Gamers React to Microsoft's Activision Acquisition

gamerant.com:

This morning's massive announcement of Microsoft's $68.7 billion cash acquisition of Activision Blizzard and all of its development studios and IPs sent shock waves throughout the industry. Reactions and hot takes were a dime a dozen as gamers questioned what it would mean for the future of video games, the "console war," Activision Blizzard's ongoing legal and work culture struggles, and more.

Most of the talk and reactions surrounding Microsoft's buyout of Activision mainly existed on two fronts: What does this mean for future Call of Duty releases, and how Microsoft settle Activision Blizzard's ongoing workplace culture issues. As the day wore on, some stances were clarified by Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, and other statements compiled by the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Video Games Chronicle, and others.

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First off, what does it mean for the future of Call of Duty and other multi-platform games? Reactions were strongest as Xbox will now control two of the biggest FPS games on the market in Call of Duty and Halo. Activision still has a marketing deal with Sony to bring certain exclusive content to PlayStation first until 2024. After that, all bets are off that the console will even get another Call of Duty game. And what will that mean for Overwatch, Diablo, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, Crash Bandicoot, and more games that were traditionally multi-platform and exist under the Activision publishing roof? Statements by Phil Spencer made some vague assurances that some titles will remain multi-platform. But the same was also said after the Bethesda deal and outside preexisting agreements to release games like Deathloop and the