TheGamer - Activision Blizzard

Activision Blizzard Investigators Confirm 29 Cases Of Harassment Last Year

Joshua Robertson — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 00:26:42 GMT

Earlier today, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick claimed in an interview that the company has never had a systemic issue with harassment, claiming that the board of directors would never allow him to continue running things if that were the case. Well, best get packing your things Bobby, as investigators looking into cases of harassment, discrimination, and retalitation have substantiated 29 reports out of a whopping 114 that were made last year, some of which involved more than one employee.

Xbox Owning Call Of Duty Won't Be Unfair On PlayStation, Says EU

Josh Coulson — Fri, 26 May 2023 12:11:17 GMT

Well over a year after Microsoft announced plans to buy Activision Blizzard for almost $70 billion, the saga rages on. An unexpected twist appeared in its tale last month as the UK's CMA blocked the deal while the European Commission approved it. The latter has now explained why its views don't align with the CMA's, citing why it has no reason to believe Xbox owning the Call of Duty studio will give it a leg up on PlayStation.

Activision Blizzard Fined For Not Disclosing Diablo: Immortal Loot Boxes To PEGI

Sean Murray — Tue, 23 May 2023 19:08:09 GMT

Activision Blizzard has been fined €5000 for failing to disclose the presence of loot boxes to the PEGI rating agency in Diablo Immortal. Hunt: Showdown publisher Plaion was fined the same amount for the same reason.

Fan Run Modern Warfare 2 Servers Shut Down By Activision

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 23 May 2023 12:12:53 GMT

Activision has seemingly shut down long-running mod projects used to improve online play in the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. X Labs, which describes itself as a modding "laboratory", says it has been issued a cease and desist, forcing it to shut down its mods, including fan-run Modern Warfare 2 servers.

Microsoft CEO Refuses To Rule Out Pulling Activision Games From The UK

Joshua Robertson — Tue, 16 May 2023 21:45:11 GMT

Microsoft has encountered a lot more hurdles than it probably expected in its attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard. For starters, the deal was blocked by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) last year, which has sued Microsoft due to concerns over competition in the gaming industry. Microsoft is pretty confident that it will win in court, especially given that the EU has now given the deal the green light. However, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is proving to be much more of a headache for the company.

Microsoft's Activison Blizzard Acquisition Approved By EU

Josh Coulson — Mon, 15 May 2023 14:50:30 GMT

Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard was dealt a body blow last month as the UK's CMA blocked the deal, largely due to issues it has with Xbox potentially dominating the cloud gaming market. The European Commission doesn't appear to have those same qualms as the governing body has approved the deal, a potential stumbling block seemingly overcome by Xbox offering ten-year partnerships pertaining to cloud gaming to a number of companies and studios should the merger be allowed to happen.

Lifeweaver Is So Hot That Overwatch Fans Are Calling Him Wifeleaver

Rhiannon Bevan — Mon, 01 May 2023 14:41:28 GMT

Overwatch fans appreciate good character design. Some of them appreciate it a little too much, based on the spicy content that floods Twitter as soon as a new character is revealed. But the latest hero has got everyone drooling, and it's even bleeding into how we all play the game.

Xbox Fans Spam The CMA After Ruling Against Activision Blizzard Merger

Vaspaan Dastoor — Mon, 01 May 2023 11:42:18 GMT

In what was a major setback for Microsoft, UK's Competition and Markets Authority blocked its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The deal had been announced in January, but had to be greenlit by the CMA to ensure it wouldn't stifle competitiveness in the video games industry. While it looked like the CMA would approve the deal, it was blocked for reasons related to cloud gaming.

Microsoft, Activision Blizzard Merger Could Get Blocked For Ten Years

Rhiannon Bevan — Mon, 01 May 2023 11:12:01 GMT

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has revealed that the Microsoft and Activision Blizzard deal will be blocked for ten years unless their appeal is successful. This would prevent the two companies from merging for a full decade, hurting the chances of the deal going ahead at all.

Triple-A Games Can Have A Budget Exceeding One Billion Dollars, Publishers Report

Lu-Hai Liang — Sun, 30 Apr 2023 12:37:13 GMT

This week's single biggest piece of news was the prevention of Microsoft's $68.7 billion merger with Activision Blizzard as the UK's Competition and Markets Authority blocked the deal, citing concerns over cloud gaming. Publishing its final decision in a 418-page report, the CMA's investigation contains a number of notable details, with the latest revealing insights into the ever growing costs of game development.

Bobby Kotick Says There Should Be More Mergers To Compete With Tencent

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 11:22:43 GMT

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick continues to hit back against the Microsoft merger being blocked in the UK. Now, Kotick is saying that even more mergers should be permitted, in a bid to compete with the likes of Tencent.

Microsoft To Pay $3 Billion "Breakup Fee" If Merger Falls Apart, Says Activision

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 29 Apr 2023 09:49:45 GMT

Losing its ongoing merger would cost Microsoft dearly, as Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick confirms reports that his company would receive a $3 billion "breakup" fee should the deal not go ahead. This news comes after the merger was blocked by UK regulators, concerned that it would negatively affect the future of cloud gaming.

