TheGamer - activision

Bobby Kotick Denies All Allegations Of Activision's "Systemic Issue With Harassment"

George Foster — Wed, 31 May 2023 16:28:10 GMT

During a recent interview, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick claimed that the company has never had a systemic issue with harassment and that the board of directors would never let him keep running the company if any of the claims were true.

Diablo 4 Faking Fan Questions Isn't Doing The Game Any Favours

Jade King — Tue, 30 May 2023 16:45:15 GMT

Blizzard Entertainment can’t catch a break these days, but it’s hard to feel sympathy for this company that seems determined to step on every single rake spread across a garden of its own making. Overwatch 2’s cancellation of PvE made the already languishing shooter even more enemies, while the extended production cycle of Diablo 4, alongside a noticeable lack of other projects, has players losing faith. Let’s not forget high profile scandals involving sexual harassment and systemic toxicity that has turned the once untouchable studio into a shadow of its former self. Blizzard is far from a golden child anymore, it’s a tatty statue of rust and decay with few redeeming qualities. Knowing this, why keep digging deeper holes?

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.

The EU Will Reportedly Approve Microsoft Activision Merger Next Week

James Troughton — Wed, 10 May 2023 15:50:47 GMT

While the UK CMA recently blocked the Activision Blizzard merger, the European Commission will reportedly choose to approve it next week.

EA Doesn't Care About Microsoft's Activision Blizzard Acquisition

James Troughton — Wed, 10 May 2023 12:11:35 GMT

The UK government blocked Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a result that Sony is no doubt happy about after PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan spent months lobbying against the merger. However, not every company in the games industry is as invested. EA CEO Andrew Wilson stated that he's "indifferent" about whether the merger is ultimately successful.

Xbox's Acquisition Of Activision Isn't A Win For Gamers

Jade King — Mon, 08 May 2023 16:00:15 GMT

Phil Spencer’s interview with Kinda Funny following the critical mauling of Redfall was an oddly refreshing move from a video game executive. Normally, we watch them hide behind canned statements and stuffy press releases, coming up with nonsensical excuses for big failures instead of just being honest. The Xbox head has bucked this trend for years, ever eager to own up to mistakes and make it clear that, much like us, he is a certified gamer.

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.

Nintendo VP Subpoenaed For Info Regarding Microsoft's Call Of Duty Deal

Sean Murray — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 13:38:19 GMT

The ongoing legal drama surrounding the Microsoft-Activision merger just took an interesting turn. Regulators at the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have subpoenaed a Nintendo executive to ask for details surrounding Microsoft's 10-year deal to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo's platforms.

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.

Warzone Fans Call DMZ "Dead" After Pay-To-Win Bundles Leak

Sean Murray — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:56:58 GMT

There are a few rules everyone agrees are best for the health of any online multiplayer game. Chief among those rules is keeping the game free and clear of cheaters, something that Activision tries its merry best for Call of Duty: Warzone. However, what do you do when it’s the publisher that seems to be throwing in cheats for those who have the money to pay for them?

Warzone Gets One-Shot Snipers Following St. Patrick's Day Test

Josh Coulson — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 09:20:45 GMT

Warzone 2.0 season three begins today and Activision has outlined some of the big changes you can expect from it. One of the biggest changes coming to Al Mazrah is a tweak to sniper rifles that will allow you to one-hit-down your enemies under the right circumstances. Music to the ears of those who like to fight from a distance, but bad news if you prefer getting up close and personal.

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.

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."

This Bar Gives Free Drinks If You Can Get A Warzone 2 Nuke

Josh Coulson — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:54:33 GMT

Getting the nuke in Warzone 2.0 isn't easy, and detonating it is even harder. There's a bar in Rome, Italy whose owners believe achieving the feat is so difficult, if you manage to do it while playing Warzone in the bar, you'll drink for free, presumably for the rest of your stay in the establishment.

"Gamer Lawsuit" Against Microsoft Merger Thrown Out Of Court

Sean Murray — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 14:27:32 GMT

While the FTC sued and the European Commission and CMA both launched investigations, a group of ten gamers from across the United States launched their own antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft to block the Activision merger. In its filing, the ten gamers said that the merger "would give Microsoft an unrivaled position in the gaming industry, leaving it with the greatest number of must-have games and iconic franchises."

Crash Team Rumble Launches June 20, Has A Battle Pass

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 13:32:49 GMT

Crash Team Rumble is launching on June 20, with preorder customers getting access to the beta on April 20. However, as opposed to fan speculation, the game will not be free-to-play, yet will still have seasonal battle passes, which players can pay to upgrade.

