Post Activision Blizzard, Microsoft To Double Down On Game Publishing And Development

After nearly two years of negotiation, Activision Blizzard is finally part of Microsoft. With this, the tech giant now controls a large share of the game industry, and it plans to keep its foot on the gas. CEO Satya Nadella says that Microsoft is looking forward to doubling down both as a game producer and a publisher.

Speaking to Business Insider, Nadella touched on the survival of Microsoft, global regulation and governance of AI, among other topics. The interview also mentioned the steep US$69 billion it had to pay to acquire Activision Blizzard.

Nadella agreed with its hefty price tag, but reiterated that gaming has been a part of Microsoft since its inception. “When I think about Microsoft, I think of perhaps developer tools, proprietary software, and gaming,” Nadella said. “And so, to us, gaming is the one place where we think we have a real contribution to make in consumer markets.”

He added that consumers, especially younger generations, will continue to spend more time playing video games, whilst acknowledging the constant evolution of the game industry. “The way games are made, the way the games are delivered, is changing radically. Whether it’s mobile, or consoles, or PCs, or even the cloud,” Nadella said.” So, we’re looking forward to really doubling down both as a game producer and a publisher.”

He added that consumers, especially younger generations, will continue to spend more time playing video games, whilst acknowledging the constant evolution of the game industry. “The way games are made, the way the games are delivered, is changing radically. Whether it’s mobile, or consoles, or PCs, or even the cloud,” Nadella said. “So, we’re looking forward to really doubling down both as a game producer and a publisher.”

However, this doesn’t mean that the company is shelving its Xbox. Its CEO concluded by saying that Microsoft will focus on building gaming platforms as well.