Why Did The CMA Block The Microsoft Activision Blizzard Merger FAQ

Stacey Henley — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 14:00:16 GMT

Yesterday’s CMA decision to block the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft was a curveball. While there were muted wonderings about whether the deal would go through a few months ago, recently the tide had changed. It was widely expected to be approved, and not only did that turn out to be false, but the reason it was blocked came as a huge surprise. A few people have since asked me why this happened, and at the time, I had to say it surprised me too. Now that I’ve read up on the decision, I’m here to answer the most commonly asked questions.

UK Watchdog Believes Call Of Duty Can't Run On Nintendo Switch

Josh Coulson — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 11:48:20 GMT

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority threw an unexpected twist into the Microsoft Activision Blizzard acquisition tale this week, confirming it has blocked the deal from going ahead. That doesn't mean the deal is dead as Microsoft and Activision have made it very clear they will be appealing the decision. The CMA's leading reason for blocking the merger is Xbox's potential hold over cloud gaming should the merger happen, but a closer look at the report has also revealed a pledge to Nintendo also played into the decision.

Activision Calls Microsoft Deal Block "A Disservice To UK Citizens"

Josh Coulson — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 13:41:40 GMT

Today's the day the UK's Competition and Markets Authority promised a verdict on whether or not it would approve Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The CMA has delivered on that promise, making the somewhat surprising decision to block the merger. Microsoft will naturally appeal the decision, which means the deal is not dead yet, and Activision Blizzard has responded to the CMA's ruling, labeling the lack of approval a disservice to UK citizens.

UK's CMA Blocks Microsoft-Activision Merger

Lu-Hai Liang — Wed, 26 Apr 2023 11:24:18 GMT

In a shocking turn of events, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority has blocked Microsoft's merger with Activision Blizzard. Today is the date of the CMA's final decision on the proposed deal and in a surprise it has prevented it from going forward, citing concerns over the future of the cloud gaming market and not the expected issue of Call of Duty.

Microsoft Is Reportedly Preparing To Close Its Activision Blizzard Deal

Joshua Robertson — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 23:38:17 GMT

Microsoft's ongoing acquisition of gaming goliath Activision Blizzard has been ongoing for what feels like a millenia. Industry regulators have been understandably scrutinizing the deal at every turn, while Sony has constantly argued against the acquisition over Call of Duty exclusivity concerns. The FTC has even attempted to block the deal by suing Microsoft, claiming that the acquisition could damage competition in the games industry.

Sega Workers Move Towards Unionization

Justin Reeve — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 21:03:34 GMT

Well over 100 employees at Sega based in Irvine, California recently took the first steps toward unionization, a process aimed at improving their living and working conditions. The workers who are broadly responsible for testing, localizing, and marketing games have been seeking more compensation, better support in the workplace, and a sufficiently balanced schedule.

Crash Bandicoot Should Get His Own Movie Spin-Off, Say Devs

Lu-Hai Liang — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 14:34:45 GMT

Video game company Nintendo made a movie with Minions creator Illumination. That film – The Super Mario Bros. Movie – has been an enormous success as it topples records for an animation feature and closes in on the one-billion dollar mark at the global box office. But do you know another company that makes movies? That would be Sony.

UK Expected To Approve Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Merger This Week

Lu-Hai Liang — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 11:00:06 GMT

While it may seem like forever since Microsoft announced it was acquiring Activision Blizzard in a mammoth deal worth $68.7 billion, it's not been so easy to get the merger approved. This is a good thing as such enormous deals should be properly looked at considering how much impact such a merger will have on the games industry. After all, Activision Blizzard is the home of huge shooter series Call of Duty, the perenially popular Warcraft, as well as King, the mobile specialist that mints money with Candy Crush.

Blizzard Puts Together "Crisis Map" Of Games It Cannot Ship Due To Staff Losses

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 15:32:57 GMT

Almost two years since allegations of workplace abuse came to light, Blizzard is still losing too many workers to sustain itself. That is according to current employees venting their frustrations on Twitter, blaming poor leadership and a forced return to work order that put an end to working from home.

Diablo 4's Quarterly Story Updates Are Worrying Some Fans

Lu-Hai Liang — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 12:17:26 GMT

Diabo 4 is scheduled to launch on June 6, but the public betas for the game have been running since March. Meanwhile, fans have learned that Diablo 4 is to get new storylines every three months in what has been called "meaty" updates.

Blizzard's New Survival Game Could Be Called "Odyssey", Has "Cartoony" Graphics

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 12:05:44 GMT

Blizzard's unannounced survival game is apparently called Odyssey, and will sport "cartoony", Overwatch-inspired graphics. That's at least according to Windows Centrals' Jez Corden, who shared what he knows about the project on his podcast.

Activision Blizzard Has A Completely New Triple-A Survival Game In The Works

Lu-Hai Liang — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 10:52:15 GMT

You may have heard of Activision Blizzard. You know, they release Call of Duty, that little shooter series. They also do Warcraft, Candy Crush, and have made headlines for questionable working environments, to put it very lightly. Oh and it's also been valued at nearly $70 billion as Microsoft try to buy it outright. But amongst all that, Activision Blizzard also make games.

