Misplaced Pages

#876123

133-498: Paradox Development was founded in 1994 by Christine Hsu and went on to produce titles for top video game publishers including Activision , Electronic Arts , Virgin Interactive (later acquired by Electronic Arts), Interplay , and Namco . In November 23, 2004, Midway Games Inc. acquired CWS Entertainment Ltd., whom was doing business as Paradox Development. Midway announced the acquisition 7 days later, by then Paradox Development

266-446: A $ 20,000 salary. Out of a development staff of thirty-five, four programmers (Crane, Larry Kaplan , Alan Miller and Bob Whitehead ), had produced games that had accounted for 60% of Atari's sales. Crane, Kaplan, Miller, and Whitehead became vocal about the lack of recognition within the company and became known as the "Gang of Four". The group met with Kassar in May 1979 to demand that

399-470: A Call of Duty spin-off title fashioned after the gameplay in Dead Space . However, in early 2010, legal issues between Infinity Ward and Activision Blizzard led to several members of Infinity Ward leaving, and Activision assigned Sledgehammer to assist Infinity Ward in the next major Call of Duty title, Modern Warfare 3 . Since then, Sledgehammer, Infinity Ward, and Treyarch share development duties for

532-657: A Senate Finance Committee hearing featuring U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai , Senator Cantwell highlighted concerns about high-end game market in Japan, asserting that PlayStation holds a 98% monopoly in this sector in Japan. Cantwell expressed disapproval of what was characterized as Sony's anti-competitive behavior facilitated by exclusive deals and payments to game publishers. The senator further criticized Japan Fair Trade Commission for purportedly neglecting to investigate Sony's conduct, referring to it as "exclusionary." Cantwell sought insights into how Japan aimed to establish

665-463: A holding company , Activision Holdings, to manage Activision and its subsidiaries more effectively. Activision changed its corporate name from "Activision, Inc." to "Activision Publishing, Inc.", while Activision Holdings took Activision's former "Activision, Inc." name. Activision Publishing became a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision, which in turn became the publicly traded company, with all outstanding shares of capital stock converted. Some of

798-417: A "level playing field" in response to these perceived issues. Microsoft Gaming manages numerous software services, including Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Cloud Gaming , Xbox Network , Microsoft Store , and Battle.net . The Xbox Network experienced substantial growth, with 120 million monthly active players as of December 2022, marking a notable increase from 46 million at the beginning of 2016. By July 30, 2024,

931-458: A 30% market share as of 2023. At a bilateral trade discussion between the United States and Japan, United States senator Maria Cantwell from Washington raised concerns regarding what she perceived as a dominant market position held by PlayStation. The senator specifically highlighted the perceived monopoly by PlayStation and expressed support for Xbox as a competitive alternative. During

1064-451: A Microsoft HR investigation, Schlosser was subsequently removed from her role. Despite her departure, the persisting toxic work environment led to a significant turnover of experienced staff. The amalgamation of these issues, coupled with a lack of a clear design direction, resulted in substantial delays in the development of State of Decay 3. Employees also pointed fingers at Microsoft for not promptly addressing reports of abuse, claiming that

1197-468: A broader value proposition to gamers through a subscription service that provided access to a vast library of games. In 2017, Spencer was named Executive Vice President, Gaming at Microsoft. In 2019, as part of a larger branding, MGS was renamed to Xbox Game Studios (XGS) as to align with the Xbox hardware branding, and further acquired Double Fine . Microsoft acquired ZeniMax Media for $ 8.1 billion in 2020,

1330-499: A competitive presence in the evolving landscape of virtual environments. According to Microsoft, this acquisition is not solely about expanding Microsoft's gaming portfolio but also about leveraging Activision Blizzard's established franchises to enhance the overall gaming experience. The move aligns with industry trends where companies are exploring ways to create immersive and interconnected virtual worlds, combining social interactions with in-game purchases. Microsoft has been observing

1463-507: A corporate merger, the struggling text adventure pioneer Infocom in June 1986. This acquisition was spearheaded by Levy, who was a big fan of Infocom's titles and felt the company was in a similar position as Activision. About six months after the "Infocom Wedding", Activision's board decided to replace Levy with Bruce Davis . Davis was against the purchase of Infocom from the start and was heavy-handed in its management, and even attempted to seek

SECTION 10

#1732868841877

1596-411: A formal lawsuit against Activision to try to stop the company, claiming the four had stolen trade secrets and violated non-disclosure agreements . The lawsuit was settled by 1982, with Activision agreeing to pay royalties to Atari but otherwise legitimizing the third-party development model. Following the first round of releases, each of the founders developed their own titles, about once a year, over

1729-541: A lawsuit to recover their purchase from Infocom's shareholders. Crane also found Davis difficult to work with and was concerned with how Davis managed the closure of Imagic , one of the third-party development studios formed after Activision's success in 1981. Crane left Activision in 1986 and helped Garry Kitchen found Absolute Entertainment . In late 1986, Activision adopted the Electric Dreams brand, usually used for British software, for titles outside of English for

1862-490: A limited number of video game publishing efforts. With the announcement of the first Xbox in 2000 and its release in 2001, Microsoft established a division for internal development of video games for the Xbox and Windows, then known as Microsoft Game Studios (MGS). The Xbox hardware remained a separate division within Microsoft. After Steve Ballmer 's departure as Microsoft's CEO, Microsoft investors attempted to exert pressure on

1995-685: A more aggressive multiplatform strategy. In September 2024, Spencer announced another round of layoffs affecting 650 staffers in "corporate and supporting functions" following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In an interview with Bloomberg News in November 2024, Phil Spencer expressed a desire to continue acquiring studios, specifically taking interest in Chinese developers and partnerships with mobile game publishers similar to their relationship with Tencent Games , whom they collaborated with to produce Age of Empires Mobile . Spencer also confirmed that

2128-837: A much smaller office space in Santa Monica at the Pen Factory (a former Paper Mate factory) from Kite Pharma , which had leased the space from Lincoln Property Company. With the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft in October 2023, Activision Blizzard as a whole, including the Activision Publishing subdivision, became a separate division under the Microsoft Gaming arm of Microsoft. On March 8, 2024, 600 Activision QA workers in Texas, Minnesota and California unionized under

2261-508: A new acquisition strategy, starting with the acquisition of Mojang Studios , the developer of Minecraft , for $ 2.5 billion. Between 2014 and 2019, MGS also acquired several high profile studios, including Ninja Theory , Playground Games , Obsidian Entertainment and inXile Entertainment . These acquisitions were aimed to help position MGS as the company's premier first-party development house comparable to PlayStation Studios for Sony . Microsoft launched Xbox Game Pass in 2017, marking

