Activision
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Documents about Activision
Overwatch League Forgives Delinquent Franchise Fees of All Teams
Activision Blizzard has eliminated all outstanding entry fees for the 20 franchises participating in the Overwatch League.
- Activision Blizzard has eliminated all outstanding franchise entry fees for all 20 Overwatch League teams across Europe, Asia, and North America.
- The decision to forgive these debts, which were estimated last year to total between $390 million and $420 million across the Overwatch League and Call of Duty League, is viewed as a move to clean up the company's balance sheet ahead of its acquisition by Microsoft.
- Publicly-traded esports company OverActive Media was the first to confirm an agreement to eliminate its outstanding fees, which also included a new sponsorship deal with the league.
Overwatch League Eliminates OverActive Media’s Outstanding Entry Fees
OverActive Media, a publicly traded esports organization, reached a significant financial agreement with the Overwatch League (OWL) in June 2023.
- OverActive Media reached an agreement with the Overwatch League (OWL) to eliminate all outstanding franchise entry fees.
- The deal, which includes the elimination of fees, a new sponsorship agreement, and an early payment of league revenue share, is valued at $10.8 million CAD ($8.04 million USD).
- The majority of the financial impact from this agreement will be recorded by OverActive Media in the 2023 fiscal year.
Have You Lost Track of Steam Key Resellers?
Effective management of Steam keys is essential for developers to protect their revenue and prevent gray market exploitation.
- Developers should combat gray market key exploitation by implementing regional locks for territories like China, Turkey, and Latin America to prevent price arbitrage.
- TikTok is a primary driver for game discovery, with high-performing videos capable of increasing daily Steam wishlists by 10% to 40%.
- Digital distribution is becoming the industry standard, with major titles like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor now generating over 55% of their total sales through digital channels.
South Korea Approves Microsoft Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
The Korea Fair Trade Commission has officially approved Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
- The Korea Fair Trade Commission has officially approved Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
- China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has granted unconditional approval for the $68 billion merger.
- South Korea joins a growing list of jurisdictions that have cleared the deal, including the European Union, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Serbia, Chile, and Ukraine.
News Mash-Up - Week #21
The weekly roundup highlights key movements across the gaming ecosystem, focusing on corporate actions, product launches, and regulatory developments.
- Nvidia shares surged 27%, adding $200 billion in market value due to high demand for GPUs driven by AI and gaming performance.
- Embracer Group’s share price dropped 40% following a $2 billion deal, leading to delayed releases and a revised profit outlook of $7–9 billion, despite a 42% increase in FY23 EBIT to $497 million.
- Sony’s recent showcase featured 33 titles, including the announcement of Project Q, a new streaming handheld that will compete with devices like the Logitech G Cloud.
China Approves Acquisition of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has granted unconditional approval for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
- China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has granted unconditional approval for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
- This approval marks a significant milestone for the deal, which has now been cleared in 38 countries representing a combined population of 2.3 billion people.
- The official SAMR statement regarding the approval was expected to be published in late May 2023, following the agency's standard ten-day update cycle.
Global Video Game Market Analysis 2025
The primary focus of this analysis is the shifting financial landscape of the global video game industry, specifically highlighting how legacy publishers are leveraging established franchises to navigate a cooling market.
- Take-Two Interactive projects a $2.5 billion year-over-year revenue increase for fiscal 2025, driven primarily by the anticipated release of Grand Theft Auto 6.
- Grand Theft Auto 6 is projected to move approximately 25 million units during its 2025 launch window, highlighting the reliance on established intellectual property to drive growth in a cooling market.
- Premium pricing remains resilient, evidenced by Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom selling 10 million units in three days despite a $70 price point.
European Union Greenlights Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Buyout
The European Commission formally approved Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in May 2023, concluding that the merger would not significantly harm competition within the European Economic Area (EEA).
- The European Commission has conditionally approved Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, diverging from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority which previously blocked the deal.
- Approval is contingent on Microsoft granting free licenses to European consumers and cloud gaming providers, allowing them to stream all current and future Activision Blizzard PC and console games.
- The European Commission determined that Microsoft would lack the incentive to withhold Activision titles from Sony’s PlayStation, noting that Sony holds a 4-to-1 market share advantage over Xbox in the European Economic Area.
Akshon Media to Support OWL, CDL Video Content Production During 2023 Season
Akshon Media, a Vancouver-based digital media company, has been appointed as the official content production partner for the 2023 seasons of Activision Blizzard’s franchised esports leagues, the Overwatch League (OWL) and the Call of Duty League (CDL).
- Akshon Media has been named the official content production partner for the 2023 seasons of Activision Blizzard’s Overwatch League (OWL) and Call of Duty League (CDL).
- The partnership continues a pre-existing relationship, as Akshon Media previously supported video production for both leagues during the 2022 season.
- For the Overwatch League, Akshon Media will provide broadcast production support, graphic design, and the production of select video content series.
EU to Approve Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
The European Commission is poised to approve Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, marking a significant development in the ongoing global regulatory scrutiny of the merger.
- The European Commission is expected to approve Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard following proactive concessions regarding cloud gaming.
- Microsoft secured regulatory favor by signing licensing agreements with Nvidia GeForce Now, Boosteroid, and Ubitus, guaranteeing them access to the Xbox library, including Call of Duty.
- The European approval contrasts with the UK Competition and Markets Authority, which previously blocked the merger citing concerns over market dominance.
Activision's Death by 418 Cuts: Did the Anti-trust Watchdog Go Beyond Its Call of Duty?
This analysis examines the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) decision to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, arguing that the regulator overstepped its mandate based on flawed projections of the nascent cloud gaming market.
- The CMA’s decision to block the Microsoft-Activision merger relies on projections for the cloud gaming market that lack support from historical data or Activision’s current business model, which generates zero cloud-based revenue.
- Historical industry data contradicts the regulator's cannibalization concerns, showing that new distribution channels like mobile gaming have historically expanded the total console market from $24 billion to $68 billion.
- The CMA’s 418-page report displays a disproportionate focus on incumbents, referencing Sony 267 times and Microsoft’s Game Pass 168 times, while mentioning Apple only 12 times despite the mobile sector's significance.
Confirmed: Chinese Overwatch League Team Chengdu Hunters Disbands
The Chengdu Hunters, a professional Overwatch League (OWL) franchise operated by the Chinese streaming platform Huya, have officially disbanded.
- The Chengdu Hunters, an Overwatch League (OWL) franchise operated by the Chinese streaming platform Huya, has officially disbanded.
- The dissolution follows the January 2023 collapse of the distribution partnership between NetEase and Activision Blizzard, which rendered games like Overwatch 2 legally unavailable in mainland China.
- Core players from the organization have either transitioned to the Hangzhou Spark or have become free agents.
Its games in the library
Halo: Combat EvolvedBungie · 200115
Call of DutyInfinity Ward · 2003563- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 412
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3Sledgehammer Games · 20117- Overwatch156
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2Infinity Ward · 20099
Halo 3Bungie · 20074- Call of Duty: Black Ops 625
- Call of Duty: Black Ops 715
- Halo: Campaign Evolved4
Grand Theft Auto VIRockstar North · 2026197