Biggest Gaming Industry Deal – Microsoft Activision Blizzard Deal: Microsoft is set to buy ‘Call of Duty’ maker Activision Blizzard. The deal is valued at $68. 7 billion. This is the biggest gaming industry deal in history as global technology giants stake their claims to a virtual future. Follow all Esport & Gaming Industry LIVE News Updates with InsideSport.IN
Biggest Gaming Industry Deal: New record for Esport industry, Microsoft to buy Call of Duty game maker for $69bn
Microsoft Activision Blizzard Deal: The all-cash deal announced by Microsoft on Tuesday, its biggest-ever acquisition, will bolster its firepower in the booming videogaming market where it takes on leaders Tencent and Sony. It also represents the American multinational’s bet on the ‘metaverse’, virtual online worlds where people can work, play and socialise, as many of its competitors are already doing.
“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,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said.
Microsoft’s offer of $95 per share represents a premium of 45% to Activision’s Friday close. Its shares were up 27% at $83 in early trading on Tuesday, still a steep discount to the offer price, reflecting concerns the deal could get stuck in regulators’ crosshairs.
The deal comes at a time of weakness for Activision, maker of games such as ‘Overwatch’ and ‘Candy Crush’.
Its shares have slumped morethan 37% since reaching a record high last year, hit by allegations of sexual harassment of employees and misconduct by several top managers.
The company is still addressing those allegations Microsoft can already claim a significant beachhead in the gaming world as one of the big three console makers. It has been making big investments including in ‘Minecraft’ maker Mojang Studios and Zenimax in multi-billion dollar deals in recent years.
Microsoft Activision Blizzard Deal: It has also launched a popular cloud gaming service, which has more than 25 million subscribers.
Biggest Gaming Industry Deal: Executives talked up Activision’s 400 million month- ly active users as one major attraction to the deal and how vital these communities could play in Microsoft’s various metaverse plays. Activision’s games could give Microsoft’s Xbox an edge over Sony’s PlayStation.
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