Crash Team Rumble Gameplay Leaks, Looks Like One Big Minigame

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 12:21:47 GMT

Crash Team Rumble gameplay has leaked, and it's not much more than we expected. In the clip circulating on social media, we see players spin-dash their way to getting the most points, as two teams fight to be the first to gather 2,000 wumpa fruit.

Sony Complains To Regulators Over Starfield And Elder Scrolls Xbox Exclusivity

Akshay Patel — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 22:58:57 GMT

Call of Duty’s exclusivity has been the focal point ever since Microsoft announced its intention to buy Activision. Sony has been the most vocal in its stance against this deal as it refuses to accept any kind of deal Microsoft has to offer for the FPS title to remain on PlayStation. Amongst the several reasons it has decided not to accept any deal, one stands out: It doesn’t trust Microsoft.

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.

Sony Thinks Microsoft Will Purposefully Make Call Of Duty Buggy On PlayStation

Sean Murray — Wed, 08 Mar 2023 17:34:09 GMT

Today, the UK’s CMA published Sony's observations on Microsoft's proposed remedies for its merger with Activision. Microsoft has already secured a 10-year deal with both Nintendo and Nvidia to keep publishing Call of Duty on their platforms, but Sony adamantly refused to accept a similar deal. Now we know why.

The Call Of Duty Xbox Deal Explained

Stacey Henley — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 16:01:15 GMT

If you only read gaming news casually, you might be under the impression that Microsoft just bought the rights to Call of Duty, and now Sony is crying foul. That's only part of the story, however. Microsoft actually bought Activision Blizzard King, a conglomerate of three of the biggest games studios in the world (which makes, amongst other things, Call of Duty). Microsoft plans to absorb these three massive companies, which already combine to make a really massive company, into its own really really massive company, making it really really really massive. I think it's bad for gaming as a whole, but what's worse is that the only sticking point for legislators seems to be Call of Duty.

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."

Is Anyone Even Asking For Call Of Duty On Nintendo Switch?

Jade King — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 15:59:29 GMT

The Nintendo Switch is not a powerful console. It wasn’t pushing boundaries in 2017, with launch titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild subject to performance woes as it struggled to depict its sprawling open world without compromise. Link’s Awakening chugged like a mothercuckoo as you moved between screens too, the hardware trying its hardest to render a classic experience through updated visuals before falling short at every hurdle.

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.

Activision Denies Reports Of CoD Leaks, "No Sensitive Data" Was Obtained

Rhiannon Bevan — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 12:37:38 GMT

Activision is denying reports that leakers have acquired sensitive data regarding games and employees. This comes as sources claimed to have accessed Call of Duty's 2023 roadmap, as well as personal information on Activision employees.

CMA Says Three Out Of Six Rivals Believe Microsoft-Activision Merger Will Hurt Competition

Sean Murray — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 18:14:29 GMT

The UK's competition watchdog has released a new document summarizing calls made to six Microsoft rivals that informed the recently-released report stating its merger with Activision could harm competition in the games industry. The CMA didn't say exactly who those rival companies were, but at least half of them didn't think the merger would be good for them or for gamers.

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.

[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.”

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.

Activision Has Been Working On A "Never Ending" Multiplayer Mode Since 2015

James Troughton — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 13:11:13 GMT

Activision is reportedly looking into "A system and method [provided] for continuous gameplay in a multiplayer video game through an unbounded gameplay session", i.e. a never-ending mode that sees one match in play indefinitely, never coming to a close.

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.

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.

Modern Warfare 2 Is Nerfing DMZ AI And Reducing BR Cash Payouts In Season 2

Josh Coulson — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 11:46:45 GMT

Even though its imminent arrival was pushed, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2's second season is now right around the corner. In preparation for its slightly delayed arrival on February 15, Activision has outlined some of the changes players will experience, including AI balancing in DMZ and a reduction to battle royale payouts.

Call Of Duty Zombies Fans Call For Easter Egg Reveal After Eight Years

James Troughton — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 11:53:15 GMT

Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 still has a hidden, "impossible" Zombies Easter Egg all these years later, something that director Jason Blundell teased back in 2013, two years before the game's launch. It's somewhere in the first map, Shadows of Evil, and now fans are returning to Blundell to ask for the reveal, eight years after release.