[Updated] Activision Blizzard Spied On Workers, Says NLRB

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 12:08:45 GMT

Update 16:30 BST: Blizzard responded to TheGamer, denying the allegations put forward by the NLRB and CWA, saying they "have no merit." A statement goes on to say that chat features were removed from a work meeting in order to "protect people from toxic workplace behavior". It also denies spying, saying that security was hired for the organised walkout to "ensure a safe environment."

Japan's Regulator Says Microsoft Deal "Unlikely" To Harm Sony

Lu-Hai Liang — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 14:21:22 GMT

The home of Sony and Nintendo looks like it'll be greenlighting Microsoft's proposed merger with Activision Blizzard. Japan's competition regulator has said that it would not be blocking the deal in a further boost to Microsoft's chances of closing its $68.7 billion acquisition.

Members Of Congress Accuse Sony Of Interfering With Xbox Sales In Japan

Justin Reeve — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 00:03:23 GMT

Several members of congress, including both Republicans and Democrats, recently pushed to level the competitive playing field between PlayStation and Xbox in Japan. The politicians are concerned that Sony's business practices in the country have been preventing Microsoft from competing on the console market, potentially in violation of trade agreements.

UK Says Microsoft, Activision Blizzard Deal Won't Hurt Console Market

Sean Murray — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 13:36:54 GMT

After months of reviews, interviews, and skepticism from the UK's markets watchdog, the CMA has just issued a press release stating that it now believes the Microsoft-Activision merger "will not result in a substantial lessening of competition in relation to console gaming in the UK." That's a significant turnabout from just a few months ago when the CMA said the very same merger "could harm gamers."

Microsoft Tells Sony To Make Its Own Call Of Duty

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 17:14:35 GMT

Microsoft is hitting back against Sony's claims that Call of Duty can't be replaced, telling its competitor to just make its own series. This comes as Microsoft says that ten years of multi-gen Call of Duty releases give Sony more than enough time to make up for the loss, developing its own online shooter to compete with the gaming behemoth.

Xbox Signs Another Deal To Counter Sony's Claims Of Hogging Call Of Duty

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 17:44:19 GMT

Xbox has signed yet another ten-year deal, the third of its kind this year alone. This deal pledges to bring Call of Duty and other Activision Blizzard-owned games to the cloud gaming service Boosteroid, which has around four million users. This coincides with similar deals reached with Nvidia and Nintendo, making it clear that Call of Duty won't go Xbox exclusive for at least a decade should its Activision Blizzard deal go through.

Overwatch 2 Is Finally Nerfing Sombra's Teleport And Invisibility

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 11 Mar 2023 20:17:58 GMT

Blizzard is finally working on changes to Sombra, as her Overwatch 2 buffs continue to divide fans. This comes from lead hero designer Alec Dawson, who reveals that the team is hoping to "alleviate some of the frustration" that comes with playing against her, particularly with her stealth and teleporting abilities.

Activison Exec Claims PlayStation Boss Said "I Just Want To Block Your Merger"

Josh Coulson — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 11:58:59 GMT

Xbox continues to try and prove to PlayStation it won't pull the Call of Duty mat out from under it should its Activision Blizzard deal be approved. The more Xbox tries to sweeten the deal, the more it seems there's nothing it can do to get PlayStation onside. In fact, one Activision executive has claimed Sony boss Jim Ryan admitted there's no deal he'd ever agree to.

Microsoft, Sony, And More "Fail" To Counter Extremism In Gaming Communities

Sean Murray — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 18:16:06 GMT

Late last year, the Anti-Defamation League reported an alarming increase in online game communities with white supremacist or extremist views. Of particular concern was how the ADL saw white supremacist rhetoric double between 2021 and 2022. That report, and its troubling findings, made it all the way to the US Congress where Democratic representatives sent a letter to 14 video game companies asking what they planned to combat this rise in extremism.

Diablo 4 Themed Outfit Unveiled At Milan Fashion Week, For Some Reason

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 26 Feb 2023 13:05:37 GMT

There are some hobbies you can safely associate video game enthusiasts with. Movies and TV are very obvious ones, but even audiences at music, tabletop, and sports events would intersect quite largely with that of gaming. However, Blizzard decided to play it from left field and promote Diablo 4 at the Milan Fashion Week.

Call Of Duty On Switch Will Launch On The Same Day As Xbox

Joshua Robertson — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 00:54:46 GMT

In an attempt to show regulators that it won't gate off the Call of Duty series once its acquisition of Activision Blizzard has gone through - something which is Sony's main point of contention regarding the whole deal - Microsoft recently signed a 10-year deal with Nintendo to publish the series on Switch. Top top it off, that deal also included "feature and content parity", meaning the version that will launch on Switch consoles will be the exact same as the Xbox version.

