What sort of things do you find intimidating, reader? We all get nervous about big things like interviews and exams, but some of us might also find smaller things like phone calls a little scary - and that’s okay too. Regardless, I would say that one thing you couldn’t blame anyone for being a bit daunted by would be making a $69 billion dollar acquisition.
Well, that’s exactly how Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has described his feelings about the ginormous buy-out of Activision, which is set to go through by about June next year. Speaking to Axios, he’s been talking a bit about his thoughts surrounding the whole thing, and what sort of tasks are on the horizon for the company as they go forward with the deal.
Before we go on, be sure to check out this amazing creation of a carbon fiber Xbox controller below.
It sounds like Spencer’s main concerns surround the thousands of employees who will be coming on board when the acquisition goes ahead, with him saying he feels a responsibility to provide "a long-term place for them where they can do their best work in a supported way.” He said: “That’s something well beyond anything I've ever done. I don't know that I'm equipped to do it, and the responsibility for that definitely hits home.”
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Despite the acquisition being absolutely massive though, Spencer says he doesn’t feel like it’s going to change anything in regards to Microsoft’s influence on the industry: “I do not feel like we're in a position, assuming this deal gets closed, to start to uniquely, on our own, shape policies around video games,” he said. “I want to stand for things that make teams better and people feel safe. I think we've been public about those things, but I would push back that we're in some kind of hyper power position that is unfettered. I don't believe that.”
Of course, a key part of supporting former Activision employees and making them feel safe will hopefully be in reshaping the working environment away from the harmful “frat boy” culture and unfair labour practices that were highlighted in the lawsuits which surfaced last year. That said, he didn’t provide a solid answer on whether or not the controversial Activision CEO, Bobby Kotick, is going to be taking proper accountability or not, or resign from his role: “One hundred percent of our focus is on the teams,” Spencer said. “We know there's work. We have our own work.”
Assuming the acquisition goes ahead, a whole load of IPs and franchises, including Crash, Spyro, and Call of Duty, are all set to belong to Xbox, which will certainly be interesting going forward. Currently, there are no plans to make COD an Xbox exclusive, though, so PlayStation users don’t need to worry about that.
Featured Image Credit: Activision Blizzard/Blizzard Entertainment, Microsoft/XboxTopics: Xbox, Microsoft, Activision, Activision Blizzard