Yahoo News Microsoft officially owns Call of Duty as Activision Blizzard takeover is complete
Microsoft officially owns Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Candy Crush and more, as its takeover of Activision Blizzard King is complete.
The Xbox owner announced its intention to purchase the third-party publisher for a huge $69 billion sum (Disney paid a similar $71 billion for all of 20th Century Fox's film and TV assets) at the start of 2022, and as of October 13, the purchase is complete.
There was pushback against the deal from Sony and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority, airing concerns about game exclusivity and monopolisation of cloud gaming, respectively. Microsoft responded by pledging Call of Duty releases on PlayStation (and Nintendo) for 10 years, and signing a deal to give Ubisoft the rights to Activision Blizzard games on cloud services.
Related: The best Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 pre-order deals on PS5, PS4, Xbox and PC
Microsoft Gaming lead Phil Spencer said in a statement: "We officially welcome Activision Blizzard and their teams to Xbox. As one team, we'll learn, innovate, and continue to deliver on our promise to bring the joy and community of gaming to more people. We'll do this in a culture that strives to empower everyone to do their best work, where all people are welcome, and is centered on our ongoing commitment of Gaming for Everyone.
"Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. We'll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you're excited – and we are too."
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Although regulators are appeased enough to let the deal go through, there is still concern about the effect this will have on the industry.
Some are wondering about what the acquisition means for historically PlayStation-adjacent franchises like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro, as well as whether the toxic company culture at Activision Blizzard King will be dealt with.
There's also concern about the wider wave of corporate consolidation in the entertainment industry in general, as well as the sustainability of subscription services.
Related: PlayStation Plus Premium announces big change for PS5 owners
On the other hand, there is excitement about a host of extra games being added to Game Pass, and the possibility of Game Pass on PlayStation and/or Nintendo systems.
The long-term future is uncertain, but we know that controversial Activision Blizzard King CEO Bobby Kotick will remain with the company for the first part of 2023, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Diablo IV won't be coming to Game Pass just yet.
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