Reshaping the Gaming Landscape: The Activision Blizzard Acquisition Effect

Ready to have your mind blown by the nitty-gritty details of Xbox's mammoth acquisition of Activision Blizzard? Brace yourself, as we promise to take you through the labyrinth of this phenomenal agreement, shedding light on its financial dynamics and implications for Xbox, and the future of gaming. We'll also get our hands dirty discussing potential impacts on the iconic franchises such as Call of Duty. Yes, you heard it right; certain titles could be available for a limited time only!

As if that wasn't enough, we'll walk you through Microsoft's intriguing pivot towards mobile gaming, spearheaded by their acquisition of the mobile game Candy Crush. We break down the probable consequences for Xbox and its fanbase, and discuss how this move could position Microsoft ahead of Sony and Nintendo in the gaming race. And, of course, we take a step back to evaluate how this shift could impact the broader gaming industry. Strap in for an enlightening and electrifying journey into the world of gaming acquisitions and strategy, with us your dedicated hosts.

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:06

Let's do this. Welcome everybody to another episode of the Game of Traffic show. I'm your host, mike Sasson. To the Marko House, sip, your mace, how you doing today. Everybody get up for Mr Amazing on today's Game of Traffic show. This is the big topic show, mr Amazing. We're talking about only one topic and this topic is finally as I rock, was it? Finally, that's right. Xbox is finally. Boy Activision slash, blizzard, mr Amazing Well fine, I mean it's already.

Speaker 2 0:38

it was set in stone for a while, but it was just legal legality that prevented it from happening. But we finally can say, as I think it was, wednesday come a couple of days ago, friday the 13th the 13th. Oh, it was Friday the 13th, happy. Oh, I thought it was actually this week. Happy though. Friday the 13th, brother, friday the 13th. So this is about a week ago that this occurred, where Xbox and Activision Blizzard finally closed out a deal that they've been in making for two years.

Speaker 1 1:01

Yes, michael, michael saw, finally put a ring on it.

Speaker 2 1:03

They probably put a ring on it. Michael, can you please give them the price break of what it costs for this? I know I'm just going to say that's a lot of money.

Speaker 1 1:10

It's a 69.1, but 8, 68.7 billion more money than me.

Speaker 2 1:16

You ever see. It is the most expensive acquisition of any studio in gaming history Surpassing, I think. Before that was. I think it was the best. The best side of the world was pretty expensive too. That thing was like an 8.8 billion, I think. The one they acquired best side of the world I can never pronounce that word when Xbox acquired best side of the world, right B-E-T-H the studio when they acquired them, that was one of the high ones too. But yeah, but this one killed it.

Speaker 1 1:46

I mean, it's amazing. Yes, Let me ask you a question If you want to know this topic. This is our number one topic. What does this deal mean for the Xbox and the Xbox fans?

Speaker 2 1:59

Well, I feel like you're not going to see the effects of this at least a year from now. Probably not. Yes, so that's definitely not because for all those who think they're going to get called a duty they want a game pass it ain't happening. For those who think it's going to be just an Xbox exclusive, it will be, but not with the Call of Duty franchise, I think the other franchise first.

Speaker 1 2:17

All the first franchise players will have to pay nice BS, but it's going to make every game Elder Scrolls, sony PlayStation fan. It's not coming. The next one no, it's not coming. No, I think it will. No, I think it will no, I think it will, michael, because they talk about the dollar signs, this dollar sign.

Speaker 2 2:33

So I think it will, but eventually it will be what's my brain working. And also remember he signed a contract with Switch Nintendo to keep it on there.

Speaker 1 2:43

And wait what PlayStation?

Speaker 2 2:45

Elder. No, that's Call of Duty.

Speaker 1 2:46

No no Call of Duty. Call of.

Speaker 2 2:47

Duty, call of Duty I'm talking about. I think those other game titles you said will be there but for limited time.

Speaker 1 2:53

Which one? Well, how long time you're going to do it? What do you mean? I can do it.

Debate Over Console Exclusivity

Speaker 2 2:56

I can do it, you're going to give it for one month, you can have it. No, no, no, no. I mean like I think the next iteration of it, the next game that dropped, will be on all studios. Some consoles again, what, what?

Speaker 1 3:06

What, what, what, I think. For example Go, please play it to me.

Speaker 2 3:10

So you said You're asking now, please, no, no. For example, you. I'm going to break down what you just said. Yeah, you said Elder Scrolls. It won't be on a PlayStation. Yes, Are you talking about immediately, or are you talking about the next one that comes out?

Speaker 1 3:21

Okay, well, you try. No, I don't think it'll never be on PlayStation.

