Microsoft has launched a website to show the benefits of Xbox’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a deal that’s been widely scrutinised for its potential effects on the industry.
The website outlines Xbox’s “vision for gaming” and states what it claims are the benefits of the $68.7 billion deal for players, game developers, and the gaming industry as a whole.
According to Xbox, it will lead to more games on more devices, more choice when it comes to purchasing games, and more variety for mobile gamers.
On the development side, Xbox said the deal will make it easier for studios to get their games in front of players, lead to fairer marketplace rules, and provide greater flexibility in payment systems, while the industry overall will benefit from increased competition. Xbox specifically point out that Sony and Nintendo will remain the largest publishers.
It also puts an “emphasis on positive workplace culture,” perhaps in reference to the controversy surrounding Activision Blizzard itself, which has been accused of fostering a “frat boy culture” in a lawsuit filed by the state of California. Microsoft first approached the Overwatch and Call of Duty developer just three days after a report alleged its CEO Bobby Kotick knew about sexual assault and harassment allegations for years.
The acquisition has since faced scrutiny from the UK government, various U.S. senators, the city of New York, and the U.S. Justice Department, and while stockholders of Activision Blizzard approved the deal in April, there’s still much debate on its merits or potential problems.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer remains confident though, commenting in August that he feels good about progress. “I’ve never done a 70 billion-dollar deal, so I don’t know what my confidence means,” he said at the time. “I will say the discussions we’ve been having seem positive.”
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.
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