Photo by Matthew Manuel
The digital world has yet to see another acquisition from a tech giant for further expansion of their business to the metaverse.
Microsoft recently announced their plan to buy a video game holding company called Activision Blizzard, which has created good games but is somehow troubled, for about $70 billion. It is one of the tech giant’s biggest deals in history. This move spots a major indication that people will be consuming more of their time in the virtual realm.
Announced on Tuesday, the epic purchase would blast the firm into a major element in the gaming industry with $175 billion worth. Technology firms have been flocking around the industry for quite some time, with virtual games gaining traction since the pandemic started.
Activision is behind some of the most popular games among gamers and entertainment explorers today; Call of Duty and Candy Crush are among their biggest hits. However, the company has been quite in a big turmoil these past few months as it faces alleged sexual harassment and discrimination cases.
The tech giant sealed the deal with an objective to enforce a strong foundation in their journey inside the metaverse, a realm of virtual, augmented, mixed and extended reality. Though it is yet to be maneuvered to life, the metaverse has gained a lot of attention from different huge firms, and this means more investors and talents.
This is not the first time a tech giant has gone over the top to extend its business influence in the metaverse, Facebook rebranded itself into Meta just last year.
This acquisition will benefit Microsoft, not just in the virtual realm but in the real world. It aids Microsoft to reach on top of its adversaries, including Sony, which they have been rivaling for gamers’ attention and wallets. Amazon and Google are also included as their newer competitors in gaming.
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has stated that regardless of what the metaverse may be in the end, “Gaming will be at the forefront of making that mainstream.”
The acquisition is about securing a fortress in mobile gaming for now, Spencer further said. It is about Microsoft almost not competing and a workplace that creates extremely marketable and well-liked games. He dubbed Call of Duty as “one of the amazing entertainment franchises on the planet.”
