Microsoft Will Still Need to Do Activision’s Duty

  • 📰 WSJ
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 89 sec. here
  • 3 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 39%
  • Publisher: 63%

United States Headlines News

United States Latest News,United States Headlines

The success of Microsoft’s plans to acquire of Activision will depend on its ability to clean up someone else’s messes, explains WSJheard WSJWhatsNow

. A subsequent article by The Wall Street Journal reported the company’s toxic internal culture extended beyond the Blizzard unit initially targeted in the California lawsuit., with subpar critic scores at launch and later data indicating poor sales.

In a note Tuesday morning, Jefferies analyst Andrew Uerkwitz predicted a “very rare miss” from Activision for its fourth-quarter results, due Feb. 3. Citing game issues and the company’s internal strife, Mr. Uerkwitz added, “We suspect many gamers have chosen to take a break from Call of Duty.” The combination of issues has had a deleterious effect on Activision’s market value, thus providing a rare opportunity for Microsoft to “propel our new forms of distribution and monetization,” as the company’s gaming chief Phil Spencer put it on a call Tuesday.Microsoft now has a subscription-based game business called Game Pass and is developing a cloud gaming service. The former is doing well, with more than 25 million subscribers to date, while the latter is still a work in progress.

That is assuming the property isn’t permanently damaged. And the deal also assumes Microsoft can oversee fixes to Activision’s culture enough to retain the necessary talent to keep producing blockbuster games with blockbuster budgets.more than three dozen employees as part of its internal cleanup effort, The Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend. But more work remains, even with embattled Activision CEO Bobby Kotick expected to depart after the deal closes, according to the Journal.

With nearly $84 billion in net cash, Microsoft is one of the few with the means to make such a major bet and still maintain its share buyback and other cash-return goals. But it will still take some deft handling to keep Activision’s self-inflicted wounds from festering on its soon-to-be owner.Ms. Wu, a target of the GamerGate scandal, says Activision Blizzard’s CEO led a culture of non-accountability, during an interview at WSJ’s Women In: The Tech Industry event.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

heard omarkassamUS

heard This deal says a lot about the growth rate of gaming vs that of Microsoft’s core software business. We’re at the point in the cycle now when deals like these occur to perpetuate high expected growth rates that support excessive valuations.

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 98. in US

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard, maker of 'Call of Duty,' for $68.7 billionThe massive deal comes as Activision shares have plummeted in the past year as the company faces allegations of misconduct.
Source: fox13 - 🏆 550. / 51 Read more »

Microsoft buys Activision in a nearly $70 billion dealInsider tells the global tech, finance, markets, media, healthcare, and strategy stories you want to know. Hi, I am a structural engineer from Iran who have many ideas. I have summarized some of my ideas on my twitter(I suggest look at the idea of generating electricity by gravity). I want to work with companies and investors. Do you want to cooperate? 微软正在以近700亿美元的价格收购《使命召唤》出版商Activision
Source: BusinessInsider - 🏆 729. / 51 Read more »

Microsoft Acquires Activision Blizzard in Gaming Industry's Biggest Deal YetMicrosoft acquires 'Call of Duty' studio Activision Blizzard in the gaming industry's biggest deal yet.
Source: Collider - 🏆 1. / 98 Read more »

Microsoft to buy gaming company Activision Blizzard in a deal valued at $68.7 billionMicrosoft is paying nearly $70 billion for Activision Blizzard, the maker of 'Candy Crush'' and ''Call of Duty,'' as it seeks an edge in the fiercely competitive businesses of mobile gaming and virtual-reality technology. damonheller ActiBlizzion more cucked than ever
Source: ABC7 - 🏆 67. / 68 Read more »

Microsoft to buy Activision in $68.7 billion all-cash dealMicrosoft is buying video game maker Activision Blizzard. Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer discuss the deal, the metaverse and more. ExpN00b there goes the neighborhood.... What’s next? To buy some land in decentraland
Source: CNBC - 🏆 12. / 72 Read more »

Microsoft buys Activision Blizzard in $69 billion game dealIn its largest purchase ever, Microsoft will pay $95 a share in cash for one of the most legendary gaming publishers, known for titles like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft but which is also grap…
Source: mercnews - 🏆 88. / 68 Read more »