Speaker 2 3:24

You think it'll never be on.

Speaker 1 3:25

PlayStation.

Speaker 2 3:25

No, I think that's false Okay go ahead, tell me and the reason I think that's false is because you have games like People say Minecraft, no, no, no, minecraft. You have games like God of War. After a year or two that went on to PlayStation, right, why are you comparing that? Yeah, but it's, but you have to. You have to compare that because it went on to the PC.

Speaker 1 3:45

You have to say not, not, and one else's PC, Exactly You're not going head to head.

Speaker 2 3:50

Exactly, exactly. I know that, but I also think because of that, I think the same reason behind that. I think it's going to be the same thing with this.

Speaker 1 3:58

That makes no sense. So I think it is.

Speaker 2 4:00

It is because you can still squeeze dolls out of it by putting on the Sony. Why not squeeze more dolls out of it? Because guess, guess, what's getting paid? I'm getting paid, it's still my, it's my thing, so why not? Why? All right, my mic. All my ex-mob people got it. So all right, it's a year two out, but that's what we have, it's going to get more and more out of the way.

Speaker 1 4:16

So you're saying that after year two that might happen Possibility? Yes, I do think that Possibility.

Speaker 2 4:19

I can squeeze more money out of it. Possibility? I don't think that, though. That's my rationale behind it, but what?

Speaker 1 4:26

so you still think it won't happen at all? No, I don't think it will. I think we have like smaller titles, yeah.

Speaker 2 4:33

It probably starts off with small time and they'll finish. It's a big time. I think the big, the bigger time. To take a long time to make it away to the Sony systems now I think it's more than a year. You might have to wait like two, two, three years before you sit on a Sony. I mean we see a high horizon of eventually made it to it's facts, though Michael is not. I could squeeze. I'm talking about the dollar signs. I could get more money out of it by letting it go on the PC.

Speaker 1 5:07

I know it's not going on the mic on the S box, I'm just talking about dollar signs, for example, final fantasy remake yes, it's supposed to be on your exclusive for allegedly for a little while.

Speaker 2 5:19

Yes.

Speaker 1 5:19

Where is it?

Speaker 2 5:20

Where's it still. It's the hasn't made its way. Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 5:23

Same same thing.

Speaker 2 5:25

Possibly you're right, like you say, like we just said, the reason possibly, but I think that reason we haven't seen it on that, because I think that's just more of like a gut punch, like oh, where do you? I'm gonna be petty. I think they've been petty beyond with you. I think they are because of this whole acquisition. They've been petty I don't think they are.

Speaker 1 5:40

They didn't want starfield to be on PlayStation.

Speaker 2 5:44

Allegedly.

Speaker 1 5:49

Allegedly allegedly several people, several sources, outlets have appointed that don't get allegedly.

Speaker 2 5:54

Yeah, they probably want to be on and understand why. Because Microsoft needed a freaking hit. They needed a big hit. Come on. Come on, what's the biggest that they had this year and the last two, three, two years in this has been around three years, anything more.

Speaker 1 6:09

The fourth and more the sport is that sometimes they needed it.

Speaker 2 6:12

They needed start from the be exclusively for they, but now I think they're gonna have multiple exclusive games, that where they can Allow these things to go to the Sony system. But you know, we'll see. We'll see, though, man, but that said, are you excited about this, michael, before this is doing it for you? This is, it's just no it.

Speaker 1 6:32

Is it waiting for you, for me? Because I think when Microsoft bought these companies, those companies were not on the high up. Okay, no, game cell wasn't being blockbuster. This is keeping 100. I agree with you. I said you know call of duty, yes, call of duty has always been a blockbuster thing. Um, what is?

Speaker 2 6:50

it. I think this the biggest thing behind this whole. I was just called duty. You and I both said several shows. That's there. You know they got the world's best first person shooter now in their System. The hottest thing the world cold, cold, live service, live service. And then people making money off it by leveling up. Stuff. I mean. Yeah, I mean, what do you think is the biggest acquisition after call duty, though I Mean should be my hindsight. Yeah.

Speaker 1 7:16

I think um insomnia games inside of your games. Okay, they put a bang after banger they do, they do.

Speaker 2 7:25

I mean, if you're gonna specific, I'm gonna go with Blizzard's um Roll the Warcraft. You know, I think that one is gonna be. It's gonna take the cake, even even if you and I don't play it. Guitar is a very big game too, man. I love a lot of people play that man.

Speaker 1 7:45

The last time you play a guitar hero what, that's not off.

