Well, they’ve only gone and bloody done it.
After passing the last hurdle yesterday in getting its proposed $69 billion USD acquisition of Activision Blizzard King approved by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Microsoft has announced that it’s finally sealed the deal.
Activision Blizzard has officially been welcomed into the Xbox family.
In an email to Microsoft employees informing them of the news, Head of Xbox Phil Spencer said that work will now begin to bring Activision, Blizzard and King’s library of games to Game Pass and that there will be more to share in that regard “over the coming months.” Spencer also clarified that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will remain in his role until the end of 2023, reporting directly to Spencer to create a smooth transition before updates on the company’s new organisational structure begin in the future.
In another email to Activision Blizzard employees welcoming them to Team Xbox, Spencer said, “Bringing our teams together represents an incredible opportunity for us to learn from one another, unlock a world of possibilities, and continue doing what both of our companies have always done – create stories and experiences that bring players together. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this moment possible.”
After what feels like a lifetime of Will they? Won’t they? It’s finally over. Xbox even put out a celebratory video which you know they absolutely had sitting in their drafts for yonks:
Welcoming the legendary teams and franchises of Activision Blizzard King to Xbox. Creators of Call of Duty, Candy Crush, Diablo, Overwatch, Warcraft, and more. It’s a good day to play.