2394-416: A new advertising campaign titled "This is an Xbox", intent on showcasing the various compatible devices that can access Xbox games and services beyond the traditional consoles, such as Windows PCs, Samsung Smart TV sets, and streaming devices like Amazon Fire TV through cloud streaming. Xbox Senior Marketing Director Craig McNary stated that the campaign's message was to illustrate "the evolution of Xbox as

2527-499: A new storefront in the mobile game industry to rival Apple and Google and break the mobile duopoly. In 2023, Bloomberg reported that Microsoft Gaming is in talks with video game publishers for a partnership to launch a mobile store aimed at competing with Google Play and App Store in the mobile gaming market. In 2024, Sarah Bond announced that Microsoft Gaming would be launching its own mobile game store in July of that year, starting with

2660-716: A notable presence at events such as E3 and Summer Game Fest in the United States, Gamescom in Germany, Paris Games Week in France, the Tokyo Game Show in Japan, and CCXP in Brazil. The company organizes major gaming conventions such as BlizzCon and QuakeCon , and also have other shows, including Developers Direct , Xbox Partner Preview , Xbox Games Showcase , Inside Xbox and Xbox X0 . Phil Spencer emphasized that participating in large gaming expos and maintaining transparency

2793-407: A number of acquisitions of studios to help build out the Xbox software library over its first decade, including Bungie , Lionhead Studios , and Rare while establishing internal studios 343 Industries for Halo development and Turn 10 Studios for Forza games. In 2014 after Satya Nadella was promoted to CEO (combined with the ascension of Phil Spencer to head of Xbox), Microsoft embarked on

SECTION 20

#1732868841877

2926-516: A number of video publishers, including Activision, over concerns about lack of A.I. protections which concern not only video game actors, but also the use of A.I to replicate an actor’s voice, or create a digital replica of their likeness. In 2003, the company was awarded the Game Developers Choice "First Penguin" award in recognition of its place as the first third-party developer. Microsoft Gaming Microsoft Gaming

3059-590: A pivotal year in which the company reevaluated its strategy to focus on a service-based business model rather than exclusive titles. This strategic shift allowed Microsoft to distinguish itself from other console manufacturers . By prioritizing a service-oriented business model with the Xbox Game Pass, Microsoft differentiated its approach from traditional console strategies that often relied heavily on exclusive game titles to attract users. Instead of competing solely based on exclusive content, Microsoft aimed to offer

3192-602: A platform that extends across devices," thus being evocative of a future where their games and content are accessible on a variety of hardware and software. Microsoft Gaming develops and produces the Xbox line of home gaming consoles along with associated peripherals. The company supports the consoles with online services, utilizing the base Xbox network . Since the late 2010s, Microsoft began combining its standard paid subscription service, originally known as Xbox Live Gold, with Xbox Game Pass , which in addition to online multiplayer and matchmaking support, provides subscribers with

3325-511: A profit, Kotick led Activision to start seeking acquisitions of video game development studios, guided by market surveys to determine what areas of content to focus on. It is estimated that between 1997 and 2008, Activision made 25 acquisitions, several for undisclosed amounts. Several of these came prior to 2001, in the midst of the Dot-com bubble , enabling the company to acquire studios at a lower valuation. On June 16, 2000, Activision reorganized as

3458-410: A purchase with Davis, Kotick and additional investors bought Mediagenic in a hostile takeover for approximately $ 500,000 in 1991. This group of investors included real estate businessman Steve Wynn and Philips Electronics . Kotick became CEO of Mediagenic on its purchase and made several immediate changes: He let go of all but 8 of the companies' 150 employees, performed a full restructuring of

3591-783: A rotating library of games to play through the Xbox, on Windows computers, or through cloud gaming . Among the video game franchises owned by Microsoft Gaming include Call of Duty , Halo , Minecraft , Warcraft , Diablo , StarCraft , Overwatch , The Elder Scrolls , Fallout , Crash Bandicoot , Spyro , Banjo-Kazooie , Battletoads , Killer Instinct , Perfect Dark , Doom , Wolfenstein , Quake , Dishonored , Pillars of Eternity , Wasteland , State of Decay , Hellblade , Gears of War , The Evil Within , Fable , Forza , Tony Hawk's , Guitar Hero , Skylanders , Microsoft Flight Simulator , Age of Empires and Candy Crush . The business isn’t how many consoles you sell. The business

3724-538: A significant part of Microsoft's gaming strategy. In 2022, Microsoft announces Xbox Game Pass surpassed 25 million subscribers. Microsoft Gaming is investing over $ 1 billion in the gaming market annually to expand the Game Pass library by bringing in third-party games. By February 15, 2024, the number of Xbox Game Pass subscribers reached 34 million. Microsoft Gaming launched Xbox Cloud Gaming for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers on September 15, 2020. Xbox Cloud Gaming

3857-583: A significant position in the multiplayer gaming, serving as one of the leading publishers of multiplayer and live-service games along with Take-Two Interactive , Electronic Arts and Tencent . Popular multiplayer titles under Microsoft Gaming's umbrella include Minecraft , Sea of Thieves , Grounded , Call of Duty: Warzone , World of Warcraft , Hearthstone , Overwatch 2 , Diablo IV , The Elder Scrolls Online , Fallout 76 , Halo Infinite , State of Decay 2 , and many others. Microsoft Gaming has had difficulties finding success in

3990-536: A single sale. Around 2006, Kotick contacted Jean-Bernard Lévy , the new CEO of Vivendi , a French media conglomerate. Vivendi had a games division, Vivendi Games , that was struggling to be viable at the time, but its principal feature was that it owned Blizzard Entertainment and its highly successful World of Warcraft game, which was drawing in $ 1.1 billion a year in subscription fees. Vivendi Games also owned Sierra Entertainment . Lévy recognized Kotick wanted control of World of Warcraft , and offered to allow

4123-487: A statement, claimed that Activision Blizzard had already been planning to eliminate a significant number of jobs while still operating independently, and that these layoffs are unrelated to the merger. After several studio closures, multiple Microsoft employees and video game journalists criticized Microsoft for its decision. Dinga Bakaba, the studio head of Arkane Lyon , publicly criticized Microsoft Gaming executives for their decision to close several studios. He emphasized

Midway Studios Los Angeles - Misplaced Pages Continue

4256-508: A strategic partnership focused on expanding the availability of NetEase video games across various Microsoft Gaming platforms. Microsoft Gaming shut down three development studios on May 7, 2024: Alpha Dog Games in Canada, Arkane Austin in the US, and Tango Gameworks in Japan. Additionally, Roundhouse Studios will merge with ZeniMax Online Studios in the US. According to Microsoft Gaming, this move