China Expected To Approve Microsoft-Activision Merger

Sean Murray — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 20:30:42 GMT

So far, the only countries to have approved the Microsoft-Activision merger are Brazil, Serbia, and Chile. Regulators in the European Union, the UK, and the United States have all issued objections, which has led to Microsoft making grand promises to keep Call of Duty on its rival platforms.

Game Companies Can No Longer Make Devs "Broadly Waive" Their Rights To Get Severance

Sean Murray — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 20:51:27 GMT

The National Labor Relations Board has reversed a two-year rule that allowed employers--including many game developers--to require workers to sign non-disparagement clauses in order to claim their severance. This prevented former employees from discussing their former workplace, which has started to happen a lot as work conditions across the industry lead many industries to push for unionization.

Microsoft Refuses To Sell Call Of Duty To Secure Activision Merger

Sean Murray — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:46:29 GMT

Microsoft is handing out a guarantee to rivals that it'll continue to offer Call of Duty on their platforms after it acquires Activision Blizzard. Nvidia took the deal, confirming Call of Duty will be on its GeForce Now streaming service for the next 10 years. Ditto Nintendo, even though it doesn't currently have Call of Duty and nobody is quite sure how it would even run on the Switch, although Microsoft president Brad Smith promised it'd "work exactly the way people would expect."

Activision Blizzard CCO Mocks Sony's Response To Xbox Buyout With Meme

George Foster — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 12:37:04 GMT

Activision Blizzard's chief communications officer has mocked Sony's latest response to the Activision Blizzard buyout by sharing a variant of the Baton Roue meme, which shows a man shoving a stick into his bike to make it fall over.

Microsoft And Sony "Not Close" To Any Deal For Activision Merger

Sean Murray — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:52:17 GMT

Call of Duty is coming to Nvidia GeForce Now and Nintendo platforms after Microsoft signed a 10-year deal with its somewhat rivals. This is all to appease European Union antitrust regulators who have issued an antitrust warning to Microsoft over its proposed merger with Activision Blizzard.

CWA Urges European Commission To Approve Microsoft And Activision Blizzard Merger

Justin Reeve — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 20:53:24 GMT

The Communications Workers of America has been urging the European Commission to approve the upcoming merger between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. The news comes in the form of a letter addressed to Executive Vice President of the European Commission Margrethe Vestager which encourages the executive to consider the positive impact which the corporate merger could have on the labor market within the games industry.

Yet Another Fix For Overwatch 2's Matchmaking Is On The Way

Rhiannon Bevan — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 13:32:12 GMT

Perhaps one of the biggest issues facing Overwatch 2 since launch is its matchmaking. For weeks now, fans have been complaining about being placed with players who finished Top 500 just a few seasons ago, even if they're in Gold. But once again, Blizzard has a fix on the way.

Microsoft Will Present Its Defense To The EU For Its Activision Takeover Next Week

Akshay Patel — Wed, 15 Feb 2023 13:13:17 GMT

Microsoft likely didn't expect to have to fight this hard for its proposed Activision takeover following the success of its Bethesda deal, but the company has been met with opposition from regulatory authorities across the globe. So far, the EU, UK’s CMA, and USA’s FTC are investigating the merger, and the FTC has also filed a lawsuit against it. Now, the EU investigation is picking up the pace as Microsoft prepares to defend its decision to buy Activision in front of the EU next week.

Loverwatch Is Almost Definitely Teasing A Proper Overwatch Dating Sim

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 13:38:59 GMT

Valentine's Day has come to Overwatch, bringing new loot and even a revamped version of Deathmatch. But this year, the day is being marked outside of the game itself, with the launch of an Overwatch dating sim. Yes, really.

[Update] Activision Blizzard Reportedly Scraps Remote Work, Despite Staff Moving Away

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 14 Feb 2023 12:16:51 GMT

Update 15/02/2023: An Activision Blizzard spokesperson has reach out to TheGamer to confirm it has been returning its teams to the office over the past year and has "customized a plan based on what’s best for our business and our teams," explaining that it's looking forward to the "increased real-time, in-person collaboration and opportunities this change will bring.”

Overwatch 2 Is Still Putting Top 500 Players In Gold Ranked Matches

Rhiannon Bevan — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 13:36:56 GMT

Overwatch's matchmaking has been an issue for some time, but fresh reports of wildly unfair pairings are being shared after the latest Season 3 update. According to fans, players as high as Top 500 are being placed in Gold tier ranked matches, as the game seemingly fails to take previous Season results into account.

Biggest Video Game News Of The Week (February 4 - 10)

Josh Coulson — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 09:44:30 GMT

Usually, whenever there's a Nintendo Direct, it can often feel like nothing else important happened in video games that week. That was turned up to the max this time around as Wednesday's Direct featured something for just about everyone.

Bobby Kotick Will Reportedly Remain Activision CEO If Microsoft Buyout Fails

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 14:56:36 GMT

Sources close to Activision Blizzard continue to speak out as the company faces issues with its Microsoft merger, now revealing that Bobby Kotick will stay on as CEO if the deal is unsuccessful. This comes after many called on Kotick to resign following Activision Blizzard's abuse allegations scandal in 2021, before the deal with Microsoft was made public.

