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[Lunatic_Gamer]

EA was in talks for some sort of deal with Activision Blizzard. Kotick went on to say that although the company is big and has its resources, compared to other trillion dollar companies, "You realize, we may have been a big company in video gaming, but now, when you look at the landscape of who the competitors are, it’s a different world today than ever before.

"But I think that even if we were to have consolidated within EA, that wouldn’t have given us what we’re going to need going forward," Kotick added. "And so you needed to have a big partner in order to be able to make it work." Although Kotick acknowledged a possible merger with EA, he didn't divulge any further details about whether an official deal was on the table.

"As we thought about possible partners, all roads ultimately led to Microsoft," he said. "Microsoft has all the important technologies we need to deliver the next generation of games. And like Activision, Microsoft has a cultural passion for gaming that goes back to the 1980s. Microsoft’s culture of inspiring people through caring and empathy is a powerful motivator, and one we embrace as we renew our resolve in the work we’re now doing to set a new standard for a welcoming and inclusive workplace culture.”

EA Was Reportedly In The Mix For Activision Blizzard Deal

Kotick hinted that Microsoft wasn't the only company interested in a deal with Activision Blizzard.

www.gamespot.com

 

[Captain Toad]

Again, Activision tried to find other buyers. There apparently wasn't much interest outside of Microsoft.

 

[ManaByte]

Dodged a bullet there.

 

[Syphon Filter]

Dodged a bullet there.

no, it would be cool if EA did it too.

 

[Zok310]

Take ms cock out your mouth Bobby….. or not.

 

[ManaByte]

no, it would be cool if EA did it too.

I don't want Blizzard in the EA mass grave.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

Would have been better merged with EA

 

[TheInfamousKira]

How can so many people detest the practices of Activision and yet all want to buy them? My pot and kettle are black as the souls of the women who had their cubicles crawled.

 

[Syphon Filter]

Again, Activision tried to find other buyers. There apparently wasn't much interest outside of Microsoft.

how come there wasn't much interest?

 

[Rambotito]

How can so many people detest the practices of Activision and yet all want to buy them? My pot and kettle are black as the souls of the women who had their cubicles crawled.

It was probably some organized corporate mind fuckery that they did to lower the stock price before the purchase. Who knows.

 

[GreatnessRD]

Would have been better merged with EA

I don't think you know how horrible of a deal this sounds, lol.

Two heel companies coming together to continue to kill the gaming industry. Good Lord, what a disaster that would've been. I think Microsoft is gonna eventually kill them, but the death should be slower compared to merging with EA.

 

[Captain Toad]

how come there wasn't much interest?

Because 70 billion dollars and not having the same drive to push a platform like GamePass.

 

[GigaBowser]

I wish EA got them instead it would have been a lot better for Sony.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Imagine if it was Mike Ybarra and Rod Ferguson that planted the inception to have employees speak up about the issues at the companies and even leaked info to the Californian government etc….lower the share price then MS purchases.

4D chess by MS.

of course it’s bollox but it would just be an amazing story.

 

[sinnergy]

how come there wasn't much interest?

Haven’t you heard, Sony fans say : all games from Activision are shit, so why would others want them ???

 

[fart town usa]

I don't think you know how horrible of a deal this sounds, lol.

Two heel companies coming together to continue to kill the gaming industry. Good Lord, what a disaster that would've been. I think Microsoft is gonna eventually kill them, but the death should be slower compared to merging with EA.

 

[GHG]

How can so many people detest the practices of Activision and yet all want to buy them? My pot and kettle are black as the souls of the women who had their cubicles crawled.

Opportunism or orchestration. You decide.

 

[TransTrender]

Yeah, another bullet dodged.
EA would have been nasty.

 

[fart town usa]

Haven’t you heard, Sony fans say : all games from Activision are shit, so why would others want them ???

Let's be fair.

Success doesn't mean quality. Some people are definitely butt hurt over the acquisition but it's totally fair for people to criticize the actual quality of the titles.

