Microsoft buys Activision, maker of Diablo, Warcraft, and Call of Duty, for $69 billion

United Kingdom regulators were effectively the last hurdle stopping Microsoft from purchasing Activision Blizzard, in the biggest merger the video game industry has ever seen. That hurdle was cleared this morning as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority relented to adjusted terms. With the nearly $70 billion purchase now officially complete, Microsoft unveiled a victory blog post, complete with an extended showcase of its now-combined intellectual property with Activision, Blizzard, and King. The CMA’s sticking points included Microsoft’s prospective dominance in the unfolding game streaming market, and Microsoft’s concessions were deep. When it initially blocked the merger early this year, regulators said that the combined publishing giant could effectively monopolize games streamed to consumers without the need for local PCs or consoles, as is already the case with Xbox Game Stream and the all-you-can-eat Game Pass subscription. Microsoft’s concessions to the UK include a block on exclusivity for cloud streaming for all existing Activision games, crucially including the massive Call of Duty shooter franchise. The block will continue for 15 years, with streaming rights sold (or surrendered, depending on your point of view) to French mega-publisher Ubisoft. Significantly, this will allow Call of Duty to be streamed to players on the PlayStation for the foreseeable future. With the UK and EU obstacles out of the way, the United States Federal... Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2023-10-13 14:10:14 UTC ]
News tagged with: #foreseeable future #video games #publishing giant

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Microsoft buys Activision, maker of Diablo, Warcraft, and Call of Duty, for $69 billion'


Microsoft buys Activision, maker of Diablo, Warcraft, and Call of Duty, for $69 billion

United Kingdom regulators were effectively the last hurdle stopping Microsoft from purchasing Activision Blizzard, in the biggest merger the video game industry has ever seen. That hurdle was cleared this morning as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority relented to adjusted terms.... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2023-10-13 14:10:14 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #foreseeable future #video games #publishing giant


The FTC is challenging Microsoft’s $69 billion buyout of Activision again

Just when Microsoft's buyout of Activision seemed to finally be near complete, the Federal Trade Commission said it will revive its attempt to block the $69 billion deal in an adjudicative process. The FTC plans to restart its in-house trial against Microsoft’s... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-09-28 16:28:44 UTC ]
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Call of Duty maker Activision to use Facebook live video to push e-sports

World’s largest computer game publisher also hopes broadcasts on Twitch and Instagram will help take e-sports mainstreamThe world’s largest computer game publisher, Activision Blizzard, is hoping to use Facebook’s live video to turn e-sports into a mainstream attraction, and make the people who... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2016-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Microsoft may buy Barnes & Noble's Nook unit for $1 billion

According to internal documents obtained by the website TechCrunch, Microsoft has offered $1 billion for the digital assets of Nook Media, Barnes & Noble's digital book venture.According to internal documents obtained by the website TechCrunch, Microsoft has offered $1 billion for the... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2013-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Microsoft buying Barnes & Noble's Nook Media? Microsoft insider says no

An anonymous Microsoft source calls talk about Microsoft planning to buy the Nook Media branch of Barnes & Noble 'nothing more than a rumor.' Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Call of Duty didn’t top the yearly sales charts for one of the first times since 2009

Just like death and taxes, you can usually rely on a Call of Duty game to top the sales charts each year. The various entries in Activision’s warfare simulation franchise have mostly done just that, going all the way back to 2009. This year’s a bit different. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III has... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2024-01-18 19:16:41 UTC ]
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KKR Agrees To Buy Simon & Schuster for $1.62 Billion

The acquisition of Simon & Schuster by KKR, Jonathan Karp says, is enhanced by KKR's interest in company growth and employee equity. The post KKR Agrees To Buy Simon & Schuster for $1.62 Billion appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-08-07 21:40:44 UTC ]
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Microsoft inks another cloud gaming deal after the UK blocked its Activision takeover

