The single most bombshell announcement is that Microsoft is buying Activision for $70 billion in a deal that will have far-reaching consequences for the games industry. There are still legal hurdles for the deal to get through, but Microsoft expects the deal to close next year. When it does, Microsoft will formally own Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Spyro, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero, Diablo, and many other massive properties.
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Meanwhile, Sony saw it’s market value drop by $20 billion after the announcement. Shortly before that, though, Microsoft’s Gaming CEO Phil Spencer commented on PlayStation’s rumored Game Pass competitor, stating that he thought it was a good option for Sony and PlayStation. In retrospect, the comments are a bit tongue-in-cheek, because Spencer undoubtedly knew that the Activision deal was set to be announced.
Finally, NPD revealed the 10 best-selling games of 2021, though the list was dominated by the likes of Call of Duty, Madden, and Mario games, much like it is every year. Plus, E3’s future has been called into question, both as a physical show and as a digital one.
Game Rant Arcade is available now on various podcast services. Listen to the episode directly below or through one of the listed links.
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News
Microsoft Buys Activision Phil Spencer Comments on PlayStation Game Pass Top Selling Games of 2021 Is E3 Done For?
Games of the Week
Unpacking Nobody Saves the World
Listener Mail
Troy Baker’s NFT Controversy Will the Game of the Year be Released in February? Why Hasn’t Microsoft’s Activision Acquisition Affected Nintendo?
Game Rant Arcade records each week, bringing the latest for video game news, impressions on the latest games, and responses to gamers’ burning questions. To have a question read on Game Rant Arcade, send an email to arcade@gamerant.com or follow and tweet at us on Twitter @RantArcade.
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