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Following the confirmation earlier today (October 13) that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been closed, it’s been announced that Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will be staying in his role until the end of the year, but it’s implied that he’ll be stepping down in 2024.
In an email sent to employees (shared on the Activision Blizzard website), Kotick stated that, with the deal complete, “Today marks a milestone in our company’s celebrated history.” He added: “This moment is possible because of your efforts over four decades to innovate, inspire, and achieve.”
However, while he confirmed that he’ll see the transitional period of the merger through, he insinuated he won’t be sticking around forever. He wrote: “I have long said that I am fully committed to helping with the transition. Phil [Spencer] has asked me to stay on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do that through the end of 2023. We both look forward to working together on a smooth integration for our teams and players.”
It’s been an enormous day for Microsoft and Activision. First, it was announced by the United Kingdom’s competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), that it had given its official approval of the acquisition deal.
Over five months ago, the regulator blocked the merger over its concerns regarding the impact that it could have on competition in the UK’s cloud gaming market. Microsoft then amended its proposal and stated that it would sell cloud streaming rights for current and new Activision games (released over the next 15 years) to Ubisoft. This alteration was considered satisfactory, and Martin Coleman, the chair of the independent panel who reviewed the original proposal, said today that the deal is now “better for competition, better for consumers, and better for economic growth”.
Just a few hours later, it was officially confirmed that the deal had been finalized. Xbox boss Phil Spencer wrote in a statement: “Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms. We’ll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you’re excited – and we are too.”
To keep up with the numerous upcoming games coming to Xbox’s current-gen consoles this year and beyond, be sure to take a look at our roundup of new Xbox Series X games.