4389-401: A successful inroad into getting their games into China, a potentially lucrative market. Given this potential opportunity, Kotick agreed to the merger. Activision's board signed on to the merger by December 2007. The merger was completed in July 2008. The new company was called Activision Blizzard and was headed by Kotick, while Vivendi maintained a 52% share in the company. The new company

4522-415: A web-based version before expanding further. The store will initially showcase its first-party portfolio, featuring popular titles such as Candy Crush Saga and Minecraft . Subsequently, it will welcome other publishers to join. Microsoft entered the home video game console market in 2001 with release of the first-generation Xbox . It since has manufactured three successive systems, as of 2023, as part of

4655-459: Is Microsoft's cloud gaming service designed to allow users to play high-quality video games via streaming on a variety of devices. The service uses cloud technology to enable gaming on devices such as smartphones, tablets and PCs without the need for high-end hardware. Microsoft Gaming oversees the management and licensing of its gaming franchises to external production studios. The division has expressed that these partnerships are aimed at bringing

4788-426: Is a part of a larger "reprioritization of titles and resources" that Microsoft's gaming division is carrying out. The intention is to boost investment in their library of games and new intellectual assets while focusing on high-impact titles. Some teams have been reassigned to other projects inside Bethesda and ZeniMax, and production on some games has stopped as a result of these companies closing. In June 2024 during

4921-641: Is an American video game publisher based in Santa Monica, California . It serves as the publishing business for its parent company, Activision Blizzard , and consists of several subsidiary studios. Activision is one of the largest third-party video game publishers in the world and was the top United States publisher in 2016. The company was founded as Activision, Inc. on October 1, 1979, in Sunnyvale, California , by former Atari game developers upset at their treatment by Atari in order to develop their own games for

5054-588: Is an American multinational video game and digital entertainment division of Microsoft based in Redmond, Washington established in 2022. Its five development and publishing labels consist of: Xbox Game Studios , Bethesda Softworks (publisher of ZeniMax Media ), Activision , Blizzard Entertainment , and King (the latter three are publishers of Activision Blizzard ). It produces the Xbox video game consoles and services, in addition to overseeing production and sales, and

5187-451: Is an active [Atari 2600] owner who doesn't have at least one Activision cartridge in his library". The company completed its public offering in June 1983 on NASDAQ under the stock ticker AVSN. The success of Activision, alongside the popularity of the Atari 2600, led to many more home consoles third-party developers as well as other home consoles. Activision produced some of its Atari games for

5320-766: Is crucial for Microsoft Gaming, emphasizing that they will not compel a video game studio to create a sequel. Microsoft Gaming will support developers in making whatever they want. Microsoft Gaming's video game development business holds a strong position in the video game industry, regularly developing widely played titles. In certain video game genres such as first-person shooter (FPS) and role-playing games (RPG), Microsoft Gaming has held market dominance, owning popular FPS franchises like Call of Duty , Halo , Doom , Quake , Rage , and Overwatch , as well as RPG franchises such as The Elder Scrolls , Fallout , Fable , Pillars of Eternity , Wasteland , Warcraft , and Diablo . Starfield has become

5453-458: Is defined as the combined total of console hardware, console game content, and console subscriptions. As of 2023, with a 45% market share in PlayStation system hardware, games, and services, Sony remains the worldwide industry leader, followed by Nintendo with a 27.7% market share and Microsoft with a 27.3% market share. Sony has a 70% share of the global high-end console market, while Microsoft has

Midway Studios Los Angeles - Misplaced Pages Continue

5586-580: Is essential to connect with their business partners, fans, consumers and various gaming communities, showcase their latest innovations, and engage with fans on a global scale. Following the troubled launch of Redfall , Phil Spencer, in an interview with Kinda Funny Games , has apologized to the fans and pledged to provide a more robust roadmap for releasing high-quality games. Microsoft Gaming has faced criticism from video game journalists and industry observers regarding its strategic acquisitions. The company's move to acquire major gaming publishers, including

5719-422: Is how many players are playing the games that they buy, how they play. —Phil Spencer on Xbox's business Microsoft Gaming's strategy in the video game industry is characterized by a commitment to inclusivity and accessibility. The company aims to reach a wider audience and meet different gaming preferences by publishing games on mobile , PC and Xbox platforms . At the center of Microsoft Gaming's strategy

5852-416: Is led by CEO Phil Spencer , who has overseen Xbox since 2014. Prior to 2022, Microsoft had several different video game-related product lines, including Xbox hardware, Xbox operations, and game development studios. Microsoft Gaming was created with the announcement of Microsoft's plans to acquire Activision Blizzard to unify all of Microsoft's gaming groups within a single division. With the completion of

5985-438: Is most affected by layoffs. Project Odyssey , a game that Blizzard Entertainment has reportedly been working on for six years, has been cancelled. Toys for Bob and Sledgehammer Games reportedly lost over 30% of their staff due to layoffs. Microsoft Gaming also reportedly laid off the entire internal customer support team of Activision Blizzard and the team dedicated to bringing Xbox games to physical retail. Johanna Faries,

6118-441: Is selling consoles at a loss, losing $ 200 per unit sold. However, Microsoft Gaming is compensating for this loss by taking a 30% cut from sales of third-party games on its platform. Microsoft and Sony have been longstanding rivals in the console hardware market since 2001. The competition reached a peak during the seventh console generation, with the Xbox 360 emerging as the primary competitor to Sony's PlayStation 3 (PS3). In

6251-487: Is the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. This service offers a variety of game libraries for a monthly fee, emphasizing a shift towards a content-first platform. Microsoft Gaming's chief financial officer (CFO), Tim Stuart, has asserted that Microsoft ceased disclosing the number of consoles sold in 2016 because their focus shifted towards content, services, and increased customer spending. Phil Spencer has expressed that his vision for Xbox has consistently aimed at shifting

6384-491: Is to expand the games with big communities. Phil addresses the gaming industry's stagnation, acknowledging its impact on job cuts and tough decisions within companies. He emphasizes the necessity of industry growth for sustainability, advocating for a focus on expanding the player base rather than solely maximizing revenue from existing players. By prioritizing Xbox's growth through attracting new players and supporting creators, Phil aims to ensure long-term strength and success for

6517-523: The Amiga line of personal computers. After failing to complete purchase, the group bought a company that licensed Nintendo characters, and through Nintendo was directed to the failing Mediagenic. Kotick was drawn to buy out Mediagenic not for its current offerings but for the Activision name, given its past successes with Pitfall! , with hopes to restore Activision to its former glory. After failing to negotiate

