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NEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft is laying off about 1,900 employees in its gaming division, according to an internal company memo, just over three months since the tech giant completed its $69 million purchase of video game maker Activision Blizzard. Those impacted worked on teams for Activision Blizzard as well as Xbox and ZeniMax — which are also owned by Microsoft. “As we move forward in 2024, the leadership of Microsoft Gaming and Activision Blizzard is committed to aligning on a strategy and an execution plan with a sustainable cost structure that will support the whole of our growing business,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer wrote in the memo. The union deal was part of a 2022 agreement with the CWA that helped address U.S. political concerns about the merger’s effects. So far, however, only a small set of Activision Blizzard divisions have formed unions.

Persons: Activision Blizzard, Phil Spencer, Mike Ybarra, ” Ybarra, “, ”, _________________ O'Brien Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Associated Press, Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming, Twitter, European Union, The U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Google, Riot, eBay, Communications Workers, CWA Locations: United Kingdom, European, U.S, Canada, Providence , Rhode Island

☆ Microsoft lays off 1,900 workers, nearly 9% of gaming division, after Activision Blizzard acquisition
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra said Thursday on social media platform X he would be leaving Microsoft and Blizzard. Activision Blizzard is the publisher and developer of several massive gaming franchises, including Call of Duty and Diablo. Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard was the company's largest ever acquisition, more than double the size of its 2016 purchase of LinkedIn. Unlike the Microsoft layoffs, eBay and SAP saw a significant bump in their share prices following their announcements. Read the full memo below:It's been a little over three months since the Activision, Blizzard, and King teams joined Microsoft.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Mike Ybarra, Spencer, Activision Blizzard, Candy, It's, we'll, I'm, Phil CNBC's Steve Kovach Organizations: Microsoft, CNBC, Activision Blizzard, Former, Blizzard, Activision, LinkedIn, Tech, Games, eBay, SAP, King, Microsoft Gaming, Leadership Team, Xbox

☆ Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to step down at the end of the year
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will step down from his role as head of the video game company on Dec. 29, according to an internal memo from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer on Wednesday. The leadership change was expected after Microsoft closed its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October. He first joined the company as Director and CEO of Activision Inc., in February 1991 before serving as CEO of Activision Blizzard beginning in July 2008. In a memo to employees Wednesday, Kotick expressed "gratitude and appreciation" for his time at Activision Blizzard. Thomas Tippl, the vice chairman of Activision Blizzard; Rob Kostich, president of Activision Publishing; Mike Ybarra, president of Blizzard Entertainment; and others will report to Matt Booty, the president of Microsoft's Game Content and Studios.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, Phil Spencer, Kotick, Bobby —, Spencer, Tony Hawk, Thomas Tippl, Rob Kostich, Mike Ybarra, Matt Booty, Brian Bulatao, Dave McCarthy, — CNBC's Jordan Novet Organizations: Activision, Microsoft Gaming, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Activision Inc, CNBC, Activision Blizzard's, Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, Blizzard, Gaming, CNBC PRO Locations: U.S, Europe

☆ Blizzard seeks new partners to continue offering World of Warcraft in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Blizzard Entertainment is in talks with potential partners about continuing to offer its popular World of Warcraft title in China, as its deal with Chinese gaming giant NetEase is set to wind down. Blizzard said last month that it would discontinue services for World of Warcraft and other games in China from January 2023, after failing to renew its contract with NetEase. The deal, first signed in August 2008, allowed Blizzard to offer World of Warcraft in the country, where it has since become wildly popular. World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online game that sees players role play as their own characters, embark on various quests and battle monsters. High did not say whether Blizzard plans to seek alternative distribution partners for its other games in China, which include Hearthstone, Starcraft and Diablo III.

Nov 17 (Reuters) - Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) said on Thursday it would suspend most Blizzard game services in mainland China once its current licensing agreements with NetEase (9999.HK) end in January. California-based Blizzard said new sales would be suspended in the coming days and players would receive further details. The absence of Blizzard games could cause a 6-8% drop in NetEase's revenue next year, analysts from Daiwa Capital Markets wrote in a research report on Nov. 9. The estimate is founded on the basis that licensed games account for around 10% of NetEase's total revenue and Blizzard accounts for 60-80% of licensed games. "We are looking for alternatives to bring our games back to players in the future," Blizzard President Mike Ybarra said in the statement.

☆ Blizzard will pull ‘World of Warcraft’ from China as NetEase deal ends
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Blizzard Entertainment said Thursday it will no longer offer games such as ‘World of Warcraft’ and ‘Hearthstone’ in China from next year once its deal with NetEase (NTES) ends, prompting shares in the Chinese internet giant to tumble. The games to be suspended include “World of Warcraft”, “Hearthstone”, “Warcraft III: Reforged”, “Overwatch”, the “StarCraft” series, “Diablo III”, and “Heroes of the Storm.”According to NetEase, the recently published “Diablo Immortal,” co-developed by NetEase and Blizzard, is covered by a separate long-term agreement, allowing its service to continue in China. The absence of Blizzard games could lower NetEase’s revenue by 6-8% next year, Daiwa Capital Markets wrote in a research report on Nov. 9. Blizzard Entertainment said upcoming releases for “World of Warcraft: Dragonflight,” “Hearthstone: March of the Lich King,” and season 2 of “Overwatch 2” will proceed later this year. “We are looking for alternatives to bring our games back to players in the future,” Blizzard President Mike Ybarra said in the statement.

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