January 18, 2022 – Microsoft Announces It Will Acquire Activision Blizzard.
Xbox announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, a deal that would make it the largest in gaming history. The deal would bring all of Activision Blizzard’s studios, including Blizzard Entertainment, Call of Duty developers like Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer, under Xbox head Phil Spencer. Microsoft highlighted its commitment to bringing as many Activision Blizzard games as possible to the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.
April 1, 2022 – U.S. Senators Raise Concerns Over Activision Blizzard Acquisition
Four United States senators, including Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Cory Booker, and Sheldon Whitehouse, expressed their concerns about the acquisition in a letter to the Federal Trade Commission. They raised questions about the potential impact on Activision Blizzard employees following allegations of sexual misconduct and other hostile workplace practices.
August 24, 2022 – Xbox Launches Website Outlining Benefits of the Acquisition
Microsoft launched a website dedicated to outlining its “vision for gaming” and highlighting the benefits of the acquisition. Xbox claimed the acquisition would lead to more games on more devices, greater choice in game purchases, and more options for mobile gamers. They also stated that developers would benefit from easier access to customers, a fairer marketplace, and greater flexibility in payment systems.
September 1, 2022 – Call of Duty Will Still Launch on PlayStation on the Same Day, Also Game Pass
Phil Spencer confirmed that new Call of Duty games would still be released on PlayStation on the same day as other platforms, despite plans to eventually bring new Call of Duty, Overwatch, and Diablo games to Xbox Game Pass. This pledge aimed to alleviate concerns from PlayStation gamers worried about losing access to the popular franchise.
September 7, 2022 – PlayStation’s Jim Ryan Calls Xbox’s Call of Duty Promise ‘Inadequate on Many Levels’
PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan responded to Microsoft’s Call of Duty promise by calling it “inadequate on many levels.” He argued that the publicly stated three-year commitment was insufficient, particularly after nearly two decades of Call of Duty on PlayStation platforms. Ryan suggested the proposal failed to account for the potential impact on PlayStation gamers.
October 12, 2022 – Following Concerns Raised by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, Xbox Says PlayStation Is Too Big to Fail
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) raised concerns about the acquisition, suggesting it could harm competition in the gaming market. In response, Xbox argued that these concerns were unsupported, emphasizing that PlayStation is too large to be adversely affected by losing access to Call of Duty. Xbox also highlighted PlayStation’s larger player base compared to Xbox, even if all Call of Duty players on PlayStation switched to Xbox.
October 31, 2022 – Phil Spencer: Call of Duty Will Continue to Ship on PlayStation ‘As Long as There’s a PlayStation to Ship To’
Phil Spencer reiterated Xbox’s commitment to keeping Call of Duty multiplatform, stating that the intent was not to remove the franchise from PlayStation gamers. He drew parallels with Minecraft, which remained available on other platforms after Xbox acquired its developer, Mojang.
November 11, 2022 – Xbox Offers PlayStation a 10-year Deal to Keep Call of Duty on the Platform
Reports emerged that Xbox had offered Sony a ten-year deal to ensure Call of Duty’s continued presence on PlayStation. This extended the current three-year agreement by seven years, reflecting Xbox’s determination to address concerns from both PlayStation gamers and regulators.
December 8, 2022 – The Federal Trade Commission Sues to Block Xbox’s Activision Blizzard Acquisition
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit to block the acquisition, arguing that it could harm competition in the gaming console and subscription service markets. The FTC expressed concerns that Xbox might restrict access to Activision Blizzard’s popular content for rivals, potentially stifling competition. This lawsuit marked a significant setback for Microsoft’s acquisition plans.
December 12, 2022 – Phil Spencer Says Sony Wants to Grow ‘By Making Xbox Smaller’
Phil Spencer criticized Sony’s opposition to the acquisition, suggesting that PlayStation aimed to maintain its dominance by limiting Xbox’s growth. He pointed out Sony’s different approach to the industry, highlighting their reluctance to release games on PC or include them in subscription services at launch. Spencer’s statement marked a more confrontational tone in the ongoing battle over the acquisition.
January 5, 2023 – UK CMA Extends Investigation into Xbox’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
The UK CMA announced an extension of its investigation into the acquisition, citing the complexity of the case and the need to process a large volume of evidence. This delay pushed back the final report deadline to April 26, but the CMA stated that the report could be finalized earlier.
January 30, 2023 – The Last of Us’ Success on HBO Proves Sony’s Merger Opposition Is Baseless
Activision Blizzard CCO Lulu Cheng Meservey pointed to the success of HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us, a Sony property, as evidence that Sony’s opposition to the acquisition was baseless. She highlighted Sony’s substantial IP portfolio, including games, television, movies, and music, which could be leveraged for future game development or marketing. Meservey argued that Sony’s strong position within the entertainment industry made it a formidable player, capable of thriving without regulatory protection.
February 3, 2023 – The European Union Issues Antitrust Warning to Microsoft
EU representatives issued a formal antitrust warning to Microsoft over its acquisition plans, expressing concerns that Microsoft might be incentivized to withhold Call of Duty from rival consoles. Microsoft responded by stating that it was listening to the EU’s concerns and was confident in its ability to address them.
February 8, 2023 – Xbox’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Could Harm Gamers, CMA Says
The UK’s CMA published a provisional report outlining its concerns about the acquisition. The report expressed fears of higher game prices, fewer choices for gamers, and reduced innovation in the UK market. The CMA specifically pointed to the potential impact on cloud gaming, suggesting that making Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox could harm competition in this emerging sector.
February 21, 2023 – Xbox Signs 10-Year Deal to Bring Call of Duty to Nintendo, Nvidia
Microsoft President Brad Smith confirmed that the company had signed a ten-year agreement to bring Call of Duty games to Nintendo devices on the same day as Xbox, with full feature and content parity. This move aimed to demonstrate that the acquisition would not restrict Call of Duty to the Xbox ecosystem and further addressed concerns about potential exclusivity. Simultaneously, Microsoft announced a ten-year deal with Nvidia to make all its PC games, including Activision Blizzard titles, available on the GeForce Now streaming service. This agreement aimed to address the CMA’s concerns regarding cloud gaming and secured Nvidia’s support for the acquisition. This deal was seen as a major step towards appeasing regulators.
With the regulatory landscape still uncertain, the fate of Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition remains in limbo. The UK CMA’s final report is due in April, but the process could extend beyond that. As the saga unfolds, the future of the gaming industry hinges on the outcome of this monumental deal.
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