6650-641: The California Civil Rights Department on behalf of women employed by the company. Activision Blizzard also agreed to take steps to ensure “fair pay and promotion practices” at the company. On December 5, 2023, 300 quality assurance (QA) workers at ZeniMax Media announced that they were organizing a union. In June 2023, Microsoft and the Communication Workers of America (CWA) announced a labor neutrality agreement. This agreement enabled Activision Blizzard employees to freely establish

6783-625: The Call of Duty franchise. This includes a new studio, Activision Mobile, devoted to the Call of Duty Mobile title as reported in August 2021. In 2021, while all their employees were working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic , Activision and its parent Activision Blizzard vacated their longtime headquarters building in Santa Monica and ended their lease with Boston Properties . In September 2021, they subleased

SECTION 50

#1732868841877

6916-676: The Commodore 64 , Apple , and Atari 8-bit computers to avoid completely going out of business like other third-party developers. There still was a drain of talent through 1985 from the crash. Miller and Whitehead left in 1984 due to the large devaluation of their stock and went on to form Accolade . With the video game crash making console game development a risky proposition, the company focused on developing for home computers with games like Little Computer People and Hacker , while Levy tried to keep expenditures in check as they recovered. Looking to expand further, Activision acquired, through

7049-548: The Communication Workers of America (CWA), marking it as the largest union in the United States video game industry . On May 16, 2024, Activision announced the establishment of Warsaw -based studio Elsewhere Entertainment, assembled for the development of a new narrative-based AAA IP not associated with other Activision series like Call of Duty . The studio comprises various developers associated with other narrative-driven gaming franchises such as The Last of Us , Uncharted , The Witcher and Far Cry among others; at

7182-461: The Intellivision and ColecoVision consoles, among other platforms. However, several new third-party developers also arose, attempting to follow the approach Activision had used but without the experience they had; according to Crane, several of these companies were founded with venture capital and hired programmers with little game design experience off the street, mass-publishing whatever product

7315-674: The Minecraft animated television series, to be produced by WildBrain ; the Gears of War live-action feature film as well as its adult animated spin-off series, to be produced by Netflix ; the Grounded animated television series, to be produced by Bardel Entertainment ; and others. The division also manages the motion picture production company Activision Blizzard Studios . In terms of international engagement, Microsoft Gaming has actively participated in key gaming expos worldwide. The company has been

7448-533: The Xbox brand. Microsoft's latest gaming hardware, the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S , were released in November 2020. The Series X is a high-performance console with powerful hardware for native 4K gaming, while the Series S offers a more affordable option with a focus on digital gaming at lower resolutions. Xbox Series X/S consoles sold 21 million units in total by 2023. Phil Spencer emphasized that Microsoft Gaming

7581-610: The third-person shooter (TPS) and single-player genre, finding it difficult to compete with industry leaders like Sony , Take-Two Interactive, Nintendo, Capcom , and Square Enix in this space. Despite intense efforts, the company faced difficulties in establishing itself and gaining the same level of recognition and market share as its competitors. This competitive landscape presented challenging obstacles that prompted Microsoft Gaming to re-evaluate their strategy and potentially explore other genres or approaches to improve their market position. Microsoft Gaming attempted to gain traction in

7714-514: The Activision Blizzard acquisition in 2023, Microsoft became one of the largest gaming companies, the third- by revenue and the largest by employment . The division owns intellectual property for some of the most popular, best-selling , and highest-grossing media franchises of all time, including Call of Duty , Candy Crush , Warcraft , Halo , Minecraft , and The Elder Scrolls . Up through 2000, Microsoft had only

7847-646: The American market. In 1988, Activision began involvement in software besides video games, such as business applications. As a result, Activision changed its corporate name to Mediagenic to better represent all of its activities. Mediagenic consisted of four groups: In 1989, after several years of losses, Activision closed down the Infocom studios, extending to only 11 of the 26 employees an offer to relocate to Activision's Silicon Valley headquarters. Five of them accepted this offer. Notably during this time, Mediagenic

7980-565: The Great Circle (2024) from Bethesda and MachineGames , which was originally announced as an Xbox Series X/S console exclusive , would launch on PlayStation 5 in Spring 2025 following its Xbox and PC launch in December 2024. On the decision to pursue a PS5 release for the title after initially amending the licensing terms with Lucasfilm to exclude the platform from distribution plans, Spencer cited

8113-485: The Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft announced that the upcoming Doom: The Dark Ages (2025) from id Software would launch simultaneously on multiple platforms, with Spencer detailing that the decision to develop a PS5 version stemmed from the series' prior multiplatform history and persuasion from the developers. Jerret West, Xbox's chief marketing officer , left Microsoft Gaming at the end of June 2024. West led

SECTION 60

#1732868841877

8246-466: The acquisition of Infocom . After a management shift, with CEO Jim Levy replaced by Bruce Davis , the company renamed itself to Mediagenic and branched out into business software applications. Mediagenic quickly fell into debt, and the company was bought for around US$ 500,000 by Bobby Kotick and a small group of investors around 1991. Kotick drastically revamped and restructured the company to get it out of debt: dismissing most of its staff, moving

8379-438: The acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming doubled the number of video game employees, studios and its revenue with the addition of Activision Blizzard to the company. In 2023, during an interview with Famitsu , Phil Spencer announced that, leveraging Activision Blizzard's capabilities, they are now planning to release a first-party video game every three months. Phil Spencer also talked about how creative freedom

8512-545: The back cover. Instruction manuals for games devoted at least one page to credit the developer. Additionally, for nearly all of Activision's games through 1983, the instruction manuals included instructions for sending the company a photograph of a player's high scores to receive a patch in return. Ahead of the release of the first four games, Activision obtained space at the mid-year 1980 Consumer Electronics Show to showcase their titles, and quickly obtained favorable press. The attention afforded to Activision worried Atari, as

8645-559: The beloved gaming universes to a wider audience through the medium of television. Licensed completed works or those in production include the following: the Halo television series, produced by Showtime Networks and released in 2022; the Fallout television series, produced by Amazon MGM Studios and released in 2024; the Minecraft feature film, produced by Warner Bros. with a release in 2025;

8778-475: The biggest Bethesda game launch of all time. Eleven of the twelve best-selling video games released in the United States in the last thirteen years were from the Call of Duty franchise. Microsoft also has a strong presence in the real-time strategy (RTS) sub-genre, platformer genre and racing game genre with popular franchises such as Age of Empires , StarCraft , Crash Bandicoot , Spyro , Banjo-Kazooie , and Forza . Microsoft Gaming holds