Doesn't make the acquisition any less megaton, but not all the criticism aimed at Activision is due to a fanboy mentality.

 

[MadPanda]

So EA wanted to go above and beyond the duty but Acti refused? This is really interesting. I still remember when Acti and Blizzard merged and it was revealed on Sunday of all days.

 

[winjer]

EA + Activision
That would be the axis of evil in the videogame industry.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Can MS get some good cheat protection into CoD war zone please?

 

[SJRB]

How can so many people detest the practices of Activision and yet all want to buy them? My pot and kettle are black as the souls of the women who had their cubicles crawled.

Just two months ago:

Xbox Boss 'Disturbed' By What's Going On At Activision Blizzard, Reconsidering Relationship

Xbox joins PlayStation in criticizing Call of Duty publisher following latest allegations

kotaku.com

It's all about the money, nothing else. It's a billion dollar industry. Nobody in upper management gives a fuck about some harassment when there's literal billions involved.

 

[WitchHunter]

Next: Microsoft buys ALL groceries.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

I don't think you know how horrible of a deal this sounds, lol.

Two heel companies coming together to continue to kill the gaming industry. Good Lord, what a disaster that would've been. I think Microsoft is gonna eventually kill them, but the death should be slower compared to merging with EA.

As horrible as it is, it’s far less horrible than Microsoft in terms of industry impact

 

[Salty Popsicle]

how come there wasn't much interest?

No one has the wallet that Microsoft has.

 

[MatrixReloaded101]

How can so many people detest the practices of Activision and yet all want to buy them?

Because they only cared about money at the end of the day. The crap they did was the reason they had to sell in the first place.

Bobby and his crew will walk off into the sunset billionaires now. It’s crazy to think about it…

 

[Leyasu]

Rod Ferguson

I forgot that he was with Blizzard. MS should make him studiohead somewhere.

 

[Elios83]

Kotick just wanted to sell after the scandal about harassments hit the company and himself in a huge way, COD registered a sales decline this year with Vanguard and the Activision stock was down.
In this way he's gonna get the best way out he could dream of. Once the deal is done he will be covered in money and he will claim he has decided to retire of whatever (while the fact that he will be out in a year or two is already decided and written on contracts) and Microsoft will have to rebuild the rotten enviroment in his place.
Obviously EA was not a good fit because they couldn't afford to pay 70 billions. It would have been a merger and not an acquisition.

 

[Goalus]

No one has the wallet that Microsoft has.

Except Apple.
Apple is only interested in cheap mobile games with mtx though.

 

[MonarchJT]

Again, Activision tried to find other buyers. There apparently wasn't much interest outside of Microsoft.

certainly at 70b ninty and Sony couldn't buy them and probably not even at 10b. And the others who could have they have nothing ready to take advantage of such a large acquisition. Google is not going to throw 70b for the stadia at this point.

 

[Lognor]

Microsoft was by far the best option.

 

[PlayStaytion]

Bobbiology is a science field majors in escape plans from businesses.

 

[Represent.]

Id rather EA than Microsoft. Shit would have still been multiplat.

 

[Kacho]

how come there wasn't much interest?

How many companies are willing to drop 70 billion on a gaming publisher?

 

[Catphish]

EA + AB would have resulted in the shittest of shitcorps ever shat.

AB has been floundering, but imo is redeemable. EA is beyond hope.

 

[Negotiator101]

how come there wasn't much interest?

You going to listen to him?

 

[Fbh]

Good they went with MS then, at least now there's hope something good will come from Activision/Blizzard in the future.

How can so many people detest the practices of Activision and yet all want to buy them? My pot and kettle are black as the souls of the women who had their cubicles crawled.

They detest the practices so much they see no other solution than buying the company and fixing it from within!!!. It's basically charity at this point

 

[SportsFan581]

Just two months ago:

Xbox Boss 'Disturbed' By What's Going On At Activision Blizzard, Reconsidering Relationship

Xbox joins PlayStation in criticizing Call of Duty publisher following latest allegations

kotaku.com

What better way to take control of the situation at another studio than to make yourself the boss there too.

