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Everything you need to know about gaming’s biggest acquisition yet.

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Microsoft and Activision Blizzard: the latest news on the acquisition

Microsoft has closed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, a deal that makes Microsoft one of the biggest gaming companies in the world. Now, popular gaming franchises like Call of Duty, Warcraft, Overwatch, and more are in the fold of Microsoft&rsquo;s ever-expanding portfolio of studios, alongside Bethesda and its own Xbox Game Studios.
Also included as part of the deal is King, the maker of Candy Crush, signaling that Microsoft may utilize the company to compete in the mobile space. In early 2021, Take-Two Interactive (which houses developers like 2K, Private Division, and Rockstar Games) purchased Zynga for $12.7 billion.
The deal&rsquo;s closing was delayed as regulators worldwide raised issues with Microsoft bringing such a large company in-house. However, after a judge denied the FTC&rsquo;s attempt to block the deal and Microsoft cut a deal allowing Ubisoft a perpetual cloud streaming license for Activision games, it has received the necessary approvals in the US, UK, and other countries.
The acquisition was announced after several high-profile claims of sexual harassment were levied against Activision Blizzard, and in July 2021, the&nbsp;California Department of Fair Employment and Housing (DFEH) sued Activision Blizzard&nbsp;for promoting a culture of &ldquo;constant sexual harassment.&rdquo; Activision CEO Bobby Kotick announced he will remain in place through the end of 2023 to assist Phil Spencer with the transition.
We&rsquo;ll be keeping you updated with the latest news on the big acquisition here, with reports that interrogate how the gaming world might change (in good ways and in bad ways) now that one of the largest third-party game studios is under Microsoft&rsquo;s ownership.

Stay up to date on gaming’s biggest acquisition yet.

Microsoft says Activision was already planning ‘significant’ layoffs.

Microsoft’s recent layoffs contradict what the company promised of its merger, the FTC says.

Ubisoft renamed its subscription service and added a new one focused on classics

Microsoft now says the CMA was ‘tough and fair’ over Activision Blizzard deal

The Great Christmas Corporate Shuffle.

Microsoft announces more Xbox leadership changes as Activision’s Bobby Kotick departs

California settles Activision Blizzard gender discrimination lawsuit for $54 million

Bobby Kotick will apparently leave Microsoft to focus on philanthropy.

Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard’s deal for cloud gaming rights, explained

Bobby Kotick will stay at Activision Blizzard until the end of this year

Read Xbox chief Phil Spencer’s memo welcoming Activision Blizzard employees to Microsoft

Microsoft completes Activision Blizzard acquisition, Call of Duty now part of Xbox

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal approved by UK regulators

Playing video games over something like Neuralink? Bobby Kotick thinks it might be something we actually do.

Microsoft eyes closing its giant Activision Blizzard deal next week

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal gets preliminary approval from UK regulator

Linux could (but probably won’t) be a surprise beneficiary of the Microsoft-Activision deal.

Microsoft to sell off Activision cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft in bid for UK approval

The latest Call of Duty gets a November release date

The first Bethesda games are arriving on Nvidia’s GeForce Now service

FTC withdraws its in-house challenge to Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard extend merger agreement to October

Microsoft and Activision might push back their deadline to complete the merger.

MicroActiBlizz might divest the UK streaming rights to its games to appease regulators.

FTC files to block Microsoft from buying Activision Blizzard

Activision Blizzard CEO denies culture of harassment and blames unions for company problems

Microsoft has appealed the CMA’s decision to block the Activision deal, and now we know Microsoft’s arguments.

The EU is expected to approve Microsoft’s Activision acquisition.

Microsoft’s Activision deal is on life support because cloud gaming still sucks

Nvidia still wants Microsoft+ActiBlizz.

“The UK is closed for business.”

“There he is, that’s the CMA.”

Microsoft details how it could get Call of Duty: Warzone running on Switch

Microsoft’s Activision acquisition in peril after UK regulator warns of harm to gamers

FTC won’t appeal court decision permitting Meta to buy Within

The EU has reportedly issued a formal warning to Microsoft over the Activision Blizzard deal

Google and Nvidia have reportedly raised some flags with Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal.

Microsoft is running an ad in The Washington Post to say that it’s cool with unions

Microsoft no longer claims the FTC’s structure violates the Constitution.

Microsoft has formally recognized the ZeniMax union.

Workers at Activision Blizzard’s Proletariat studio are organizing.

Read Microsoft’s response to the FTC’s Activision Blizzard lawsuit

Microsoft says three future Bethesda games will be Xbox-exclusive

Don’t you forget about me.

The FTC is suing Microsoft to block its Activision Blizzard purchase

Another Blizzard QA department wins union vote

Blizzard will suspend World of Warcraft in China because of licensing dispute

EU opens ‘in-depth investigation’ into Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition

Microsoft takes the gloves off as it battles Sony for its Activision acquisition

European Commission starts reviewing Microsoft’s Activision acquisition.

Microsoft pleads for its Activision Blizzard deal as UK regulator signals in-depth review

Read exactly how Microsoft’s $68.7 billion deal for Activision Blizzard came together

Microsoft says it will keep Call of Duty on PlayStation ‘beyond the existing agreement’

Call of Duty’s next three games will hit PlayStation despite Microsoft’s Activision deal

Employees at Activision studio Raven Software formally organize union

Is Microsoft building a gaming monopoly?

With Activision, Microsoft is one gigantic step closer to game subscription dominance

A guide to Microsoft’s Xbox game studios empire

Microsoft’s Activision acquisition would instantly make it a force in mobile gaming

Read Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick’s email to employees about the Microsoft acquisition

Read Microsoft Gaming CEO’s email to staff about the Activision Blizzard acquisition

Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service grows to 25 million subscribers

Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion

Sony’s PlayStation 5 is $200 off for the first time since December

Anthropic’s most dangerous AI model just fell into the wrong hands

The unraveling of Dan Crenshaw

Elon Musk admits that millions of Tesla vehicles won’t get unsupervised FSD

I bought Alienware’s $350 OLED monitor and I can’t believe how good it is

More from Microsoft and Activision Blizzard: the latest news on the acquisition

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More from Microsoft and Activision Blizzard: the latest news on the acquisition

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