8911-402: The brand's focus from being primarily console-centric to becoming a content-first platform, with a strong emphasis on prioritizing player engagement over sheer console sales. Phil Spencer expressed his viewpoint by stating that the essence of the business lies not in the quantity of consoles sold but in the number of players actively participating in and enjoying the games they acquire, as well as

9044-544: The companies to merge, but only if Lévy held the majority shares in the merged group, forcing Kotick to cede control. Kotick fretted about this decision for a while, according to friends and investors. During this time in 2006–2007, some of Activision's former successful properties began to wane, such as Tony Hawk's , so Activision bought RedOctane , the publisher of the Guitar Hero franchise. Kotick met with Blizzard's president Mike Morhaime , and learned that Blizzard also had

9177-630: The company develop a sequel, Return to Zork . Combined, these steps allowed Mediagenic to fulfill on the bankruptcy plan, and by the end of 1992, Kotick renamed Mediagenic to the original Activision name. The new Activision went public in October 1993, raising about $ 40 million , and was listed on NASDAQ under its new ticker symbol ATVI . By 1995, Kotick's approach had met one promise he made to investors: that he would give them four years of 50% growth in revenues while remaining break-even. Reaching this goal, Kotick then set Activision on his second promise to investors, to develop high-demand games and make

9310-453: The company fell short of its diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives. There have also been concerns about whether Microsoft will address the toxic work environment at Activision Blizzard following the acquisition. Microsoft pledged to address the toxic workplace environment at Activision Blizzard after the acquisition. On December 16, 2023, Activision Blizzard agreed to pay approximately $ 54 million to settle discrimination claims brought by

9443-733: The company profitable by 1997. Activision published the first-person perspective MechWarrior in 1989, based on FASA 's pen-and-paper game BattleTech . A sequel, MechWarrior 2 , was released in 1995 after two years of delays and internal struggles, prompting FASA not to renew their licensing deal with Activision. To counter, Activision released several more games bearing the MechWarrior 2 name, which did not violate their licensing agreement. These included NetMech , MechWarrior 2: Ghost Bear's Legacy , and MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries . The entire MechWarrior 2 game series accounted for more than US$ 70 million in sales. Activision procured

9576-472: The company to Los Angeles, and reverting to the Activision name. Building on existing assets, the Kotick-led Activision pursued more publishing opportunities and, after recovering from its former financial troubles, started acquiring numerous studios and various types of intellectual property over the 1990s and 2000s, among these being the Call of Duty and Guitar Hero series. A holding company

9709-523: The company to either sell or shut down its gaming business. However, these efforts did not gain significant traction. Microsoft's gaming division, including products such as the Xbox console, has remained a strategic focus for the company. Under the leadership of Satya Nadella , who assumed the role of CEO in 2014, Microsoft has continued to invest in and expand its presence in the gaming market. Since 2009, Microsoft's games operations, including Xbox division, are located at Microsoft West Campus . MGS made

9842-463: The company to its distributors as to keep them vested in the company's success; this included convincing Philips Electronics , Magnavox's parent company, to convert their legal debt into stock in Activision. Kotick also had the company reissue several of its past console and Infocom titles as compilations for personal computers. Kotick had also recognized the value of the Zork property from Infocom, and had

9975-426: The company treat developers as record labels treated musicians, with royalties and their names on game boxes. Kaplan, who called the others "the best designers for the [2600] in the world", recalled that Kassar called the four men "towel designers" and claimed that "anybody can do a cartridge". The four made the decision to soon leave Atari and start their own business, but were not sure how to go about it. In 1979,

10108-590: The company was prototyping a possible handheld Xbox console, though stressed that "such a device is a few years out." Spencer commented on Microsoft Gaming's efforts to establish a first-party Xbox storefront for mobile devices amidst ongoing conflicts with platform holders such as Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc. , who respectively control the App Store and Google Play , saying that he envisions an environment where such companies are more open to hosting Xbox's content in co-existence with their marketplaces. He also addressed

10241-522: The company will continue to operate as a separate business. While part of the larger Microsoft Gaming division, Activision retains its function as the publisher of games developed by their studios. In 1976, Warner Communications bought Atari, Inc. from Nolan Bushnell to help accelerate the Atari Video Computer System (Atari VCS or later the Atari 2600) to market by 1977. That same year, Atari began hiring programmers to create games for

10374-409: The company's ongoing plans to publish their first-party games on competing platforms such as PlayStation and Nintendo consoles, stating that he did not see "red lines" in their franchise portfolio with regards to games considered for release on such systems, but that certain tentpole franchises like Halo had not reached a consensus at this early stage. During the month, Microsoft Gaming launched

10507-474: The company, developed a bankruptcy restructuring plan, and reincorporated the company in Los Angeles, California. In the bankruptcy plan, Kotick recognized that Mediagenic still had valuable assets, which included the Infocom library as well as its authoring tools to make games, Activision's distribution network, and licenses to develop on Nintendo and Sega home consoles. Kotick offset some debt by giving stock in

10640-406: The concept of third-party developers did not exist, as software for video game consoles were published exclusively by makers of the systems for which the games were designed; thus the common thinking was that to make console games, one needed to make a console first. The four decided to create their own independent game development company. They were directed by their attorney to Jim Levy , who

10773-857: The criticism was directed at Matt Booty, President of Game Content and Studios, for his past management of Xbox Game Studios division. Microsoft Gaming has faced criticism on multiple occasions for video game layoffs. In 2022, 343 Industries lost over 60 employees due to layoffs, leading to public criticism from several former 343 Industries employees regarding Microsoft's leadership and management policies. In 2024, Microsoft Gaming underwent another round of layoffs, with Microsoft laying off 1,900 employees. Additionally, during this time, Microsoft canceled Blizzard Entertainment's new game Project Odyssey , which also garnered criticism from fans and journalists. FTC expressed concern that Microsoft's layoffs seemed inconsistent with past claims of preserving operational autonomy post-Activision Blizzard acquisition. Microsoft, in

10906-463: The day the acquisition was announced, Phil Spencer formed the Microsoft Gaming business, taking over as CEO, while Matt Booty headed Xbox Game Studios. Spencer's role includes all Microsoft's global interactive entertainment business across all devices and services. In 2022, ZeniMax Media, acquired Nemesys Games, a Hungarian video game development studio. Following the acquisition, Nemesys Games