Overwatch 2 Bug Is Making Symmetra Unplayable

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 13:28:41 GMT

Overwatch 2's latest big update hasn't exactly gone off without a hitch. Not only did it introduce some unpopular nerfs, but its promise to make the battle pass more rewarding has just left many of us even more confused. Now, we can add another problem to the list: the patch has broken Symmetra.

Sony Has Accused Microsoft Of "Obvious Harassment" In Latest Court Battle

Joshua Robertson — Fri, 10 Feb 2023 03:05:38 GMT

Even the people that are desperate for Microsoft to gets its acquisition of Activision Blizzard over the line have to admit that it's been a pretty messy affair so far. It became even messier after Sony began raising concerns about the deal, which has led to the pair sparring over Call of Duty for a number of months. It now seems like things are heating up, as Sony has claimed Microsoft attempts to get its hands on information regarding several Sony executives as "obvious harassment."

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick Says Sony "Won't Return Our Phone Calls"

Sean Murray — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 15:26:09 GMT

Things aren't looking great for the Microsoft-Activision merger. The EU has issued a statement of objections, the UK's CMA issued a provisional report finding the merger would stifle competition, and the FTC has outright sued to make sure the merger never happens in the US. It seems every major world regulator has a problem with Microsoft and Activision shacking up. It’s at this point that most C-suite executives of a major corporation would start hedging their bets, but Sony has started screening Bobby’s calls.

A Quarter Of PlayStation Call Of Duty Players Would Reportedly Switch To Xbox If It Were Made Exclusive

Sean Murray — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 14:47:37 GMT

The UK's Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) has released its provisional report on the Microsoft-Activision merger and found that it "may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition in gaming consoles and cloud gaming services in the UK." Although the CMA provisionally found that the merger would be harmful to gamers more broadly, it specifically found that the merger would be harmful to PlayStation as Microsoft would very likely make Call of Duty an exclusive property.

Microsoft Activision Merger Could "Stifle Competition" In Cloud Gaming

Josh Coulson — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 13:39:23 GMT

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published the results of its investigation into the potential merger between Xbox and Activision Blizzard today. In its report, the governing body has claimed the merger could well do more harm than good to UK gamers, citing potential growth in Xbox's cloud gaming division as one of the reasons why.

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Acquisition Could “Harm Gamers” Says UK Watchdog

Lu-Hai Liang — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 12:49:59 GMT

The UK market watchdog has published its investigation into the proposed merger between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, and its findings make for heady reading. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) believes Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard could result in "higher prices, fewer choices, or less innovation for UK gamers".

The Biggest Gaming News For February 7, 2023

Joshua Robertson — Wed, 08 Feb 2023 03:38:09 GMT

It's been another jam-packed day in the gaming industry so kick your feet up while I deliver to you the biggest stories of the day. Hogwarts Legacy remains in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, as the game's first transgender character has been accused of being given a transphobic and male-coded name.

Overwatch 2 Removes Mercy's Auto Heal, Nerfs Healing And Mobility

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 13:09:56 GMT

Mercy is set to receive a bunch of nerfs and even a minor rework later today, targeting her healing output and mobility. After the season 3 launch, it won't be as easy to fly between teammates as the winged support hero, and she won't be able to automatically regenerate her health - an ability she's had since Overwatch launched in 2016.

New Overwatch 2 Map Lets You Go Fishing, Kinda

Rhiannon Bevan — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 16:42:08 GMT

The next Overwatch 2 map, Antarctic Peninsula, drops in just a couple of days. As well as being part of the largely unexplored lore behind Mei, it's also specifically made for 5v5, likely making it a better fit in Competitive than some of the other maps available right now. But that's not the only selling point of this Control map.

Microsoft Reportedly Expects UK Regulator To Oppose Activision Blizzard Deal

George Foster — Sun, 05 Feb 2023 13:37:07 GMT

Microsoft is reportedly expecting the UK's regulator to stand against its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, although it expects that the European Commission will be open to "potential remedies".

Activision Blizzard Pays $35 Million For Failing To Handle Workplace Complaints

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 03 Feb 2023 17:10:42 GMT

One of Activision Blizzard's lawsuits has concluded, with the company agreeing to a settlement of $35 million. The deal allows Activision Blizzard to neither admit nor deny the claims brought against it by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), meaning it's unlikely that the industry giant will make an admission of wrongdoing.

Next Overwatch 2 Update Will Make It Faster To Climb Ranks In Competitive

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:42:22 GMT

Overwatch 2 made some controversial changes to competitive play when it launched last year. Now, rather than seeing your SR change after each match, your rank will only update every seven wins or twenty losses. This means that you can play for long stretches of time without seeing any changes to your rank whatsoever, a move that many players have found frustrating and unrewarding.

Activision Blizzard Exec Claims TLOU Success Proves Sony "Dominates" The Market

Joshua Robertson — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 22:29:05 GMT

HBO's The Last of Us is slowly becoming one of the best video game adaptations ever, with Episode 3 which aired last week proving to be quite the emotional rollercoaster for a lot of viewers. One such viewer was Activision Blizzard EVP and CCO Lulu Cheng Meservey who has wasted no time using the show's increasing popularity to argue why Microsoft's acquisition of the company should be allowed to go ahead.

