The internet pretty much exploded the day Microsoft announced its intent to purchase Activision Blizzard. The Xbox merger isn’t expected to go through until sometime next year, and it still has potential hurdles to clear, first. However, a new job posting from Microsoft would seem to confirm that the company is looking at even more acquisitions. As spotted by Video Games Chronicle, the job posting is for “Manager, Gaming Strategy & Development,” and makes several references to both the company’s purchase of Bethesda Game Studios, and its announced purchase of Activision Blizzard.
“The Gaming Strategy & Development team serves as the corporate strategy function for Team Xbox. We partner closely with the Gaming Leadership Team to identify and evaluate transformative growth opportunities. Our charter includes helping to answer Microsoft Gaming’s most challenging business questions, leading Gaming’s M&A program (e.g., Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, Double Fine, etc.), and identifying and understanding key industry dynamics,” the job listing reads.
Nothing in the post explicitly says that Microsoft is planning to make more purchases, but it’s clear the company is looking for additional opportunities to do just that. PlayStation has similarly teased that it plans to make more acquisitions following its purchase of Bungie, so it makes sense that Microsoft would also need to continue to search for opportunities. These types of acquisitions also present a chance for Microsoft to bolster the amount of games offered through Xbox Game Pass, and that’s clearly seen as the biggest draw for the company’s hardware.
Hopefully, any such acquisitions will be a good thing for gamers, and for the industry. These types of purchases can have a negative impact on competition, and on consumers, but there are potential benefits, as well. The cost of AAA game development continues to rise, and companies like Sony and Microsoft can help smaller studios reach much wider audiences. For now, gaming fans will just have to wait and see what the future will bring, but clearly the acquisition arms race won’t be slowing down any time soon.
How do you feel about all these gaming acquisitions? Do you think they’re a good thing for the industry? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!
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