Microsoft’s proposed $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard has raised concerns about competition and risk, but six studios have spoken in favor of the acquisition. While only 4J Studios, the company behind the console versions of Minecraft, went public with its statement, the others spoke anonymously.
The studios cited reasons ranging from the need for increased competition to a desire to improve working conditions at Activision. This article will explore what the six studios said in support of Microsoft’s Activision acquisition.
Six Studios reacts positively to Microsoft’s Activision acquisition
4J Studios Chairman and Co-Founder Chris van der Kuyl noted that his studio has worked as a partner with both Microsoft and Mojang, even before Mojang was acquired by Microsoft. The partnership with Microsoft has brought significant stability and rigor to contractual and commercial relationships, and Microsoft has been fair and professional in its dealings with 4J Studios. The acquisition of Activision Blizzard is a natural evolution of the industry and does not cause any concerns for the studio’s future opportunities.
Another studio noted (thanks to VGC) that consumers’ tastes and preferences in the video game space cut across a broad array of games and platforms, and they do not believe any title can be considered a “must-have” in the interactive entertainment market. The proposed acquisition by Microsoft, with its stated commitment to making certain games available on all platforms, would not negatively impact consumers, according to the studio.
A CEO of an indie developer who has worked with top game publishers, including Sony, Microsoft, and Activision, claims that Microsoft has always honored its contracts and obligations over the 25 years they have dealt with the company. They also noted that Tencent, a Chinese company, was already an investor in Activision. The CEO suggested that if Microsoft is prevented from acquiring Activision, would UK consumers be better served if Tencent acquired the publisher instead, as Tencent would be less subject to western regulation.
A developer and publisher of AAA titles whose games are distributed on all major consoles noted that it is difficult to predict the exact effects of the acquisition due to the complexity of the situation. They do not, however, expect any significant impact on their company or the distribution of their products, nor do they expect the merger to pose any risks to the distribution of their own games on Xbox or other consoles.
Another business claims to release games on various platforms, including Xbox and PlayStation and says that its sales have grown stagnant on PlayStation with each release. This is mainly due to the fact that despite their efforts to create great games, the company struggles with visibility and marketing on PlayStation. They believe that with Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, they will have a better chance to grow and develop their business on Xbox platforms.
The sixth studio expressed concern that Activision’s business model is not sustainable and may lead to job losses. The studio is confident that with Microsoft’s acquisition, there will be a more sustainable business model that will be better for employees and provide a more stable environment for the development of high-quality games.
Conclusion
Six studios have spoken out in favor of Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. They believe that the acquisition will lead to increased competition, improved working conditions for employees, and a more sustainable business model. Microsoft’s stated commitment to making certain games available on all platforms has also been seen as a positive step that will not negatively impact consumers.
