Photo by Lucy Nicholson (Reuters/ScanPix)
US technology giant Microsoft for $68.4 billion USD. Buys Activision, developer of the computer games Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. According to a Bloomberg News report, this will be the most expensive purchase in Microsoft’s history.
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After the announcement in over-the-counter trading, shares of Activision rose 37%, Microsoft fell nearly 2%.
Shortly after the media report, the news was confirmed by Microsoft through official channels.
The deal says Microsoft will become the world’s third-largest gaming company after Sony and China’s most popular game console maker Tencent.
Microsoft Chief Executive Satya Nadella said, “Games is the most dynamic entertainment category on all platforms today and will play a key role in the growth of meta-universe platforms.” – We invest in the highest quality content, community and cloud. We want to usher in a new era of sports where players and developers are paramount and games are safe, inclusive and accessible to all.”
Microsoft’s synergy with Activision and Blizzard’s gaming studios is evident as the technology giant makes Xbox game consoles. Activision Blizzard is developing several great games, including first-person shooters Call of Duty, Warcraft and Diablo, and the popular Candy Crush on Facebook.
The deal with Microsoft would break the company’s previous record for acquisitions – the most expensive purchase ever made in 2016. 26 billion. For the social network LinkedIn was bought for USD.
Activision Blizzard was formed in 2008 under its current name, when Activision merged with Vivendi, the company that owned Blizzard’s gaming studios.
However, Activision Blizzard has been going through some tough times lately — the company was accused of a toxic work environment and sexual harassment last year. The Verge says nearly 40 employees have left the company since July last year.
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