Microsoft/Xbox to aquire Activision Blizzard

[Auhgag-wyrmrest-accord]

Apparently during negotiations Activision went to Facebook to see if Facebook would buy the company.

I think we dodged an enormous bullet.

[Nyumbani-wyrmrest-accord (Nyumbani)]

Well I guess now we know one of the things that the “metaverse” is NOT going to be.

[Mordekeiser-wyrmrest-accord (Mordekeiser)]

me: “oh WoW might get better under MS”
Everyone: “CORPORTATE GLOOM AND DOOOOOOOOOM”

[Chonga-wyrmrest-accord (Chonga)]

@Auhgag-wyrmrest-accord

I think we dodged an enormous bullet.

Oh god. That is an understatement. Zuckerberg to me gives a tiny bit of credence to the whole crazy lizard people conspiracy.

The dude just doesn’t look right and his eyes are soulless.

Edit: Bonus meme

[Opherial-wyrmrest-accord (Opherial)]

Did someone already post the Bobby Kotick “not quite exit interview” where he says it isn’t all the scandals and horrific way things are being run that forced them to sell, it was uhhhhhhhhhh his [expletive] underlings couldn’t get OW2 and D4 released on time, and COD had a bad year. I mean just because he had people axed left and right doesn’t mean he had anything to do with that either.

[Velothra-wyrmrest-accord (Velothra)]

I think the “I have hope for wow now” crowd is just on some major hopium. Being acquired by Microsoft does nothing to move me in any direction on if any of their games will get better. But also on the real life side of things, Microsoft acquiring more and more is not a good thing. Companies with a lot of market power is NOT a good thing.

[Mordekeiser-wyrmrest-accord (Mordekeiser)]

@Velothra-wyrmrest-accord

Companies with a lot of market power is NOT a good thing.

I agree.

BUT

WoW MIGHT get better now!

[Velothra-wyrmrest-accord (Velothra)]

Yes, and it might stay the same course and or get worse. But this is true regardless of Microsoft. WoW isn’t something like Minecraft where improvements and additions are easy.

[Lahil-wyrmrest-accord]

This is THE best news I have heard about Activision/Blizzard in a very long time.

@Velothra-wyrmrest-accord

Yes, and it might stay the same course and or get worse.

I don’t think they are going to drop $70B on something to let it get worse on the current path its on.

[Allison-wyrmrest-accord (Allison)]

@Otielle-wyrmrest-accord

for those who are unaware, a double A game is a game that fits in between the smaller indies and the bigger AAA monstrosities. a good example, imo, of a AA game would be Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, a beautifully rendered, richly detailed, extremely fun game that is nonetheless very small in its scope. it looks beautiful, it plays brilliantly, and the story is excellent but unlike a lot of AAA games it’s very focused on its story and its gameplay to the point where it has nothing on the side. in my opinion, this is a good thing because it allows it to focus on being what it is.

as companies are devoured by larger entities, we typically see funding for AA games be reduced or killed off entirely. EA does this a lot, there’s a website that lists all the studios its ever bought and then just killed. the worry here is that if microsoft decides it’s bought something and it doesn’t have the ROI - and AA games typically make less money which means it’s less likely for them to have a good ROI - they could decide to just close the damn thing down

I see your point, but I disagree that it’s megacorps squashing these games. I’d bet it’s more just common knowledge that if you’re going to dump a moderate amount of money and time into a game that single player narrative games are a bigger risk in our multiplayer/social/quick match focused gaming atmosphere. It’s no secret those games sell way less than multiplayer games when a 15 minute match is what the casual gaming masses flock to.

I absolutely miss single player narrative things personally. But I’m in my 30’s and came into gaming through the ps1 RPG fest. I don’t like the current (10 year) fad but I get it.

[Sarestha-wyrmrest-accord (Sarestha)]

@Auhgag-wyrmrest-accord

Apparently during negotiations Activision went to Facebook to see if Facebook would buy the company.

They nearly gave us the Zucc

Zucc Smokin Meats - SONGIFY THIS

[Incomplete-wyrmrest-accord]

Sees Activision/Blizz in the news.

Me: oh no not again

Followed by Microsoft purchased ABK

Me: anyway

Companies buying everything and everything becoming one big mono Corp bad yes but there was this relief it wasn’t like more breastmilk being stolen news.

[Lahil-wyrmrest-accord]

@Incomplete-wyrmrest-accord

Companies buying everything and everything becoming one big mono Corp bad

I mean is it even bad in this case? Imean for God’s sake they could not even go to the bathroom in peace.

[Velothra-wyrmrest-accord (Velothra)]

That won’t be their intention but it doesn’t mean it won’t. Unless Microsoft has people who care what happens to WoW on the quality side of things like the players then good luck. WoW is still going to be helmed by the same people. Developed by the same devs. It will be the same design philosophy short of the wow team changing their mind. Which seems to be making things worse and worse on the actual game side of things. But hey, at least they are making big bucks on the cat mounts lol.

[Mäxi-wyrmrest-accord]

I’m as disturbed by our rapidly approaching dystopian cyberpunk future filled with megacorps as anyone else, but if the acquisition means that:

The abusers get fully booted from ABK, and the environment that allowed this rot to fester is eliminated,
The new blood that comes into the various teams are open, diverse, and full of bright ideas,
And everyone at ABK is allowed a safe, positive work environment regardless of race, sexuality or gender,

Then I’m okay with this dip into a megacorp future. The prevention of one acquisition is not going to stop that anyway, and at least with this one the people at ABK might get a safe and positive work environment.

[Mäxi-wyrmrest-accord]

@Velothra-wyrmrest-accord

But hey, at least they are making big bucks on the cat mounts lol.

Mord is that you?

[Velothra-wyrmrest-accord (Velothra)]

Nah, I don’t know who that is.

[Mordekeiser-wyrmrest-accord (Mordekeiser)]

I’m here, with the beard

im still salty about how many ppl bought cat mounts and murloc bags

[Mäxi-wyrmrest-accord]

There’s a new friend for you just one reply above.

[Dornheim-wyrmrest-accord]

One one hand, the expansion of multi-billion dollar corporations into powerful monopolies is never good.

On the other hand Blizzard needs a house cleaning of its rot that has been choking the company, consumers, and employees (especially employees, Jesus) and this merger will hopefully deliver on that.

And finally, we may just get a better experience as paying players. Be it an expansion that doesn’t suck eggs, or maybe, just maybe an entirely new Warcraft project, a WoW 2 that cleans the slate of all the decay and ugliness.