Seems like the most direct approach Xbox could ever take, tbh. I mean Sony didn't even rise to the occasion here.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

Again, Activision tried to find other buyers. There apparently wasn't much interest outside of Microsoft.

This is an attempt by Kotick to make it look like he wasn't overruled by a board that lost confidence in him. Kotick is trying to make it look like he CHOSE Microsoft, he didn't. He wanted anybody else but Microsoft, but his hand was forced.

 

[TheInfamousKira]

Good they went with MS then, at least now there's hope something good will come from Activision/Blizzard in the future.



They detest the practices so much they see no other solution than buying the company and fixing it from within!!!. It's basically charity at this point

"And he said unto them: be purified in the holy flames of capitalism and walk tall as men free from your burdens of sin,"

 

[Lunarorbit]

GameFreak was this close last year to buying Activision.

Embracer group had perused Blizzard last year.

Last week Bioware was in talks to bring AB into their family with new COD skins for Liara.

Bungie had internal discussions about consolidating their hold on fps by purchasing Activision.


See I can do this too.

 

[SportsFan581]

This is an attempt by Kotick to make it look like he wasn't overruled by a board that lost confidence in him. Kotick is trying to make it look like he CHOSE Microsoft, he didn't. He wanted anybody else but Microsoft, but his hand was forced.

At the very least they probably figured they could get more out of MS if they could produce another credible option. From what you read, most companies will always feel the market out if they receive interest in a buyout. Shareholders probably want to make sure they are getting the max that they can.

 

[reinking]

Haven’t you heard, Sony fans say : all games from Activision are shit, so why would others want them ???

STFU with this talk. A few days ago that was coming from Xbox fans too.

 

[DenchDeckard]

I forgot that he was with Blizzard. MS should make him studiohead somewhere.

Haha, yeah he’s been heading up Diablo at blizzard for a while. Inside job.

 

[Ozriel]

GameFreak was this close last year to buying Activision.

Embracer group had perused Blizzard last year.

Last week Bioware was in talks to bring AB into their family with new COD skins for Liara.

Bungie had internal discussions about consolidating their hold on fps by purchasing Activision.


See I can do this too.

Yeah, you can do that too. But you aren’t a CEO of a multi-billion dollar publisher.

 

[ResilientBanana]

Would have been better merged with EA

A majority of their blockbusters are released in shambles. No thanks.

 

[yurinka]

how come there wasn't much interest?

Seems that when MS shown interest, Activision went to FB to see if they instested to acquire them instead of MS. FB said nope. Then Activision went to EA for a merger. EA said nope. Then they went to MS.

So Phil told them yes, that they were interested to reevaluate their relationship with them, to keep their CEO there and making him hundreds of millions richer.

Would have been better merged with EA

I agree, either EA or Take 2. Or all 3 into the metaverse of gatchas, transactions and nfts.

 

[M16]

Seems that when MS shown interest, Activision went to FB to see if they instested to acquire them instead of MS. FB said nope. Then Activision went to EA for a merger. EA said nope. Then they went to MS.

So Phil told them yes, that they were interested to reevaluate their relationship with them, to keep their CEO there and making him hundreds of millions richer.


I agree, either EA or Take 2. Or all 3 into the metaverse of gatchas, transactions and nfts.

Only reason activision went to those other companies was to drive up the price and start a bidding war. I wouldnt be surprised if more news comes out that they also went to google,amazon,etc

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Imagine if it was Mike Ybarra and Rod Ferguson that planted the inception to have employees speak up about the issues at the companies and even leaked info to the Californian government etc….lower the share price then MS purchases.

4D chess by MS.

of course it’s bollox but it would just be an amazing story.

Especially since Mike pushed Xbox to get COD even in some form of an Xbox timed exclusive while he was still with them.