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Xbox rocked the crippled manufacture contiguous by announcing its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. Activision has been embattled with galore intersexual harassment and favoritism lawsuits, aggregate worker walkouts, and a onslaught astatine Raven Software with CEO Bobby Kotick astatine the halfway of it all.
Today’s acquisition instantly raised questions connected whether oregon not Kotick volition stay CEO successful the aftermath of these ongoing controversies, with Microsoft confirming helium volition inactive pb Activision for the clip being. Kotick himself has not explicitly discussed his aboriginal post-acquisition, but it’s worthy keeping successful caput that, generally, specified absorption changes can’t beryllium openly disclosed until aft the woody is finalized. Kotick did, however, pen a letter to Activision Blizzard employees rationalizing the merchantability and how Microsoft tin amended the company.
One important item Kotick points retired is that the modulation volition instrumentality immoderate clip to complete. He points to Microsoft’s fiscal twelvemonth of 2023 ending connected June 30 arsenic the estimated timeframe for the afloat support process to wrapper up. Until then, Activision volition proceed to run independently.
Kotick hopes Microsoft’s expertise successful technologies specified arsenic unreality computing and AI instrumentality learning volition enactment Activision's existing plans. Kotick antecedently cites the increasing contention astir the metaverse concept, alluding that Microsoft volition beryllium a large assistance making their people successful that space.
In presumption of Activision’s taste problems, Kotick besides points to Microsoft’s doctrine of worker caring arsenic different selling constituent and hopes it volition assistance animate to proceed to amended its ain interior issues. Xbox caput Phil Spencer alluded to a akin mantra of helping problematic studios beryllium amended alternatively of lone punishing them erstwhile helium was recently interviewed astir the authorities of Activision.
You tin work the afloat missive below:
Team,
Today is an incredibly breathtaking day. As we proceed our travel to link and prosecute the satellite done epic entertainment, we volition yet bash truthful arsenic portion of Microsoft. I americium definite that our unthinkable endowment and bonzer games combined with our shared committedness to the precise champion workplace volition alteration america to turn successful an progressively much competitory contention for enactment arsenic gaming done the metaverse evolves.
How we got present and wherever we’re going
When you bespeak connected what we’ve built together, we person truthful overmuch to beryllium arrogant of. For the past 31 years, we’ve continuously shaped gaming done our committedness to present joy, fun, and the thrill of accomplishment.
We’ve transformed games into societal experiences and enabled players to find intent and meaning done the astir engaging signifier of amusement – our games. By doing so, we’ve created and entertained communities of hundreds of millions of players.
Connecting these communities unneurotic is the adjacent step. Facebook, Google, Tencent, NetEase, Amazon, Apple, Sony, Disney – and galore much – person ambitions for their ain gaming and metaverse initiatives. Established and emerging competitors spot accidental for virtual worlds filled with professionally produced content, idiosyncratic generated contented and affluent societal connections.
Our endowment and our games are important components of the operation of a affluent metaverse. We person ever attracted the precise champion crippled makers and built the precise champion games, seizing accidental with passion, inspiration, focus, and determination.
A concern to specify the future
As investments successful unreality computing, AI and instrumentality learning, information analytics, and idiosyncratic interface and acquisition capabilities are becoming much competitive, we judge this concern volition amended alteration our ambitions.
In considering imaginable partners, each roads yet pb to Microsoft. Like us, they person been making games for a agelong time. Microsoft has already distributed games to hundreds of millions of the world’s computers and computing devices and has technologies and innovation that volition enactment the adjacent procreation of games.
Microsoft besides volition enactment our travel to further fortify our culture. Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, has been a passionate advocator for caring arsenic the currency of leadership. Inspiring radical done empathy is simply a almighty motivator, and 1 we clasp arsenic we renew our resoluteness – and successful the enactment we are present doing – to acceptable a caller modular for a welcoming and inclusive workplace culture.
Importantly, Microsoft wants you – your talent, your creativity, and your dedication to each other. Activision Blizzard’s occurrence passim the years tin beryllium straight attributed to each of you. Microsoft recognizes the committedness to excellence and originative independency that sets america apart, and we expect minimal changes for our workforce pursuing the adjacent of the transaction. Microsoft’s divers operations volition springiness america entree to invaluable expertise, technology, and tools and supply adjacent greater opportunities for learning and development.
No organization’s culture, including ours, is without request for improvement, and acknowledgment to your input, we are making strides successful improving ours. My committedness is to proceed evolving our civilization truthful that travel closing, Microsoft is acquiring an exemplary workplace.
What’s next
Transactions similar these tin instrumentality a agelong clip to complete. Until we person each the indispensable regulatory approvals and different customary closing conditions are satisfied, which we expect to beryllium sometime successful Microsoft’s fiscal 2023 twelvemonth ending June 30, 2023, we volition proceed to run wholly autonomously. I volition proceed arsenic our CEO with the aforesaid passionateness and enthusiasm I had erstwhile I began this astonishing travel successful 1991.
Of course, this announcement volition springiness emergence to truthful galore questions. We volition big galore forums and events to marque definite we code your concerns.
I americium incredibly arrogant of this company, you, and the enactment we person done together. Now it’s connected to our adjacent section and the endless possibilities this transaction represents for us. I couldn’t beryllium much appreciative of your efforts, focus, and the dedication to connecting the satellite done joyousness and fun.
With gratitude,
Bobby
Kotick's aboriginal with Activision has been a large question people since it was revealed helium reportedly obsurced years worthy of worker maltreatment reports from Activision Blizzard shareholders. At 1 point, helium himself stated helium would consider stepping down if institution civilization didn't approve, though worker petitions and a number of shareholders person called for him to resign as well.
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