The gaming industry has swiftly evolved into a sector where tech giants are investing more and more to compete. Recent developments show Microsoft taking significant strides to strengthen and grow its presence in the industry. The company has decided to acquire Activision Blizzard, one of the world’s leading game publishers. This acquisition has created quite a stir in the gaming world, with many speculating that it will have significant impacts on the future of the industry.

It’s worth reminding ourselves that Activision Blizzard, one of the most prominent firms in the gaming world, is the developer of significant games like World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, Candy Crush, Diablo, Hearthstone, and Overwatch. Known for its ability to deliver innovative gaming experiences and its wide player base, the company will certainly bolster Microsoft’s position against its competitors.

In January 2022, Microsoft announced that it would be acquiring Activision Blizzard, a major player in the gaming world, for $68.7 billion. This exciting decision has been on hold for a year now. The cause for this delay is the uncertainty surrounding whether the games developed by Activision Blizzard after its transition to Microsoft will be made available on other platforms.

Following the acquisition decision, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that it would be reviewing the planned purchase deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard due to potential monopoly concerns. Then, in April, the United Kingdom announced that it had not given its approval for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

However, there is some positive news for the $68.7 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition. The European Union’s executive arm, the European Commission, announced that it has reviewed the Activision Blizzard acquisition and has given its approval for the transaction.

This decision spells bad news for Sony, Microsoft’s biggest competitor in the gaming market. Sony’s fear is that games like Call of Duty, which are among the most played on the PlayStation console, may not be developed for PlayStation at all, or may be presented in an inferior way, after the acquisition. Who would have guessed that we would be sharing concerns with Sony?

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard could also prompt rival companies like Sony to consider similar strategies. This could lead to a wave of more mergers, acquisitions, and collaborations in the gaming industry. The financial resources and tech infrastructure of tech giants will have a positive impact on the game development process. Greater financial backing could allow for games to be developed with larger budgets and offer more opportunities for innovation.

In short, it seems the game board in the gaming industry is about to be shuffled again…