In a seismic shift in the gaming landscape, Microsoft has officially taken ownership of Activision Blizzard, a move first announced close to two years ago. The tech giant laid out a whopping $69 billion to facilitate the acquisition, a figure indicating the immense value and influence of Activicon Blizzard within the gaming industry. Known for producing significantly popular franchises like Call of Duty and Diablo among others, Activision Blizzard is a titan in its field. This move integrates Activision Blizzard under the first-party umbrella of Xbox, amplifying the size of Xbox's assortment of IPs and game franchises. As a result, Xbox warmly welcomes renowned franchises such as Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and more to its fold.
Activision Blizzard's stable is extensive, housing more than just globally recognized franchises such as Call of Duty and Overwatch. The gaming giant is home to a diverse portfolio of games. Broadening from this acquisition, every Activision Blizzard game franchise now belongs to Xbox. The eclectic mix ranges from iconic classics like Crash Bandicoot and Guitar Hero, which came into Activision's portfolio after the company's acquisition of Vivendi Universal in 2008 and RedOctane in 2007 respectively, to more contemporary favorites like Hearthstone and Overwatch.
Additionally, due to Activision Blizzard's purchase of King in 2016 for $5.9 billion, Xbox now has ownership over every King game. This portfolio transfer includes addictively engaging games such as Candy Crush Saga, Bubble Witch Saga, and more!
Intriguingly, even though some of these games and franchises have remained inactive for extensive periods, even marking dormant decades, they are now sheltered under the Xbox umbrella. The implications are tantalising- Xbox has the potential to breathe fresh life into these games, reviving them or even crafting sequels. For instance, CEO of Activision Blizzard, Bobby Kotick recently incited speculation of a potential revival of Guitar Hero and more in an all-staff meeting, which involved an interview with celebrated former late-night host James Corden.
In the midst of the transitional period, Kotick will uphold his role as CEO of Activision Blizzard as per the request of Xbox head Phil Spencer, at least until the year's end.
With an astronomically enhanced portfolio of gaming IPs and franchises, Xbox now houses a cornucopia of potential future gaming endeavours. Undoubtedly, this monumental acquisition has taken Xbox's first-party umbrella to an unmatched level, creating ripples of anticipation among gamers about which of this vast selection of franchises will make a comeback. As the gaming landscape morphs in this new era, gamers around the globe eagerly await console news from the pioneering Xbox.
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