Microsoft, the software behemoth, announced today it had completed a deal to acquire Activision Blizzard, one of the biggest game developers and publishers in the gaming world. The deal, which involves an all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion, will give Microsoft ownership of important franchises like “Call of Duty,” “Candy Crush,” “World of Warcraft,” and “Diablo.” The company also mentioned this acquisition would provide building blocks for the metaverse.
Microsoft will acquire Activision to build its metaverse
Microsoft, one of the world’s leading software companies, announced the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a game development company with more than 10,000 employees worldwide. According to a published press release, the deal will involve a $68.7 billion transaction, the company’s largest such purchase. On the purchase, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said:
We’re investing deeply in world-class content, community, and the cloud to usher in a new era of gaming that puts players and creators first and makes gaming safe, inclusive, and accessible to all.
The purchase will allow Microsoft to take control of major franchises such as “Call of Duty”, “Candy Crush”, “World of Warcraft” and “Diablo”, which together have more than 400 million monthly active players.
Gaming as a Pivotal Part of the Metaverse
For Nadella, the acquisition of Activision will accelerate the growth of Microsoft and its gaming environment and will provide the building blocks for Microsoft’s take on the metaverse. About this, Nadella stated:
Gaming is the fastest growing and most exciting entertainment category across all platforms today and will play a key role in the development of metaverse platforms.
While the company has not announced any moves related to the metaverse involving its gaming division or the Xbox environment, Nadella hinted at more developments in this regard. However, the company is working on its own take of its metaverse for the office in the form of Mesh. Mesh will allow people using Microsoft Teams to have meetings and chat with online avatars, substituting videoconferences for a more immersive and participative experience.
Many blockchain game companies have presented their views on the metaverse with various results. The Sandbox, a metaverse game that features user-created NFTs, has caught the eye of different companies, including PWC in Hong Kong, which has already invested in virtual plots of land on the platform. The company behind the game, Animoca Brands, recently raised $358 million to bolster its Web3 projects and build its metaverse.
