{"id":3952,"date":"2022-01-18T18:39:06","date_gmt":"2022-01-18T18:39:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/01\/18\/in-record-68-7b-acquisition-microsoft-to-buy-video-game-maker-activision-blizzard\/"},"modified":"2022-01-18T18:39:06","modified_gmt":"2022-01-18T18:39:06","slug":"in-record-68-7b-acquisition-microsoft-to-buy-video-game-maker-activision-blizzard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/01\/18\/in-record-68-7b-acquisition-microsoft-to-buy-video-game-maker-activision-blizzard\/","title":{"rendered":"In record $68.7B acquisition, Microsoft to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Microsoft Corp. today <\/span>announced<\/span><\/a> that it has inked an agreement to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc., one of the leading players in the video game market, for $68.7 billion.<\/span><\/p>\n

The deal\u2019s price tag could make it the largest acquisition in the tech industry to date upon closing. Currently, the highest valued tech acquisition on record is Dell Technologies Inc.\u2019s purchase of data center storage equipment maker EMC for $67 billion, which was completed in 2016.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGaming is the most dynamic and exciting category in entertainment across all platforms today and will play a key role in the development of metaverse platforms,\u201d said Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella. \u201cWe\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft\u2019s $68.7 billion offer reflects the prominent role that Activision Blizzard plays in the video game market. The Santa Monica, Calif.-based company closed its last fiscal year with sales of more than $8 billion. Activision Blizzard generates its revenue from a series of popular video games with more than 400 million active monthly users in 190 countries.<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft, which is best known as a maker of operating system software and cloud services, likewise has a significant video game business. The business is based in part on assets that the company obtained through a <\/span>$7.5 billion acquisition<\/span><\/a> last year. Moreover, Microsoft also competes in the hardware side of the market with the popular Xbox video game console.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After completing the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft expects that its video game business will be the third largest in the industry by revenue.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor more than 30 years our incredibly talented teams have created some of the most successful games,\u201d said Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. \u201cThe combination of Activision Blizzard\u2019s world-class talent and extraordinary franchises with Microsoft\u2019s technology, distribution, access to talent, ambitious vision and shared commitment to gaming and inclusion will help ensure our continued success in an increasingly competitive industry.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft\u2019s plan for realizing a return on its $68.7 billion investment in the acquisition consists of several elements. To start, Microsoft intends to make Activision Blizzard\u2019s video games available through its Game Pass series of subscription services. <\/span><\/p>\n

The Game Pass portfolio enables users to access a rotating catalog of video games for a fixed monthly fee. Microsoft disclosed today that the service series has more than 25 million users.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In parallel, Microsoft will use the acquisition to expand its presence in the lucrative mobile game segment. The mobile game segment is at the center of another multibillion-dollar acquisition announced recently in the video game market. A few days ago, Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. announced plans<\/a> to acquire mobile game maker Zynga Inc. in a $12.7 billion transaction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The reason why this market has drawn so much interest from major industry players is its growth potential. When Take-Two announced its plans to purchase Zynga, the company detailed that the mobile game segment is believed to be the fastest-growing segment of the videogame industry. That\u2019s with the mobile segment generating estimated bookings of $136 billion last year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Take-Two, Microsoft is hoping to grow its mobile game business. \u201cActivision Blizzard\u00b4s mobile business represents a significant presence and opportunity for Microsoft in this fast-growing segment,\u201d the company stated in its acquisition announcement today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft\u2019s $68.7 billion acquisition offer amounts to $95 per Activision Blizzard share. The deal is expected to close in Microsoft\u2019s 2023 fiscal year, with the company expecting it to be accretive to adjusted earnings per share upon close.<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft is buying Activision Blizzard at a time when tech acquisitions are becoming a bigger focus for regulators. Today, against the backdrop of the acquisition\u2019s announcement, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice <\/span>reportedly<\/span><\/a> launched a process to rewrite guidelines for company mergers. Earlier, on Friday, Bloomberg <\/span>reported<\/span><\/a> that the FTC is investigating Meta\u2019s acquisition of virtual reality headset maker Oculus VR.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Photo: Microsoft<\/h5>\n
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