11039-415: The developers had made. This was a contributing factor to the video game crash of 1983 . For Activision, while they survived the crash, they felt its effects in the following years. These third-party developers folded, leaving warehouses full of unsold games, which savvy retailers purchased and sold at a mass discount ( $ 5 compared to Activision's $ 40 manufacturer's suggested retail price ). While there

11172-470: The development of the Amiga personal computer as he wanted to be more involved in hardware development. Total sales for Activision were estimated at $ 157 million and revenues at $ 60 million ahead of its June 1983 initial public offering ; at this point Activision had around 60 employees. Danny Goodman stated in Creative Computing Video & Arcade Games in 1983, "I doubt that there

11305-650: The evolving digital entertainment landscape. Phil Spencer emphasized that for the Xbox brand to remain relevant, it must establish its presence on mobile, PC, and console platforms simultaneously. With the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming has become a significant player in the mobile gaming industry. It owns one of the largest mobile game developers and publishers, King, and publishes popular mobile games such as Candy Crush Saga , Fallout Shelter , Diablo Immortal , Warcraft Rumble and Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile . Phil Spencer has reiterated multiple times that Microsoft Gaming desires to launch

11438-402: The first few years of the company. While their 1980 games were modest hits, one of the company's first successful games was Kaboom! , released in 1981, which was Activision's first game to sell over a million units. Activision's breakout title was 1982's Pitfall! , created by Crane. More than four million copies of the game were sold. Near the end of 1982, Kaplan left Activision to work on

11571-404: The first major game distributed in this format. Davis' management of Mediagenic failed to produce a profitable company; in 1991, Mediagenic reported a loss of $ 26.8 million on only $ 28.8 million of revenue and had over $ 60 million in debt. This debt included a $ 6 million penalty against Mediagenic in May 1990 after losing patent infringement lawsuits filed against it by Magnavox over

11704-401: The flagship series, with support from Raven and other studios as necessary. In February 2010, Activision Blizzard reported significant losses in revenue stemming from a slow down in Guitar Hero sales and from its more casual games. Subsequently, Activision Publishing shuttered Red Octane, Luxoflux and Underground Development as well as laid off about 25% of the staff at Neversoft. Within

11837-432: The former general manager of the Call of Duty franchise, officially took on the role of the new president of Blizzard Entertainment on January 29, 2024, commencing her position on February 5. Simultaneously, Matt Cox assumed the position of the new general manager of the Call of Duty franchise. In February, Toys for Bob's office closed, and employees will work remotely. After rumors in early February 2024 that Microsoft

11970-402: The four's departure had already created a major dent in their development staff. Atari initially tried to tarnish Activision's reputation by using industry press at CES to label those that took trade secrets as "evil, terrible people", according to Crane, and then later threatened to refuse to sell Atari games to retailers that also carried these Activision titles. By the end of 1980, Atari filed

12103-951: The future, but specifically stated that these titles would not include Starfield nor Indiana Jones and the Great Circle . Phil Spencer stated that one of the reasons for this decision is to grow the Microsoft Gaming franchises, and he anticipates that in the next 5–10 years, console-exclusive games will be a smaller part of the gaming industry. In addition, the Podcast stated that the next generation of Xbox hardware would likely be discussed in late 2024, and that Microsoft would start bringing Activision Blizzard games to Game Pass, starting with Diablo IV in March 2024. Microsoft Gaming announced that four games will be released on other platforms, namely Pentiment , Hi-Fi Rush , Grounded , and Sea of Thieves . On February 29, 2024, Activision developer Toys for Bob announced their intentions to spin off from

12236-483: The game content and studios division led by Matt Booty, while Xbox marketing, led by Chris Lee, would move to the Xbox organization and report to Xbox president Sarah Bond. On August 7, 2024, Krafton reached an agreement with Microsoft Gaming to acquire Tango Gameworks as well as the Hi-Fi Rush IP . On August 20, 2024 during Gamescom: Opening Night Live , Microsoft announced that the upcoming Indiana Jones and

12369-430: The game mostly unfinished. Katz and Sega were forced to take the incomplete game to Electronic Arts , which had been developing its own John Madden Football series for personal computers, to complete the game. During this period Mediagenic, via Activision, secured the rights to distribute games from Cyan Worlds . The first game published by Activision from Cyan was The Manhole , on CD-ROM for personal computers,

12502-451: The importance of taking care of artists and entertainers in the video game industry, highlighting that their role is to create value for corporations. Booty was also criticized for comments he made during a town hall meeting with employees following the closures, in which he stated that Microsoft needed “smaller games that give us prestige and awards,” which many saw as hypocritical as one of the studios that Microsoft closed, Tango Gameworks ,

12635-409: The key acquisitions and investments made by Activision in this period include: While Activision was highly successful with its range of developers and successful series, Kotick was concerned that they did not have a title for the growing massively multiplayer online market, which presented the opportunity for continued revenues from subscription models and microtransactions instead of the revenue from

12768-446: The latter half of 1979, each programmer developing their own game that was planned for release in mid-1980: Dragster , Fishing Derby , Checkers , and Boxing . The four's knowledge of the Atari 2600, as well as software tricks for the system, helped them make their own games visually distinct from Atari-produced games. To further distinguish themselves, Activision's boxes were brightly colored and featured an in-game screenshot on

12901-459: The license to another pen-and-paper-based war game , Heavy Gear , in 1997. The video game version was well received by critics, with an 81.46% average rating on GameRankings and being considered the best game of the genre at the time by GameSpot . The Mechwarrior 2 engine was also used in other Activision games, including 1997's Interstate '76 and 1998's Battlezone . With several of its own successfully developed games helping to turn

13034-424: The manner in which they choose to engage with them. By February 2024, Microsoft Gaming began planning to release their games on other platforms as part of a pivot in strategy to grow their franchises and compete with online game platforms like Fortnite and Roblox . Phil Spencer has stated that Xbox will continue to make exclusives and Game Pass will still be at the center of their strategy, but their goal

13167-466: The marketing efforts for the Xbox Series X/S consoles and his team was responsible for developing marketing plans for games, hardware, and Xbox Game Pass. Following his departure, Microsoft is reorganizing some of its marketing teams. A new, expanded central gaming marketing team is set to be created under Kirsten Ward, VP of Xbox integrated marketing. Consequently, games marketing would become a part of

13300-463: The next decade. Additionally, Microsoft Gaming sold Activision Blizzard's cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft for 15 years due to regulatory pressure from the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. After several regulatory challenges, the deal was closed on October 13, 2023. The total cost of the acquisition amounted to $ 75.4 billion. This made Microsoft the third largest publisher of video games after Tencent and Sony Interactive Entertainment . On

