Activision Blizzard, the maker of Candy Crush and Call of Duty, in an all-cash transaction worth $68.7 billion. This acquisition is set to make Microsoft one of the largest video game companies in the world, pushing it past Nintendo as the third-largest player in the industry.

The acquisition was seen as a big win for Activision Blizzard on Wall Street, with the company's shares soaring 25% in afternoon trading following the announcement. The deal will allow Microsoft to boost its competitiveness in mobile gaming and virtual-reality technology, while also accelerating its ambitions for the metaverse.

Activision Blizzard has been buffeted by allegations of misconduct and unequal pay over the past few months, but CEO Bobby Kotick will retain his role at the company. In a conference call with investors, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized the importance of improving Activision Blizzard's workplace culture, stating that 'it's critical for Activision Blizzard to drive forward on its commitments to improve its workplace culture.'

The acquisition is also expected to help Microsoft compete with tech rivals such as Meta in creating immersive virtual worlds for both work and play. The deal will also beef up Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass game subscription service and accelerate its ambitions for the metaverse.

This acquisition marks a significant milestone for Microsoft, which has been building its gaming business through several high-profile acquisitions over the years. In 2014, it acquired Swedish game studio Mojang for $2.5 billion, and last year it spent $7.5 billion to acquire ZeniMax Media, the parent company of video game publisher Bethesda Softworks.

The deal is set to be one of the biggest tech acquisitions in history, and it will likely have a significant impact on the gaming industry as a whole. With its new acquisition, Microsoft is poised to become an even more dominant player in the world of gaming.

Maker of candy crush