Microsoft Acquires Blizzard

[Grim.Reaper]

Hopefully more games to add to my xbox Gamepass subscription:)

https://www.pcgamer.com/microsoft-will-acquire-activision-blizzard/

[Gusington]

Almost 69 billion dollars! Wowzers.

[Pete Dero]

Almost 69 billion dollars! Wowzers.

In cash !!

All-Cash Deal Valued at $68.7 Billion  (https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-nears-deal-to-buy-activision-blizzard-for-more-than-50-billion-11642512435)

[Gusington]

That is a big bag of money.

[bobarossa]

Almost $10 for every human being on Earth!  Makes it seem kind of silly, doesn't it?

[Gusington]

 :-[

yeah

[Jarhead0331]

Seems reasonable. The last quarterly financials for Activision Blizzard from 9/21 show revenue of $2.07 billion with a net income of $639 million and a net profit margin of over 30%. Q4 quarterlies for 2021 are due to be released on February 3. 

[ArizonaTank]

I think it is interesting that the value of the deal dwarfs the value of some traditional movie studios like Paramount and Warner Brothers.

And nearly equals MGM, a more diversified media company. 

Of course it has a long way to go to catch Disney...  I think Disney is worth over $200 billion.

But clearly, gaming and not movies is where the big money is these days.

[Sir Slash]

So why aren't we being paid more?  ::)  Maybe NOW, I'll get a little more respect from the Wife? That is a lot of money and indeed shows that Gaming is a serious business.

[Jarhead0331]

Gaming surpassed the movie industry by double digits long ago.

[Gusington]

^Thankfully.

[Con]

It's an interesting deal.
I work on biotech acquisitions so my take on it is as follows
Most of the money is on IP and retaining talent
Microsoft is betting on VR and meta verse intersecting with stay at home entertainment
Synergies of technology with content
They are getting killed by PlayStation and PlayStation customer loyalty and need a needle move acquisition to change the dynamic
Microsoft 12 month rolling OpInc was $75b so an all cash deal that adds revenue will be very profitable.
It also sends a message that they think borrowing for debt will get more expensive in the next 12 months

Con

[solops]

Ooooooo.... I think this is bad news. Microsoft's record on PC games is not good IMO, and I do not play any other kind of game, except board games. I remember when Warcraft came out....long ago...sigh.

[ArizonaTank]

.....
It also sends a message that they think borrowing for debt will get more expensive in the next 12 months

Con

Yes

[Yskonyn]

Ooooooo.... I think this is bad news. Microsoft's record on PC games is not good IMO, and I do not play any other kind of game, except board games.

The name on the office building is irrelevant. It's the people that matter.
I don't think MS will likely start changing the companies they take over. At least not radically so. Its a strategic move more than a tactical one, to keep in wargaming terminology. :)
Besides, if you're worried about MS then I am sure you're even more worried about ActiBliz with the dark cloud hanging above them.
I think they have more chance of actually continuing work on their (upcoming) games than they had before this deal.
Money buys power.
It remains to be seen how it will work out ethically, though.