13433-462: The notable purchase of ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard , has sparked debates about potential monopolistic tendencies. Critics argue that such acquisitions may concentrate too much power within Microsoft, raising concerns about healthy competition within the gaming industry. Various Video game journalists have criticized Microsoft Gaming of attempting to create a monopoly by acquiring two significant gaming publishers. The concern centers around

13566-427: The number of monthly active players had reached 500 million following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Microsoft created Xbox Game Pass in 2017. Xbox Game Pass is a subscription service that offers a vast library of games for a monthly fee. This includes a mix of first-party titles, third-party games, and titles available across PC and console platforms. The service has been praised for its value and has become

13699-617: The parent company of id Software , MachineGames , Arkane Studios , publisher Bethesda Softworks and others, to further expanding its portfolio of game development studios. ZeniMax remained a separate entity from XGS from its acquisition though overseen by Spencer. Microsoft announced its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard for $ 68.7 billion in cash on January 18, 2022. Simultaneously, Microsoft announced that Xbox Game Studios, ZeniMax Media and Activision Blizzard will fall under Microsoft Gaming, Microsoft's newly formed gaming division. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer stated that one of

13832-504: The perceptual gap. PlayStation 4 and Nintendo Switch have surpassed Xbox One due to their design and large portfolio of first-party games. In 2017, Xbox began rethinking its tactics and placing more emphasis on exclusive content and gaming-focused methods to better compete in the market. The Xbox Series X/S consoles continued to face challenges in competing against the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 (PS5). The console gaming market

13965-585: The platform and the industry as a whole. Microsoft Gaming, as of October 2023, is the third largest video game publisher in the industry following Sony and Tencent . Microsoft Gaming owns three major video game publishers: Xbox Game Studios, ZeniMax Media (through Bethesda Softworks), and Activision Blizzard (which includes Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, and King). In addition, Microsoft Gaming also publishes third-party games with Xbox Game Studios Publishing and helps indie video game studios to self-publish their own games with ID@Xbox . Since Microsoft entered

14098-417: The popular Atari 2600 home video game console. Activision was the first independent, third-party, console video game developer. The video game crash of 1983 , in part created by too many new companies trying to follow in Activision's footsteps without the experience of Activision's founders, hurt Activision's position in console games and forced the company to diversify into games for home computers, including

14231-439: The positive reception to the prior four Xbox titles released on other platforms in the earlier half of 2024, in addition to a need to maintain a strong business and interest in their franchises as they work to grow the Xbox ecosystem. Spencer also called to attention that the gaming industry was undergoing changes in the methods by which games were developed and distributed, that Microsoft was prepared to anticipate when considering

14364-505: The potential impact on market competition, with skeptics worrying that the consolidation of major titles under one umbrella might limit choices for gamers and stifle innovation. There has been controversy surrounding Microsoft's mismanagement of their gaming studios. Following the failed launch of Halo Infinite and Redfall , critics have started to criticize Microsoft for this issue. There have been reports about Everwild and Perfect Dark also being in development hell. Most of

14497-551: The primary reasons for acquiring Activision Blizzard is to enter the mobile gaming market. Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick mentioned that they accepted the offer to access more talent, capitalize on the growing demand in the gaming industry, and to compete with rising gaming companies from China and Japan . Microsoft Gaming has entered into several 10-year agreements with gaming companies including Sony, Nintendo , Nvidia , Boosteroid, Ubitus, Nware, and EE to bring Call of Duty to their respective platforms over

14630-432: The publisher to become an independent studio but confirmed that they were open to working with both Activision and Microsoft on future projects. On April 9, 2024, Microsoft Gaming and NetEase Games announced an agreement to bring Blizzard Entertainment games back to China . Previously, Blizzard terminated a publishing deal with NetEase in 2022. Microsoft Gaming also revealed plans to bolster their collaboration through

14763-509: The same year, Activision shuttered Budcat Creations in November 2010, and Bizarre Creations in February 2011. Hirshberg left the CEO position in March 2018. Into the 2020s, Activision put more focus on the Call of Duty franchise, including the release of the free-to-play Call of Duty: Warzone in 2020. By April 2021, the company had assigned all of its internal studios to work on some part of

14896-450: The similarities of Activition's games to Magnavox's patents. Cyan severed their contract with Activision, and turned to Broderbund for publishing, including what would become one of the most significant computer games of the 1990s, Myst . Bobby Kotick had become interested in the value of the video game industry following the crash, and he and three other investors worked to buy Commodore International in an effort to gain access to

15029-737: The start of 2024 to help with the transition. In an email sent to employees, Bobby Kotick announced that he would leave the Activision Blizzard on December 29, 2023. Following Bobby Kotick's departure, Activision Blizzard has undergone organizational changes to realign with Microsoft Gaming. Vice Chairman of Activision Blizzard, Thomas Tippl; President of Activision, Rob Kostich; President of Blizzard Entertainment, Mike Ybarra; and President of King, Tjodolf Sommestad, have begun reporting to Matt Booty, President of Game Content and Studios. The leadership teams at Activision, Blizzard Entertainment, and King remained unchanged. CCO Lulu Meservey departed Activision Blizzard on January 31, 2024. After assisting with

15162-505: The starting business plan; he came back later to join Activision that December. Activision was formally founded on October 1, 1979, with Levy serving as CEO. The company was initially named "Computer Arts, Inc." while they considered a better title. The founders had thought of the name VSync, Inc., but feared that the public would not understand or know how to say it. Levy suggested combining "active" and "television" to come up with Activision. Activision began working out of Crane's garage in

15295-603: The subsequent generation, Sony's PlayStation 4 (PS4) outperformed Microsoft's Xbox One , selling twice as many consoles. During the eighth generation of gaming consoles, the PlayStation 4 sold 117 million units, the Nintendo Switch sold 133 million units, and the Xbox One sold 58 million units. Sony's success is attributed to its exclusive game catalog and marketing techniques. Microsoft initially prioritized multimedia features over gaming capabilities; Sony has managed to exploit

15428-570: The success of other Metaverse games. The company strategically positioning itself in the Metaverse trend, evident in its efforts to strengthen its gaming portfolio and explore opportunities for social interactions and monetization strategies within virtual environments. Microsoft's strategic positioning through acquisition of Activision Blizzard to play a significant role in shaping the future of gaming by integrating Metaverse elements into its gaming ecosystem. Microsoft Gaming plans to remain competitive in