Blizzard Employee Alleges Racist And Sexist Proletariat Studio Culture

Sean Murray — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 19:29:37 GMT

Last week, Proletariat's proposed union withdrew its petition to the NLRB to hold a unionization vote. The CWA noted Proletariat's CEO responded to the petition with "confrontational tactics," holding a series of meetings that "demoralized and disempowered" employees "making a free and fair election impossible."

Microsoft Reaffirms Commitment To Offer Call Of Duty On Rival Platforms, Despite Sony's Doubts

Sean Murray — Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:44:18 GMT

The battle over the Microsoft-Activision merger is still raging with Sony reportedly back in Brussels telling EU officials not to believe the Windows company when it promises to keep Call of Duty on rival platforms for at least 10 years. Microsoft made the promise weeks ago to preempt objections from Sony that Call of Duty would be made an Xbox-exclusive title should the merger be allowed to happen.

Overwatch 2 Players Say Orisa Requires The Least Skill To Master

Rhiannon Bevan — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 12:12:42 GMT

Part of the Overwatch experience is always having something to complain about. After all, it's never our fault when we're on a losing streak, is it? No, it's because Sombra/Mei/Moira/WhoeverJustKilledYou is horrifically unbalanced, and requires zero skill to play. But for a change, we have someone else's head on the chopping block today, as Overwatch players say that Orisa is far too easy to master right now.

The FTC Sued Microsoft Reportedly To Preempt EU Settlement Over Activision Merger

Lu-Hai Liang — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 12:29:43 GMT

Microsoft may have announced that it was acquiring Activision Blizzard for a staggering $68.7 billion in cash around this time last year, but the sheer magnitude of the proposed deal prompted regulators to investigate in case it would hamper the game industry's competitiveness. One regular that has taken a keen interest is the Federal Trade Commission.

Proletariat Studio Will Not Be Activision Blizzard's Third Union After CEO Uses "Confrontational Tactics"

Sean Murray — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 20:09:13 GMT

Looks like Proletariat Studio won't be Activision Blizzard's third union after all. Following the Proletariat Workers Alliance (PWA)'s announcement to seek unionization on January 10, Proletariat management refused to voluntarily acknowledge the new union and then demanded a union vote through the NLRB. That vote will no longer take place as the PWA sponsor CWA announced earlier today that it is withdrawing its request for a vote.

Fired WoW Lead Says Blizzard Is Being "Torn Apart" By Bosses

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 24 Jan 2023 12:16:01 GMT

A fired World of Warcraft lead engineer has spoken out after news of his termination was leaked last night. According to both the initial report and his own testimony, Brian Birmingham was fired after he failed to meet a quota on negative employee evaluations, with bosses requiring him to mark down five percent of the coworkers he assessed.

Overwatch 2 Abuse Simulator Remains Most Popular Custom Game

Rhiannon Bevan — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 17:26:19 GMT

Sexual Harassment Simulator is once again the most popular custom game in Overwatch 2. This is despite Blizzard previously facing criticism for failing to prevent these violently misogynistic lobbies from appearing in the game, and promising to improve moderation filters to ensure this doesn't happen again.

Blizzard Survey Hints At Warcraft 3 Reforged "Soft Relaunch"

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 16:47:19 GMT

Warcraft 3: Reforged could be getting a "soft relaunch" with a bunch of fan-requested features. This comes as Blizzard sends out a survey to fans, asking for their opinion on the game and even gauging views on a potential rerelease.

Overwatch Producer Says Map Selection, Tournament Modes Aren't In Development

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 21 Jan 2023 13:59:04 GMT

Don't go expecting any major Overwatch 2 shake-ups anytime soon. In a response to a fan question, Overwatch producer Jared Neuss confirms that there are currently no plans to implement map selection, a tournament mode, or hero drafts.

Overwatch 2 Is Getting "Several New And Returning Game Modes" In 2023

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 13:15:40 GMT

Overwatch 2 is getting more game modes in 2023, both new and old. This comes from an interview with game director Aaron Keller on Blizzard's plans going forward, revealing that some features that didn't make the leap from the first Overwatch to its sequel could return soon.

Overwatch League Teams To Start Collective Bargaining Against Activision Blizzard

Joshua Robertson — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 23:58:21 GMT

It's been revealed that the majority of teams in the Overwatch League have reportedly hired a law firm to begin the collective bargaining process against Activision Blizzard. This comes after many teams within the league have been dealing with high operating costs, lack of viewers, and struggles to remain sustainable.

European Game Dev Group Supports Microsoft Merger Despite EU Objection

Sean Murray — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 18:13:07 GMT

One of Europe's largest trade associations has come out in favor of the Microsoft Activision Blizzard merger despite objections from the European Union.

EU To Issue "Statement Of Objections" Over Microsoft Activision Merger

Sean Murray — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 15:21:46 GMT

The EU plans to object to the merger between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, according to a new report, which may throw yet another wrench into the proposed $70 billion deal.

