Microsoft is acquiring Activision Blizzard — Call of Duty, Warcraft, Overwatch to join Xbox

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The $68.7 billion deal will bring Activision Blizzard games to Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard
(Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft's thriving Xbox Game Pass added a slew of popular games thanks to last year's Bethesda merger, and now gamers can expect Call of Duty, Warcraft, and more as Microsoft has agreed to acquire Activision Blizzard.

Microsoft has announced the company is acquiring Blizzard, one of the biggest video game companies known for publishing Call of Duty, Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Spyro and more. The $68.7 billion deal is still underway, but when it closes, Activision Blizzard will report to Xbox boss Phil Spencer as CEO of Microsoft Gaming.

According to the Xbox blog post, both companies will continue to work independently until the deal is closed. Interestingly, Spencer states that Xbox will "offer as many Activision Blizzard games as we can within Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass." This means instead of going through Battle.net, many PC gamers will flock to Xbox Game Pass to play everything from the upcoming Diablo 4 and Starcraft.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

"The fantastic franchises across Activision Blizzard will also accelerate our plans for Cloud Gaming, allowing more people in more places around the world to participate in the Xbox community using phones, tablets, laptops and other devices you already own," said Spencer. "Activision Blizzard games are enjoyed on a variety of platforms and we plan to continue to support those communities moving forward."

Much like the Bethesda merger, we can expect new games from Activision being made Xbox and PC exclusives. This means games from developers such as Blizzard Entertainment, Beenox, Demonware, Digital Legends, High Moon Studios, Infinity Ward, King, Major and more.

Microsoft continues to grow, with the company stating it will be the "third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony." With titles such as Overwatch 2, Diablo 4 and more in the works, Xbox could see an impressive lineup of upcoming exclusives, which means Sony will have to up the ante when it comes to PS5 exclusives.

What does the future have in store for Call of Duty, Tony Hawk, Spyro, Hearthstone, Guitar Hero, Crash Bandicoot, StarCraft, and even Candy Crush? We'll have to wait and see. In the meantime, check out the best Xbox Game Pass PC games to play right now. 

Darragh Murphy
Darragh Murphy
Editor

Darragh Murphy is fascinated by all things bizarre, which usually leads to assorted coverage varying from washing machines designed for AirPods to the mischievous world of cyberattacks. Whether it's connecting Scar from The Lion King to two-factor authentication or turning his love for gadgets into a fabricated rap battle from 8 Mile, he believes there’s always a quirky spin to be made. With a Master’s degree in Magazine Journalism from The University of Sheffield, along with short stints at Kerrang! and Exposed Magazine, Darragh started his career writing about the tech industry at Time Out Dubai and ShortList Dubai, covering everything from the latest iPhone models and Huawei laptops to massive Esports events in the Middle East. Now, he can be found proudly diving into gaming, gadgets, and letting readers know the joys of docking stations for Laptop Mag.