Video Games
Microsoft to Acquire Activision Blizzard, ‘Diablo’, ‘WarCraft’ And ‘StarCraft’ Franchises For $70 Billion
And the Microsoft machine grows.
After snagging Bethesda Softworks in 2020 for $7.5 billion, Microsoft has just outdone themselves by acquiring Activision Blizzard for a whopping $70 billion. This means that once the deal closes, Microsoft will now own the Warcraft, StarCraft and Diablo franchises.
“Over many decades, the studios and teams that make up Activision Blizzard have earned vast wellsprings of joy and respect from billions of people all over the world,” reads the statement from Xbox head Phil Spencer. “Upon close, we will offer as many Activision Blizzard games as we can within Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass, both new titles and games from their catalogue.”
“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.”
This shocking announcement also coincides with Microsoft announcing that their Xbox Game Pass has now reached 25 million subscribers.
What this means for the currently-in-development Diablo IV, which is being developed for PC, PlayStation and Xbox, is unknown. Microsoft is allowing Tango Gameworks to complete the PlayStation 5 version of Ghostwire: Tokyo (which is expected later this Spring), so there’s some reassurance for Sony fans there.
Xbox owners feeling left out over SFB Games’ throwback Survival Horror title Crow Country coming to Steam and PlayStation? Never fear, as the developer has secured an Xbox Series release via the Microsoft Store, which will launch on May 9th as the other platforms. And to celebrate, Xbox owners also get a new trailer announcing Crow Country coming to the platform alongside the PlayStation 5 and PC.
In this brand new horror inspired by classics from the original PlayStation, Crow Country takes place in the year 1990. It’s been two years since the mysterious disappearance of Edward Crow and the abrupt closure of his theme park, the eponymous Crow Country. You are Mara Forest, and you’re searching for some answers from Crow. You’ll need to venture deep into the abandoned Crow Country theme park and uncover the secrets behind its Crow’s sudden disappearance.
Crow Country will see you immerse yourself in a richly atmospheric, deeply sinister world evocative of late 90s pre-rendered graphics. You’ll need to make every bullet count as you manage limited resources and try to survive against the creatures that stalk the eerily tranquil grounds of the amusement park.
Monsters aren’t your only problem, however. Crow Country hides many secrets behind its locked gates, requiring you to overcome the gauntlet of puzzles and challenges that stand between you and the truth. And for those who want to immerse themselves in the atmosphere without having to battle against the inhabitants of the park, there’s the “Exploration Mode”, which switches off the combat to focus entirely on solving the mystery and exploration.
Crow Country will be available for $19.99 USD. You can also check out the demo on Steam.
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