Speaker 2 7:48

I said you're not gonna play it. Yo, you got the computer for you. Look at the cells for guitar here.

Speaker 1 7:58

But when? The last time, the last time we're here for five years ago Come on, mr Mason.

Speaker 2 8:03

Yeah, but it's happening. It's still a banger, though, for you.

Speaker 1 8:07

You can get two car heroes stuff on eBay like for 24 20 bucks. They're probably right out of here. I do time to come back, yeah.

Speaker 2 8:17

My things. Let's read. It addresses what's the Microsoft gonna do with. From the president Bobby. Um, yeah cuz remember he's a he's a, he's a hot water. He has a sexual allegedly has sexual allegations against him. Yo, he has a lot of stuff like are you keeping him? Like I can't see him being a face.

Impact of Acquisitions in Gaming Industry

Speaker 1 8:39

Oh boy, he's taking the money in peace out juices.

Speaker 2 8:42

No, but I think, yeah, my things, you made a transition. I think he gets fired very soon. He's not getting fired, it's gonna be a step down.

Speaker 1 8:48

He's only what's the big deal. I make it, guys, money over money.

Speaker 2 8:52

I'm with you, but my thing is yeah, but you have money, money. What do you want? What do?

Speaker 1 8:56

you want.

Speaker 2 8:57

Exactly you know, we, you and I know he's fine, he could chill. For us it's like you don't have to work again, but when you have money for money, you just saw the biggest happen.

Speaker 1 9:08

This is just happening, yeah you will be pointed out a lot of times. No, I think you think Keep them up.

Speaker 2 9:13

He's stepping away, so you gotta step it away. Step it away. Okay, I think I'm gonna fire him. That's what. I did, they're gonna fight, they're gonna release them they got.

Speaker 1 9:21

are they gonna? Are they gonna you know what's the deal is going? They'll please gonna go away.

Speaker 2 9:24

That's about mine I mean this shit happened that way. I mean you just, and also you just acquired seventeen thousand new staff, so you got to show them a new leadership. So I mean gotta make it work.

Speaker 1 9:36

Yeah, but like I said even with, and we discussed before when Sony and Nintendo, a wide by all these tools Is, the more you buy, that's more people you have to manage to use a man and we see what Microsoft they were read for yeah, that did a time of drive thumbs down.

Speaker 2 9:53

Yeah, that one did drop the ball, that one. We both agree on that.

Speaker 1 9:56

It's like wait. It's very hard to juggle all that manpower.

Speaker 2 9:59

It is it is and then nothing is. You want to release things without interfering with you know, but other studios, like you don't know. You want to bear from one of your students coming at the same time as another, which is good at times, but, like you, don't want to keep correct clash with each other because it hurts cells.

Speaker 1 10:15

So that's another thing you gotta worry about. I just look at it, it's just, and press for the course of triple a games. It's a. It's a pain in the butt.

Speaker 2 10:23

I mean, though you talk you, you don't seem like a friend of the trend, the transaction.

Speaker 1 10:27

I said a fan, trust you, I'm not, I'm not saying it's good, I mean we all expected to happen. We knew. I said I said I said 80%, not I think a year ago I said be very difficult. You know, don't be surprised doesn't happen. Yeah, it did happen, but it was a struggle. Yeah, it was struggling to make it happen. The only thing that's playing about Microsoft. Microsoft is a building down company. They couldn't build internal studios. That would be nice If I were tech was who doesn't want to work Microsoft?

Speaker 1 10:56

of course I think it's your phone call.

Speaker 2 10:58

With you. But my thing is, you know, keeping it rolling. Do you think there'd be another acquisition as big as this?

Speaker 1 11:05

You, many studios unless, unless you're buying Sony or Nintendo. No, the only big one, that's the other. Somebody buying Capcom and Cock-com is on the rise, except that stupid dino Christ fake game that came out.

Speaker 2 11:21

I thought you're gonna say more like oh my god, I'm going blank taste to Grand Theft Auto people to Say that that's a big act.

Speaker 1 11:36

Capcom has a bigger as a big portfolio.

Speaker 2 11:50

Yeah, that's a big acquisition, that's a few muggers. Acquisition was on the 2k. Yes, okay, exactly.

Speaker 1 12:01

You think, you think I got bigger than that? How does a bigger portfolio? To have you just scrimmed at one studio, capcom is a biggest portfolio of games.

Speaker 2 12:11

They might. We got the right, you got the. Obviously got the Street Fighter, you got I guess you're right, I mean it's I think neck-to-neck cuz you, cuz rocks are so big now I think neck-to-neck. But you were game, you know profile game, wise variety.

