Breaking News: Major Gaming Studio Acquired by Tech Giant
Gone are the days when gaming was just a time-pass hobby. Now, it has evolved into one of the most lucrative industries in the world. With its high revenue profits and continuously increasing stocks, many company giants as well as individuals are looking to have a stake in their companies.
Every day we hear about some of the biggest tech giants who show interest in some of the emerging games. The potential and scope in such an industry is endless and that has caught the attention of many big sharks. And if you are a gaming enthusiast like me, hearing about these news is like a daily dose of excitement. So, let’s see the list of major gaming studios that have been acquired by Tech giants-
1. The Activision Blizzard Merger: By Microsoft
If you are a true gamer, you must have heard about Activision! Known for creating a number of viral games franchises like Call of Duty and the Diablo series. Whereas Blizzzard developed the viral MMORPG- WOW.
Activision saw the potential in MMOs and showed interest in acquiring it. Although they originally intended to buy Blizzard out – but it ended up with a merger instead in 2008. Activision Blizzard then became one of the largest video game companies with several hit games.
However, in 2022 on 18 January- Microsoft sweeped in with the interest to acquire Activision Blizzard for approximately $68.7 billion. By 2023, it got finalised and thereby became one of the largest merger in the gaming industry’s history. With this, Microsoft gained the official control of some of the top games like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush; and solidifying its prime foot in the gaming sector.
2. Acquisition of ZeniMax Media: By Microsoft
Acquiring Activision Blizzard Merger was a big bold step by Microsoft but definitely not the first one- Microsoft have already made headlines with its 2020 acquisition of ZeniMax Media, which was the Bethesday Softworks’ parent company. Although they had to spent $7.5 billion, this acquisition bought them acclaimed names in the gaming industry like The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Doom under Microsoft’s umbrella paving the way for them to enter Xbox Game Pass subscription service.
3. The King Acquisition: By Activision Blizzard
Whether you are a Gen-Z or a millennial, you must have had a taste of Candy Crush Saga. Mobile gaming is usually one of the most profitable and revenue generating segment of the industry. And Candy crush, created by Maltese developer King was one of the few who successfully made an impact. Though it was originally created as a Facaebook game, it soon was adapted to other platforms.
Seeing its rising popularity, Activision Blizzard decided to acquire King for $5.6 billion which was by that time, the most expensive gaming acquisition ever. Though not much changes were made to the game, the acquisition was smooth and one of the most profitable.
4. Acquisition of Bungie: By Sony
We all know about the Destiny series and its unmatched graphics. But do you know who owns it? Yes- Sony Interactive Entertainment. But it wsa not always the case- Bungie, the creators of Destiny was acquired by Sony for $3.7 billion in 2022. This was one of the best decisions made by Sony as it gave it the live-service gaming experience and helped sony expand its reach to multiplatform.
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5. The Oculus VR Acquistion: By Facebook
Oculus VR, created by Palmer Luckey was first displayed in 2012. It created such a hype that Luckey launched a Kickstarter campaign to crowdfund it. And fortunately, it ended up exceeding the goal.
But the good news came for the company when Facebook showed in interest. Even before the Oculus Rift was ever mass-produced, Oculus VR was acquired for $4 billion by Facebook.
Soon after, it launched its first consumer-ready version in 2016. And well, it will not come as surprise to you that VR Gaming is one of the substantial part of gaming industry. The company’s headset continues to be one of the important asset and brings out the desired revenue.
Some even say that without Facebook involvement, the dev or growth could have taken a different direction.
6.The Mojang Acquisition By Microsoft
Minecraft, a game that broke records on records. Being released in 2011, it soon became the best selling video game of all time. It was so loved by fansm, that it soon became a universe of its own- It was spanned over books, merchandise and TV.
In 2014, a person tweeted “Anyone want to buy my share of Mojang so I can move on with my life?” As a result, a viral controversy started brewing regarding the monetization of user-created content in Minecraft. This attracted sharks like blood- Activision, Blizzard and Electronic all became invested in the offer. But Microsoft made its move and bought out the studio investing $2.5 Billions in it.
And to say it has reaped the profits would be an understatement.
Conclusion
Well, we can all agree that these acquisitions and mergers have been mutually beneficial. All the franchises and company have seen a major growth while the giants have all the fingers dipped in money. This has also opened doorways and opportunities for many companies as well as individuals.