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.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 And Warzone 2 Delay Second Season

Josh Coulson — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 11:15:53 GMT

If you were hoping to dive into Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 as soon as season two launches on February 1, we've got some bad news. The start of the games' second season has been pushed back two weeks and will now launch on February 15 instead.

Warzone 2 Glitch Turns Al Mazrah Into Rainbow Road

Josh Coulson — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:29:32 GMT

The number of players logging hours in Warzone 2 means some wild stuff can happen on a pretty regular basis. Someone stumbling on an area of the match glitching so hard that it looked more like Mario Kart's Rainbow Road than the somewhat bland Al Mazrah is a new one on us, though.

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.

Modern Warfare 2 Player Dying Twice In One Killcam Sparks Outrage

Vaspaan Dastoor — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 08:21:19 GMT

For the average not-so-skilled online shooter player, the bare minimum objective is to get a positive kill-death ratio. We can pride ourselves in these small victories, and sometimes even reach upwards to get the most kills in a game. However, even these paltry achievements can only be attained if you manage to stay alive long enough. Modern Warfare 2 has already been getting flak for its respawn system, but one player's recent experience truly showcases how urgently the devs need to address it.

Modern Warfare 2 Player Spots An Actual Ghost In The Game

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 10:30:32 GMT

Ghost is perhaps the most popular character from the Call of Duty IP. There's Soap, Mason, and Price of course – but it takes a lot to beat a guy who used to wear a skull balaclava, and now an actual freaking skull on his face. Plus, he's a sniper, and as we all know, snipers ooze coolness. And, while the CoD universe features zombies, actual ghosts are far from canon. However, it appears that a particular map in Modern Warfare 2 may be haunted.

Warzone 2 Players Are Using A Unique Tactic To Win Gulag Fights

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sat, 14 Jan 2023 12:19:16 GMT

Warzone 2 players have a lot to deal with. If they aren't getting shadowbanned for no apparent reason, or randomly exploding in choppers, or still stuck in the menu thanks to the confusing UI, they have to deal with cheaters. And if it's none of that, they have to come face to face with the worst of it all, actually skilled players. Thankfully, Warzone 2 allows you to respawn via the Gulag system if one of these skilled players takes you out. But only god can help you if they follow you there too.

Google And Nvidia Reportedly "Express Concerns" To FTC Over Microsoft's Activision Buyout

Akshay Patel — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 10:32:53 GMT

The Microsoft-Activision deal has already seen a great deal of pushback from regulatory authorities in Europe, the USA, and the UK. However, Sony has been the only vocal rival to speak up against this deal, whereas others in the industry have remained silent. But that has now changed as Google and Nvidia have reportedly joined Sony in voicing concern about this proposed deal.

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.

Microsoft Runs Pro-Union Ad Amidst Activision Blizzard Acquisition

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 08 Jan 2023 11:16:31 GMT

Microsoft recently found itself in hot water when it made some strong remarks against the FTC's antitrust lawsuit, calling it unconstitutional. However, this statement was later walked back by the company, and a revised response was filed. Microsoft is under the microscope for its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and several authorities have been running investigations upon it, the FTC included. Perhaps as an added measure, the company has deemed it fit to run an advertisement in the Washington Post, standing up for unionization and also supporting the FTC.

Call Of Duty Is Never Going To Top The Modern Warfare Nuke Moment

Jade King — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 16:54:14 GMT

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare changed games forever. Even when considered outside the context of the Activision cash cow it would soon become, Infinity Ward created a shooter experience that redefined the genre on consoles, spawning generations of copycats that even now are still pilfering through the woodwork. Legendary, Turning Point: Fall of Liberty, Timeshift, Blacksite, Singularity, Haze, and a list of games so long that I’d be here forever sifting through them all. The thing is, none of them lived up to their clear progenitor.

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.

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."

Microsoft Claims It Has No Idea When The First Call of Duty Title Released

Akshay Patel — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 10:48:58 GMT

In a bizarre turn of events, Microsoft has claimed that it doesn’t know when the first Call of Duty title was released. This was noticed in its response to the FTC’s lawsuit against its proposed Activision takeover.

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 Streamer Dislocates Knee After Dying In-Game

Josh Coulson — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 12:24:42 GMT

Odds are many of you reading this have a game, or maybe even a few games, that cause you to fly off the handle should you lose due to circumstances beyond your control. That anger may have even resulted in a broken controller or two. What has probably never happened to anyone else ever is a knee dislocation as the result of losing it while playing Call of Duty.