Speaker 1 12:25

Yeah, it is Capcom, but like I think number wise, I think might be neck-to-neck numbers wise, I'm far for the bigger portfolio.

Speaker 2 12:33

So you think before, before the number wise more brighter games. Why would I what? I would agree with you on that. But they wise dollar bills, y'all, and I think Castro's everything around me, I think. I think the numbers, man, but I'm not mad at that though. Hey, no wrong either, or?

Speaker 1 12:54

well, let me ask you this yes, sir, this acquisition, what does it mean for PlayStation?

Speaker 2 12:59

That's where we're always to see. That's where you think it's.

Speaker 1 13:03

PlayStation for the pressure to go by a big time studio.

Speaker 2 13:07

I think they did during the whole transaction just happening. I think things are settling and they see that they're still dominating the market. So I think right now they're on a let's wait and see no ship. Remember they still got the code doing the biggest one. So after the contract, as with that, I think, if they don't got nothing in play, I Think that's something to fill the pressure.

Speaker 1 13:31

Yeah, I just look at. You could always create your own type of call duty.

Speaker 2 13:36

Right after the same thing you did. But when someone has a what 20 here, let go on you. It's hard.

Speaker 1 13:43

It's hard.

Speaker 2 13:44

It's hard because we see other games that never made it like well, though, and I will use to play. Oh what Well, forget that. What you? Simply you, big rainbow, six games like that. Then there was a rainbow six.

Speaker 1 13:54

Change the whole thing. The constant yeah, but I stopped playing, we were sick. Out for the other concept, what's?

Speaker 2 13:58

other working. I was very popular to a one-point. Okay, yeah, it's in my mind of honor better of honor. Well, I love better honor. Better of honor was that I'll put them to PC before I went to the consoles with that one.

Speaker 1 14:08

I mean go and Sonic always.

Speaker 2 14:10

You know, really great that studio that's true, but it's hard because that's the the, the fan base.

Speaker 1 14:18

But it won't be made, even with that love at that time.

Speaker 2 14:21

But Anything happen it can happen, but we see people, we see people we see in headway.

Speaker 1 14:27

Chance can knock a wolf famous who was most popular head getting knocked out.

Speaker 2 14:31

My Tyson got knocked out by guy that Be knocked him out.

Speaker 1 14:36

We see what happens. You're right, stuff happens. But I mean it's like, I mean I'm sorry, what would you?

Speaker 2 14:43

buy. That's what we, just that's the key question and I don't cap calm once.

Speaker 1 14:47

You bought boy. No, why square enix.

Speaker 2 14:50

What, why, why do I want to be bought when I have my own thing going where ain't? This is fine exactly.

Speaker 1 14:57

Fine, I mean the partnership is good, you know. I mean why buy the cow, you get the milk, exactly, exactly, exactly. I'm with you on that one. You know I'm saying so. I don't know, I really don't know. I mean they could create in terms to only that word. Oh, sony, is this live service BS? Yeah, and we see all the live live games are going downhill. Yeah, so We'll see man, but also miss me. Finish, mr Mason, I'm with you. What's the beef in the 10-doh?

Speaker 2 15:31

What is the 10-doh? Have to worry. The 10-doh is like whatever. We're worse with the older system in the. I went to know this. We never had big block was against out of Marion's other and we still rock it.

Speaker 1 15:44

So you said the big box against all mario's out there. So I'm a second.

Speaker 2 15:47

They never had. Like you know, they always had their big boss of games, like they never worried about, yeah, other people, yeah. So to me they're in the cut. They're like, whatever, what's they gonna do what we do? I don't think they would care.

Speaker 1 15:57

They don't have the theme parks, they have the clothing movie.

Speaker 2 16:00

The funny thing about it I know too is that they're neutral, where I can work. I think both the other two consoles would be like I. Okay, I want to put.

Speaker 1 16:08

Nintendo neutral. I just think they're. They're peening a different space. To certain extent they are. They are. I mean they're both in the same equal system, but they're spreading out to different, a different section of the ecosystem.

Speaker 2 16:21

Yeah, I agree with that. I agree with that, like I'm, the tennis good is gonna do their own thing and it's always done the whole thing and the fact that they never struggled.

Speaker 1 16:29

they've been going around since 1980, 1978. Yeah, that's why they call the Godfather Gaming.

Speaker 2 16:35

They are they are, and then all they do is sell, sell, sell, and where every year everyone's like, oh, who's Nintendo? They drop a powerful system. Oh, we want to see this game on Nintendo. It's like whatever.

Speaker 1 16:46

As you told before, nintendo switch with the red, the red edition, red edition. Yeah, then when?