15561-538: The system. Prior to Warner's acquisition, the company did not award bonus pay to programmers who worked on profitable games, nor credit the programmers publicly, to prevent them from being recruited by rival game companies. Warner Communication's management style was also different from Bushnell's. According to developer John Dunn , Warner management treated developers as engineers rather than creative staff, creating conflicts with staff. Atari's CEO Ray Kassar , named to that position following Warner's acquisition in 1978,

15694-442: The third-person single-player genre by developing titles like Gears of War , Quantum Break , and Sunset Overdrive . However, despite these efforts, the company continues to face challenges in competing successfully in this genre, struggling to match the market dominance of competitors such as Sony and Nintendo. Today, big games like Fortnite and Roblox can actually be bigger than any one platform, and that really has changed

15827-501: The time of announcement they were recruiting more staff to create a " state-of-the-art and next-generation gaming experience", as well as a franchise with "an enduring legacy that goes far beyond games." In July 2024, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) actor labor union, which provides numerous video game voice actors, would initiate a labor strike against

15960-466: The transition, Thomas Tippl, along with several other top Activision Blizzard executives, departed from the company in March 2024. Microsoft Gaming laid off 1,900 staff (approximately 8% of its workforce) in January 2024. Additionally, Blizzard's president Mike Ybarra and Blizzard's co-founder and chief design officer Allen Adham left the company. Blizzard Entertainment reportedly is the organization that

16093-749: The video game industry in 2001, Sony has consistently been viewed as its main competitor. But, Microsoft Gaming has stated that their main competitors are big tech companies, specifically Amazon , Google and Apple . Among the gaming franchises owned by Microsoft, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time, with 300 million units sold, while Call of Duty is the 4th best-selling video game series of all time with 425 million units across multiple installments sold and $ 30 billion in revenue. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that Microsoft Gaming now owns 20 franchises that have each generated over $ 1 billion in lifetime revenues. Candy Crush Saga alone generated $ 20 billion in lifetime revenue. Following

16226-604: The way we think about things. —Matt Booty on online game platforms Microsoft Gaming has stated that its acquisition of Activision Blizzard reflects a strategic effort to tap into the growing Metaverse trend in the gaming industry. For Microsoft, the Metaverse concept involves creating online game platforms where users can interact, similar to popular games like Grand Theft Auto V , Fortnite , and Roblox . Microsoft aims to incorporate strong social features and effective monetization strategies within games like Call of Duty , Minecraft and World of Warcraft to establish

16359-628: Was at the time raising venture capital to get into the software business for early home computers. Levy listened to their plans, agreed with its direction, and helped the four to secure about $ 1 million in capital from Sutter Hill Ventures . They also checked with legal counsel on their plans to develop games for the Atari VCS, and included litigation fees in their capital investment. By August, Crane and Miller had left Atari, with Whitehead joining them shortly after. Kaplan had also quit Atari in August, but initially decided not to join as he did not like

16492-415: Was behind the critically acclaimed and award-winning game Hi-Fi Rush . In 2022, an investigation conducted by Kotaku revealed concerns about the studio environment at Undead Labs , suggesting the presence of sexism within the company. The studio's new leader, Philip Holt, who succeeded Strain, and the then-Head of HR, Anne Schlosser, were both implicated in fostering this problematic culture. Following

16625-401: Was closed and most of its assets were purchased by publisher THQ , who only offered about 40% of the studio's personnel new positions within the company. Many of the laid-off developers were hired by High Moon Studios . This United States video game corporation or company article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Activision Activision Publishing, Inc.

16758-408: Was committed to keeping production costs minimal for Warner, according to David Crane , one of Atari's programmers . In early 1979, Atari's marketing department circulated a memo listing the best-selling cartridges from the previous year to help guide game ideas. Crane noted that the games he was fully responsible for had brought in over $ 20 million for the company but he was still only receiving

16891-518: Was developing Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks . Following the acquisition by Midway, Paradox Development was renamed to Midway Studios – Los Angeles Inc., sometimes called "Midway Los Angeles" or "Midway L.A." In 2008, Midway Los Angeles was relocated and merged with Midway's San Diego office. The following year, publisher Midway Games filed for bankruptcy, and in August 2009 the Midway San Diego studio

17024-632: Was estimated to be worth US$ 18.9 billion , ahead of Electronic Arts , which was valued at US$ 14.1 billion . Activision Publishing remains a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard following the merger, and is responsible for developing, producing, and distributing games from its internal and subsidiary studios. Eric Hirshberg was announced as Activision Publishing's CEO in 2010. Activision Publishing established Sledgehammer Games in November 2009. Formed earlier in 2009 by Glen Schofield and Michael Condrey , former Visceral Games leads that had worked on Dead Space , Sledgehammer intended to develop

17157-477: Was formed as Activision's parent company to manage both its internal and acquired studios. In 2008, this holding company merged with Vivendi Games (the parent company of Blizzard Entertainment ) and formed Activision Blizzard, with Kotick as its CEO. Within this structure, Activision manages numerous third-party studios and publishes all games besides those created by Blizzard. In October 2023, Microsoft acquired parent company Activision Blizzard, maintaining that

17290-411: Was known to have worked on the early version of a football game that would be the basis for Joe Montana Football . Sega of America's Michael Katz had been able to get Sega to pay Mediagenic around early 1990 to develop this into the branded version after securing the rights to Joe Montana 's name, but was unaware of internal troubles that had been going on within the company, which had left the state of

17423-620: Was looking to bring its first-party exclusives to either PlayStation 5 or Nintendo Switch, and that Microsoft may be leaving the hardware business, Microsoft held a special installment of the Official Xbox Podcast scheduled on February 15, 2024, to address the future strategy of Microsoft Gaming and Xbox, with Phil Spencer appearing alongside head of Xbox Sarah Bond and Matt Booty, president of Game Content and Studios at Microsoft Gaming. Spencer announced that four Xbox-exclusive games will be released on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch in

17556-494: Was officially renamed to ZeniMax Online Studios Hungary. Shortly after completion of the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft further reorganized Microsoft Gaming. In this move, the Xbox hardware line was brought into Microsoft Gaming led by Sarah Bond . Matt Booty was made president of game content and studios, which includes oversight of Xbox Game Studios and ZeniMax Media, while Activision Blizzard also remained directly under Spencer, with Bobby Kotick remaining as CEO until

17689-468: Was still a demand for Activision games, uneducated consumers were more drawn to the heavily discounted titles instead, reducing their income. Their quarterly revenue dropped from $ 50 million in mid-1983 to about $ 6–7 million by the end of 1984, according to Levy, and they were forced to lay off staff, going from about 400 employees to 95 in that period. Because of this, Activision decided that they needed to diversify their games onto home computers such as

#876123