That said, if you have friends who pay attention to the game circle around you, you should have heard a heavy news in the game circle in recent days -
Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion in cash.
Activision Blizzard's acquisition is both surprising and reasonable.
Some time ago, Activision Blizzard was not in good condition. The company was exposed to the prevalence of fraternity culture, and allegations of sexual assault and discrimination were endless.
External game projects have been frustrated one after another.
It was at this time that Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Games, took his money power to buy (save) Activision Blizzard directly.
This trick can be said to have caught gamers around the world by surprise,
It also naturally made a carnival of playing terriers...
Activision Blizzard employees in the rubble
Microsoft (Resurrection Moves): Heroes Are Immortal!
In fact, in 2021, Phil Spencer also said in an interview,
Because of Blizzard's recent scandals, it is necessary to "re-evaluate the relationship with Activision Blizzard", and it is not until 2022 that Phil showdowns, and the re-evaluation is originally "buying and selling relationship"...
2021: Evaluate all aspects of our relationship with Activision Blizzard and make ongoing positive adjustments
2022: Buy! Buy TMD and you're done!
But why does Microsoft have to give so much?
Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard's $68.7 billion is equivalent to Microsoft's profits for more than a year;
Equivalent to 38% of the global gaming industry in 2021;
Equivalent to the total output value of China's game industry for one and a half years.
And netizens have calculated,
"If you're still considering other big game companies that could be acquired, here's the market capitalization of those companies" (in billion, $1 billion)
Basically, it is to eliminate the two companies with the highest market value, and Microsoft can add some money to cover the round...
Companies cast frightened glances
But in fact, Microsoft did not spend any unjust money,
Because Microsoft is not acquiring Blizzard, but all of Activision Blizzard's companies, including subsidiaries King.com.
Activision Blizzard is in trouble, but it also has games like the Call of Duty series that are profitable every year.
COD This cow is almost passively squeezed dry
In addition, the subsidiary King.com is the developer and distributor of the famous "Candy Match".
Because of this, Activision Blizzard's market value was more than $50 billion at its lowest.
Although Microsoft's 68.7 billion is not the bottom, it is not wronged.
However, it can come up with nearly $70 billion in cash at a time, which is also Microsoft's veritable banknote capability...
(From Weibo @ Game Research Director)
Since then, Activision Blizzard's many classic game IPs (including World of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Candy, etc.) will all belong to Microsoft Corporation.
Netizens also complained that
After playing and playing, will you suddenly pop up an office classic little assistant:
World of Warcraft Assistant: "Looks like you want to team up to fight dungeons, need help?" ”
"You seem to be about to PK with a martial monk, do you need help?"
Overwatch Assistant: "Can you use Genji anymore?" That's a dish. ”
Or add a little Microsoft to the game,
World of Warcraft
From then on, it became word of warcraft.
In addition, there are also netizens who have opened their minds,
After Microsoft injects funds, can Blizzard re-make a satisfactory game, and will it have a linkage with Microsoft?
Hearthstone is coming up with new characters! It's the soldier commander!
I guess this is the overwatch 2 poster.
(Microsoft Smash Bros. Brawl with characters such as Minecraft, World of Warcraft, Halo, etc.)
If you can get the Microsoft role to join...
Storm Hero is finally going to stand up??
Some netizens joked that Blizzard games are finally going to be popularized?!
Spider Hearthstone cards
Will Overwatch appear in Windows's own games?
Microsoft Office Family Bucket is about to join a new member.
(Image from Weibo @ Game Research Leader)
At that time, probably everyone really bought the genuine Windows...
However, some netizens said that they did not want to see Microsoft's acquisition of Blizzard.
Will a new monopoly be formed by buying and buying everywhere with money?
Microsoft in The Collection of Infinity Stones:
Mojang (developed Minecraft)
Bethestla (developed Fallout, The Elder Scrolls)
Activision-Blizzard (developed Diablo, etc.)
Microsoft that devours everything like Kirby.
Big News: Microsoft bought rock-cutter cloth as well.
After seeing Microsoft's acquisition of Blizzard, I was a little worried about seeing something like this:
(Disney: You and I are no different)
Sony: "How did you add Activision Blizzard's games to your library?" ”
Microsoft: "Just buy Activision Blizzard." ”
Why do players think so?
Because the current home console circle, mainly presents the form of three-legged standing,
Nintendo (on behalf of the host Switch) mainly relies on IP such as Mario, Pokémon, Zelda, animal friends and other IP;
Sony (PlayStation series) and Microsoft (Xbox series) in addition to their own exclusive games, but also to compete for the agency rights of some big game manufacturers.
After Blizzard, many of its famous IPs, were acquired by Microsoft, these IPs became exclusive to Microsoft, and Sony lost the opportunity to compete, resulting in a monopoly in the game market.
For example, once upon a time, Sony and Microsoft each had only a few exclusive games, but players could play games such as Blizzard no matter which game console they chose, that is, as long as there was a game console, they could play 95% of the games on the market.
But now, after the acquisition competition, the game company is either sony or microsoft, and only 50% of the games can be played by players with only one game console.
(It won't be so extreme, but a scramble is certainly hard to avoid)
Of course, the most tragic is the direct competitor of Microsoft's game console, Sony.
After the news broke, the stock price fell in response...
Netizens also made a terrier to "comfort" Sony said,
This morning Sony Studios:
"I have nothing... Except for Spider-Man. ”
(Copyright of Spider-Man in Sony)
Sony, Microsoft player status:
As for the Nintendo players, they still maintain a neutral state of eating melons...
After all, holding zelda, the world's number one, Nintendo said that he was not flustered...