Overwatch 2 Players Already Want A Sojourn Rework

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 17:28:08 GMT

Sojourn has only been in Overwatch since the launch of the sequel in October, and players have already had enough of her. That's at least according to a thread discussing possible Hero reworks, with Sojourn appearing to be one of the most popular requests.

Battle For Olympus Is Everything Wrong With Overwatch 2

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 19:17:16 GMT

Overwatch 2 is a perfect example of how a great game can be ruined by awful monetisation. The battle pass is constantly taunting you, your meagre coin earnings aren’t even enough for a spray, and the challenges you can complete to get some loot for free are frustrating by design and reward a pittance.

Elizabeth Warren Backs Proletariat Devs Amidst Alleged Union Busting

Rhiannon Bevan — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 13:01:09 GMT

US senator Elizabeth Warren has voiced her support for workers at Proletariat, a US game developer recently acquired by Activision Blizzard. This comes as management at both companies is accused of union busting, as they refuse to voluntarily recognise the employees' organisation efforts.

Microsoft-Activision Deal Likely To Get Delayed Due To FTC Hearings

Akshay Patel — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 13:02:46 GMT

Microsoft announced its intent to acquire Activision back in January 2022, but so far it has only seen pushback from the EU, UK’s CMA, and the USA's FTC. These three regulatory authorities are investigating the effects this acquisition could have on the gaming industry and other players in it, and the FTC has also sued the tech giant in its bid to take over the Call of Duty developer. Now, it seems the possible acquisition will be delayed even further according to the FTC’s new schedule for the hearing of the case.

Proletariat Refuses To Voluntarily Recognize PWA Union, Forces NLRB Vote

Sean Murray — Tue, 10 Jan 2023 15:36:25 GMT

UPDATE: The PWA has released a statement accusing Activision Blizzard and Proletariat management of union busting by forcing an NLRB vote. Original story follows.

Overwatch 2 Patch Buffs Moira, Junker Queen, Brigitte And Zarya

Joshua Robertson — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 01:34:05 GMT

Overwatch 2 has received a mini update including buffs for several characters ahead of a larger patch coming later in January. Junker Queen, Zarya, Brigitte, and Moira have all been buffed in different ways, much to the despair of everyone out there pulling their hair out over players using Moira as a DPS.

Microsoft Walks Back Claim That FTC's Lawsuit Violates The Constitution

Joshua Robertson — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 23:19:07 GMT

Towards the end of last year, both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard made very aggressive remarks in their official response to the FTC's antitrust lawsuit over their planned acquisition. Both companies claimed that the lawsuit and the FTC as an organization violate multiple parts of the constitution, including Article 3 and the fifth amendment.

UK Government Delays Microsoft-Activision Merger Verdict By Two Months

Sean Murray — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 16:27:56 GMT

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a revised administrative timetable for rendering its decision on the proposed merger between Xbox owners Microsoft and Call of Duty developer/publisher Activision.

Microsoft Reportedly Not Looking To Settle Its Lawsuit With The FTC

Akshay Patel — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 11:43:31 GMT

The pre-trial for the FTC’s lawsuit attempting to block Microsoft’s Activision acquisition concluded yesterday via a telephonic hearing. Considering this was just a pretrial, there weren’t many details to report on; although, Microsoft made one thing clear: It isn’t looking for a settlement.

Blizzard Seemingly Pays QA Testers Much Less Than Bungie And Riot Games

Joshua Robertson — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 00:53:54 GMT

Earlier this week, several video game companies such as EA, Riot Games, and Activision Blizzard began to post salary ranges in job listings, in accordance with a new law intorduced at the beginning of the year. The law was intended to increase transparency in the job market, allowing people to see what salaries certain roles typically bring in.

Activision Blizzard Asking Fans About Potential Skylanders Remaster

Sean Murray — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 17:20:07 GMT

Skylanders might be about to make an unlikely comeback. A fan recently confirmed Activision is sending out survey questions to gauge interest in a Skylanders compilation that will include the first three games and won’t require the toys to play.

Chile Gives Green Light To Microsoft Activision Merger

Sean Murray — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 15:30:11 GMT

While the Microsoft-Activision merger faces roadblocks at home, it’s received the green light from South America’s most vibrant democracy. Chile’s Fiscalia Nacional Economica (National Economic Prosecutor's Office) has just published its approval of the merger, stating that the biggest video game merger in history would not "substantially reduce competition."

Activision Blizzard, EA, And More Post Huge Salary Ranges Following New Law

Joshua Robertson — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 18:42:14 GMT

Last year, it was decided that a new California law would require video game publishers to post salaries in their job listings to increase transparency in the job market. That law is now in effect, although several publishers and developers seem to be attempting to find loopholes by posting huge salary ranges for specific roles, likely in an attempt to keep specific salaries vague.

What I’d Like To See From The Video Game Industry In 2023

Mike Drucker — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 17:32:21 GMT

So it’s 2023. We made it. Viewtiful Joe is now officially 20 years old, and we have yet to receive a recent sequel. In fact, a lot of video games are now 20 years old. Apparently, that’s how the ceaseless march of time works: Everything gets older after time, and we weep into the well of nothingness that we’ll never get around to finishing The Simpsons: Hit & Run (also 20 this year!).

