As you may have known for weeks, Microsoft announced the purchase of Activision Blizzard to be completed in 2023. But they have already assured that “the right people” will be in charge when this happens.
In an interview on CNBC, Microsoft Chairman Brad Smith was asked a very specific question: “How is Microsoft going to deal with Activision Blizzard’s toxicity at work? that came out in 2021?“.
In response, Smith said that making significant changes in culture “requires a combination of commitment and humility.” And that according to him is still the job of management at Activision Blizzard.
“Today we expect the leadership team at Activision Blizzard to make the culture and environment of making safe work a top priority every day until this deal is complete,” it said.
“And then we’ll take charge and that’s when we need you to follow through on that same commitment“. As reported by PC Gamer, Smith kindly and unequivocally warned that Activision Blizzard’s leadership is calling the shots, but Microsoft is already overseeing the play.
“What we’ve having said that some aspects [of leadership] will change, but it will be a new team working together,” Smith continued.
Microsoft, Activision and a future of services
“More importantly, we want to see the culture evolve and how people will behave between now and the day this is complete, assuming it passes.”
Remember that the purchase will have to pass antitrust review by the Federal Trade Commission. Something that they have already talked about more indirectly when confirming the release of future games.
But then he said a little more: “And that will be when we have the opportunity to make sure that we have the right people in the right seats“.
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He was also asked about this if this means Activision Blizzard management would be “under scrutiny” until the deal closes. To which Smith said, “I think we should all live in a world under constant scrutiny.
The world is changing, I think mostly in a positive way. just one more example that we’ll serve our employees better if we embrace the opportunity to change“.
Words fly with the wind, of course, so we’ll see what happens next. here to June 2023 when this is complete. And how this acquisition is evolving, of course, from both sides.
At the moment, not even a month has passed since the announcement of the purchase of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. What do you think we will see from now on?
It is clear that they want Call of Duty on Switch and according to Phil Spencer this purchase is an opportunity to fight against the mobile market.