Despite Microsoft’s recent closure of the $69 billion Activision Blizzard merger, Xbox fans shouldn’t expect to see Activision games on Game Pass anytime soon. In a recent official Xbox podcast (via The Verge), Xbox chief Phil Spencer confirmed that no Activision Blizzard games will be …
Tag: Microsoft
Microsoft Completes $69 Billion Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
In what is the biggest acquisition in the video gaming industry, Microsoft announced on Friday it has completed the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The acquisition makes Microsoft the third largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony, following a 21-month-long battle with …
Microsoft’s Activision Merger Edges Closer to Final Approval from UK Regulator
Microsoft looks set to complete its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard after the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) gave preliminary approval for the deal to go ahead. The CMA had initially blocked the deal over cloud gaming concerns in the UK, but Microsoft’s …
Microsoft and Activision Extend Deadline for Merger Agreement
After failing to finalise its merger agreement in time for the July 18th deadline, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have now agreed to a three-month extension until October 18th to close the $69 billion deal. Microsoft has already won the battle against the U.S. watchdog but …
Sony Agrees Deal with Microsoft to Keep Call of Duty on PlayStation
Microsoft and Sony have agreed to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, which signals that Microsoft will close the Activision Blizzard deal soon. The agreement ends a long-running feud from last year between the two companies after Microsoft announced its proposed $69 billion acquisition of …
U.S. Court Denies the FTC’s Last-Minute Attempt to Stop Microsoft’s Activision Merger
Microsoft has moved past one of the major hurdles stopping it from completing its Activision Blizzard acquisition. After a Californian court denied the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s request for a preliminary injunction earlier this week to block the deal, the FTC has suffered another loss …
US Judge Gives Microsoft the Nod on Activision Acquisition
A U.S. judge on Tuesday denied the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) request for a preliminary injection and gave Microsoft the approval to proceed with its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. If the deal is sealed, it will become the biggest ever in the gaming …
US Judge Temporarily Blocks Microsoft’s Activision Deal
Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision Blizzard merger has been temporarily blocked by a federal judge in California after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed an emergency motion on Monday to pause the deal, Bloomberg reports. The US judge agreed that a temporary restraining order is necessary …
Microsoft’s New Black Xbox Series S with 1TB of Storage Launches September 1st
Microsoft on Sunday announced a new Carbon Black Xbox Series S with 1TB of storage that will launch on September 1st. The new console is priced at $349, and pre-orders are underway. The Xbox Series S black variant keeps the same specifications as the original …
Bing Is Now ChatGPT’s Default Search Engine
Microsoft and OpenAI are taking their partnership forward by making Bing the default search engine for ChatGPT. In a conference on Tuesday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, “this is just the start of what we plan to do with our partners in OpenAI to bring …
The European Commission Approves Microsoft’s $68.7 Billion Activision Deal
Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard received a major boost on Monday after the European Commission approved the deal. The EU watchdog passed the deal on the grounds that Microsoft made a 10-year commitment to offering its games on other platforms, particularly cloud gaming …
UK Regulator Blocks Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Blizzard Deal
Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard took a major blow today after the UK’s antitrust watchdog blocked the deal. In a statement, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the deal could “alter the future of the fast-growing cloud gaming market, leading to reduced …
Microsoft May Launch an Xbox Mobile Game Store in 2024
According to gaming chief Phil Spencer, Microsoft could unveil its Xbox mobile gaming store as early as next year. Spencer disclosed the news in an interview on Monday to Financial Times but noted that the plan is dependent on regulators approving Microsoft’s long-protracted acquisition of …
Microsoft won’t be on the E3 2023 Show Floor
E3 2023 is scheduled to take place from June 13th to 16th as an in-person event, but Microsoft has now confirmed to IGN it won’t be on the show floor, instead choosing to support the digital week that kicks off on June 11th. “We can’t …
Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo are All Reportedly Skipping E3 2023
E3 2023 will be an in-person event at the Los Angeles Convention Centre in June, but Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo won’t be making an appearance at the annual trade show, according to a report from IGN. The event is scheduled to occur from June 13th …
Microsoft Reportedly Set to Receive EU Antitrust Warning Over Activision Deal
Microsoft is facing yet another obstacle to seeing through its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Reuters reports that the EU antitrust watchdog is ready to hit Microsoft with a warning ahead of the April 11th deadline it set to decide about the deal. Sony, …