Despite suffering a significant blow this week in its attempt to take over Activision Blizzard, Microsoft still believes it can get the job done. The company has signed a 10-year agreement with Spain-based cloud gaming provider Nware to make PC games it builds in-house available to stream on... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2023-04-28 17:25:18 UTC ]
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Activision Blizzard director Lulu Cheng Meservey joins C-suite head of Microsoft acquisition

Lulu Cheng Meservey will resign from the board and become executive vice president of corporate affairs and chief communications officer. Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2022-10-06 21:51:31 UTC ]
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Ukraine: A Call to Buy Rights to Support Publishers

Oleksander Afonin presents 'Books from Ukraine,' asking the world book publishing industry to support Ukrainian publishers. The post Ukraine: A Call to Buy Rights to Support Publishers appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2022-04-22 14:28:23 UTC ]
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'Call of Duty: Vanguard' first look: Taking the series back to WWII

There’s a scene in 2014’s Wolfenstein: The New Order where J, a character inspired by Jimi Hendrix, explains to the game’s white protagonist, BJ Blazkowicz, why he’s not fighting. After Blazkowicz talks back, J tells him: "You don't get it, do you? Before all this, before the Germans, before the... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2021-08-19 17:45:33 UTC ]
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Tencent to buy British video game studio Sumo for $1.27 billion

In a busy year for gaming mergers, another deal has just been announced. Tencent is to fully acquire Sumo Group, the UK developer behind LittleBigPlanet 3 and Crackdown 3. The Chinese web giant is offering 513 pence per share for the studio, in which it already owns an 8.75 percent stake,... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2021-07-19 09:14:25 UTC ]
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Clarivate to Buy ProQuest for $5.3 Billion

In a huge deal in the library and information publishing world, London-based Clarivate has agreed to acquire ProQuest, an acquisition expected to be completed later this year. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-05-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Germany’s Bertelsmann To Buy Simon & Schuster for US$2.175 Billion

Penguin Random House parent company Bertelsmann will acquire Simon & Schuster. If the sale is approved by regulators, the Big Five will become the the Big Four. The post Germany’s Bertelsmann To Buy Simon & Schuster for US$2.175 Billion appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2020-11-25 15:02:49 UTC ]
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Despite spending billions, companies can’t buy diversity

Pamela Newkirk explores the failures — and one success — of corporate diversity initiatives. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2019-11-22 01:40:20 UTC ]
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TikTok is banning political ads, Taboola buys Outbrain, plus the latest from the ANAs : Friday Wake-Up Call

Welcome to Ad Age’s Wake-Up Call, our daily roundup of advertising, marketing, media and digital news. If you're reading this online or in a forwarded email, here's the link to sign up for our daily newsletter. You can also get an audio version of this briefing on your Alexa device. TikTok wants... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2019-10-04 10:00:00 UTC ]
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Huawei devices disappear from Microsoft Store and Best Buy, but remain on Amazon, Newegg

Microsoft appears to have pulled Huawei's Matebook X Pro from its online shelves, and Best Buy, too, has followed suit. Huawei phones and devices are still available from Amazon and Newegg as of this posting, however.Neither the Huawei Matebook X Pro nor the Huawei Matebook 13 appear on... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2019-05-21 19:24:00 UTC ]
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Biteback buys Bernie Sanders' latest call to arms

Biteback Publishing has acquired the UK and Commonwealth rights to Where We Go from Here: Two Years in the Resistance, the upcoming title by US politician Bernie Sanders. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2018-10-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Monday Wake-Up Call: Salesforce co-founder is buying Time. Plus, why Alex Bogusky rejoined CP&B

Welcome to Ad Age's Wake-Up Call, our daily roundup of advertising, marketing, media and digital news. You can get an audio version of this briefing on your Alexa device. Search for "Ad Age" under "Skills" in the Alexa app. What people are talking about today: Time magazine is getting new... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-09-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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