Speaker 2 16:52

I came out with the game, which is a very good game, guys, I got it. I'll just playing it. It's a very good game. I'll be about five words already, but that's like.

Speaker 2 16:57

Yeah, yeah, he holding up the show. I was holding up the show because I was playing it. I'd be like five words or such a very good game. I was surprised by it. So it's my Mario Bros Wonders. So those who want to know what I'm talking about, I throw a bind. It it's actually very good. I like it. I like it. It's actually not bad. But yeah, like to get back to you is like look at the trophies up. They dropped this, they dropped that game and when they dropped alongside it, they dropped a new, a red edition Mario switch and it's selling like hot King because it's Mario in a color red. Whatever reason, red people love the color red, and because of that, nintendo doubled their sales of the switch in a week's time in Japan. So it was just crazy. I guess you can imagine what the sales are here now too. So like they just continue to do what they do.

Speaker 1 17:39

But even when we go back, I'll go back to Sony, even though Starfield came out, yeah, and it also increased the sale for the Xbox, yeah, of course, guess who's the top selling system for September.

Speaker 2 17:52

I would think maybe it's Xbox, since Starfield came out.

Speaker 1 17:55

PlayStation 5.

Speaker 2 17:56

Obviously, if I still, I'll sold them. Yep, but we're pretty sure that's going for them. What? What do you say? Well, that's going for that month. What do you say? What do you say?

Speaker 1 18:07

It's my name is Places. All you need to know is it's placed is freaking.

Speaker 2 18:11

PlayStation, are you sure? No, because I feel like Starfield is. No, I mean, I'm not your rapper, I'm just, I'm just shocked.

Speaker 1 18:17

I'm just shocked. It is, it is.

Speaker 2 18:18

I'm just shocked, to be honest with you. Well, what about this month? It's going to be interesting. Let me spy on the man this month's, because you got Spiderman. I came up with that game, do you think you?

Speaker 1 18:31

can spy on the man I mean Mario going for it.

Speaker 2 18:35

I think those two will be neck to neck. Actually, they're going to be neck to neck actually, because Marisol you don't think that new King Kong game that comes out? Yeah, try third, fourth place, and then it was like third, fourth.

Speaker 1 18:47

People are viewing this game and it absolutely suck.

Speaker 2 18:49

Oh word.

Speaker 1 18:51

And the problem is it sucks so bad it might do game good game. So I'm not saying I'm going to make the top 10, but it might break the top 50. At least, there you go, yeah.

Speaker 2 19:02

But the back to what you said yeah, flip flop, mario or Spiderman. Yeah, who you taking, you know?

Speaker 1 19:09

Spiderman all day, every day, I'm going to say Mario, because I'm playing it.

Speaker 2 19:13

That's what really reason.

Speaker 1 19:15

I'm riding a dog with Spiderman.

Speaker 2 19:17

But I think you might be right actually too, so I'm not mad at that.

Speaker 1 19:22

Alright, mr Mace, you also want to?

Microsoft's Focus on Mobile Games

Speaker 2 19:24

say about this topic no, that's it. But you know, congratulations. Like we said, do not get your hype. Hope You're not going to see these things on the game pass this year. I think Phil's going to say that yeah so don't su-art Dude, don't know, just letting you guys know. One more thing, too. I forgot. We did forget to mention something too what With this acquisition? You know, microsoft owns like we probably mentioned already like the mobile game, because they really concentrate on the mobile games also.

Speaker 1 19:54

Everybody's trying to concentrate on the Sony Nintendo.

Speaker 2 19:56

Yeah, they're trying to get some mobile game action yeah, but the thing is that they not acquire number one silly mobile game over all time Candy Crush. I didn't even know that the thing sold towards it 20 billion just by itself. Oh, my god Damn. So they don't have that. So they said that they want to focus on that too. They will continue to make mobile games one of their focal points with this acquisition, so I think everybody says that Sony and said that Nintendo says that We'll see.

Speaker 1 20:24

I mean they already got. I mean they got the people in place. So they have a one up on those two companies. Yeah, that's true. All right, mr Maison. This is our main topic of the week Show. All right, mr Maison, we out Game of traffic. Please like and subscribe, leave your comments. Game of traffic is here, we're original.

Speaker 1 20:43

Nobody's like us, right, mr Maison? That's right. You go to every other pocket to say the same garbage. Well, if you talk about the same topic too. But we do it in a different way, different manner. All right, people. Peace and love Later y'all, and so we out.

Speaker 2 21:00

So glow.

Speaker 1 21:30

Yeah.