Microsoft Says FTC Blocking The Activision Blizzard Deal Is A Violation Of The Constitution

Sean Murray — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 14:50:24 GMT

Microsoft has issued its official response to the FTC lawsuit seeking to block its $69 billion dollar merger with Activision.

Call Of Duty Devs Have Daydreamed About The Freedom They Might Get Under Xbox

Josh Coulson — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 14:19:07 GMT

Very early on in 2022, Xbox broke the news that it was in the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard for almost $70 billion. As 2023 is about to begin, not only has the deal still not gone through, but completion remains a long way off. That hasn't stopped some long-time Call of Duty devs from fantasizing about how an Xbox-led Activision might change how things work behind the scenes.

World Of Warcraft Dragonflight Devs To Form Activision Blizzard's Third Union

Joshua Robertson — Tue, 27 Dec 2022 23:02:03 GMT

It may have flown under the radar due to the sheer size of acquisitions we're used to these days, but Activision Blizzard acquired Spellbreak devs Proletariat earlier this year to help out with development on World of Warcraft: Dragonflight. It's now been announced that these same developers are planning to unionize, which would make it the third Activision Blizzard studio to do so.

Overwatch 2 Players Say Kiriko Is The Best Character, Brigitte The Worst

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 24 Dec 2022 13:57:12 GMT

Overwatch 2 is only in its second season, but it's already seen a ridiculous amount of changes in terms of Hero buffs and nerfs. With four new characters, a few overhauls, and one Hero even changing class altogether, there's been a lot to keep track of over the past few months. Yet despite this, players think they've sussed out who the best and worst Heroes are in the game right now.

Activision Blizzard Claims FTC Is "Turning Antitrust On Its Head" Regarding Microsoft Merger

Justin Reeve — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 22:46:11 GMT

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard recently responded to the ongoing efforts by the Federal Trade Commision to block the proposed merger between the two companies on the grounds that such a deal would negatively impact competition within the games industry. The regulator previously announced plans to prevent the acquisition from going forward because the move would most notably “suppress competitors” to Xbox and Game Pass.

Blizzard's Upcoming Survival Game Will Be Led By Far Cry 5's Producer

Sean Murray — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 15:13:43 GMT

It’s been a while since we heard from Blizzard on its survival game ambitions. First announced at the beginning of the year, our attentions swiftly returned to the will-they won’t-they of the Microsoft/Activision merger. With the future of that multi-billion dollar deal in doubt and the end of the year sending executives home for the holidays, it's time to get caught up with what Blizzard has been getting up to regarding its nascent survival title.

The Biggest Gaming News For December 21, 2022

Joshua Robertson — Thu, 22 Dec 2022 01:46:38 GMT

We have another huge pile of gaming news to get through today so let's just dive right into it. One of our biggest stories of the day concerns ten brave gamers that have sued Microsoft in an attempt to stop its ongoing acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

CMA Reveals 75 Percent Of Public Emails Support Xbox Activision Blizzard Merger

Joshua Robertson — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 20:32:07 GMT

Earlier this year, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) reached out to the public regarding Microsoft's ongoing acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The idea was for the governing body to gather public opinion on whether the deal could potentially harm the industry, and the CMA has now published its findings. Out of over 2,100 emails that were sent, the CMA has revealed that roughly 75 percent of them were in favor of the deal, while the remaining 25 percent were against it.

10 Gamers Are Suing Microsoft Over Activision Blizzard Deal

James Troughton — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 11:59:07 GMT

Ten US gamers have filed a federal antitrust lawsuit in San Francisco in an attempt to get a court order that will stop Microsoft from acquiring Activision Blizzard. This is over fears of Microsoft becoming big enough "to forclose rivals, limit output, reduce consumer choice, raise prices, and further inhibit competition.

EU Regulators Survey Game Devs For Opinions On Xbox's Activision Blizzard Deal

Josh Coulson — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 11:07:07 GMT

As Xbox continues to push on in an attempt to make its almost-$70 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition a reality, EU regulators have reportedly turned to developers and publishers for input. A questionnaire reportedly sent to a number of companies earlier this month is an attempt to paint a better picture of what an approved acquisition might mean for the video game industry as a whole.

Crash Bandicoot: On The Run Will Shut Down In 2023

Josh Coulson — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 13:56:29 GMT

Crash Bandicoot got in on the endless runner hype last year via On The Run. While a series built around the lead character running through linear levels seems perfect for an endless runner, it has been announced support for Crash Bandicoot: On The Run will end next year.

Overwatch 2: Roadhog To Get "Soft Rework" For 5v5 Play

Rhiannon Bevan — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 15:00:14 GMT

Roadhog is one of the next heroes to get a rework in Overwatch 2, as he's set to receive changes that make him more suitable for the sequel's 5v5 gameplay. It seems that this overhaul will coincide with buffs made to Junker Queen, as Blizzard seems to be focussing much of its attention on the Tank class.