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.

Modern Warfare 2 Players Are Roasting Ghost's Design

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:29:39 GMT

The Call of Duty franchise, despite being FPS-based and featuring character development as scarce as a 17-year-old's facial hair, manages to have some iconic characters. There's Alex Mason, known for forgetting numbers and having a Russian dude in his head; Captain Price, for the indestructible hat and glorious mutton chops; Soap for having the weirdest call sign and OP knife-throwing skills; and Shepherd for teaching us to never trust anybody ever.

This Mystery Game Dev Has Thrown Its Support Behind The Microsoft Activision Merger

Sean Murray — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 18:21:22 GMT

On the home front, things aren't looking great for the Microsoft/Activision merger. The FTC has sued to block the deal, and although Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is still confident that Microsoft's $70 billion purchase will still happen by next summer, not everyone shares his optimism.

Modern Warfare 2 Nerfs OP Roze 2.0 Skin, Players Ask For Refund

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 07:25:59 GMT

For the most part, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 are free from pay-to-win elements. There are tons of skins that you can either earn or buy, but they're only cosmetics, and don't offer anything different in terms of gameplay. However, a recently added premium skin has caused quite a stir, as it offers an added advantage in terms of camouflage. The LA Thieves full-black skin is currently considered a bit OP when it comes to hiding, so Activision has decided to nerf it.

Crash Team Rumble Will Have Cross-Play

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 19:42:50 GMT

Crash Team Rumble will have cross-platform multiplayer, according to the game's description on the Activision website. Players across PlayStation and Xbox platforms will be able to team up to take each other on in the new multiplayer game, which is currently set to release at some point next year.

Modern Warfare 2 Reveals Its First Ever Raid

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 12:28:33 GMT

It's not very often that Call of Duty does anything new. It's the same formula, with a different gun-toting, propaganda-spreading wrapper. And, the fact that there's already a Modern Warfare series only stresses this point. The last wholly original thing that the Call of Duty brand has done was Warzone, and even that was a result of other games coming out with their own battle royale modes. However, it appears Activision is now taking a page out of Bungie's playbook.

Warzone 2's Upcoming Combat Records Won't Include Stats From Season 1

Joshua Robertson — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 21:04:31 GMT

Call of Duty Warzone 2's latest set of patch notes have been released ahead of the introduction of Season 1 Reloaded on December 14, outlining key changes and tweaks coming to the title. One of the newest updates will add Combat Records, something that will let you track specific statistics across all of your matches.

CWA Backs Microsoft In Lawsuit, Says Merger Will "Improve Working Conditions"

Sean Murray — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 18:22:06 GMT

Yesterday, the FTC announced its intent to stop the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard merger. It sued in court, citing the potential for Microsoft to use its power to harm competition in the video game market by withholding games like Starfield and Redfall from rival consoles. Activision's CEO expressed confidence despite the lawsuit that the deal would eventually go through, and indeed, this could just be a legal hurdle for Microsoft to jump given the largely conservative US justice system.

FTC Is Suing Microsoft Over Its Acquisition Of Activision Blizzard

Joshua Robertson — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 20:06:13 GMT

Since Microsoft announced its intended acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company has faced a number of investigations into the deal by various governing bodies. The CMA, EU, and FTC have all put the deal under intense scrutiny, but the latter has now taken things a step further and is suing Microsoft to block the acquisition. This comes shortly after reports suggested the FTC was "skeptical of the companies’ arguments" regarding why the deal should be allowed to go through.

Activision Now Demanding "Bug Quotas" From QA Testers In Texas And Minnesota

Sean Murray — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 18:01:46 GMT

Activision is facing more unrest from its QA teams after implementing performance improvement plans for some employees that include a "bug quota"--a set quantity of bugs that the QA tester must find in order to meet their performance metrics. However, this has resulted in QA teams from Activision’s Minnesota and Texas offices sending a letter to management demanding the end of bug quotas and a meeting with QA employees to set standardized metrics that follow industry standards.

Activision Sues California For Allegedly Illegally Suing Activision

Issy van der Velde — Thu, 08 Dec 2022 15:57:33 GMT

In case you weren't aware, a state agency in California is suing Activision Blizzard, alleging it has a company-wide "fratboy workplace culture" that mistreats women and minorities. The agency (formerly the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, now called the Civil Rights Department) is now being sued by Activision for apparently improperly handling information relevant to the case and unlawfully filing the suit in the first place.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Leak Hints At Classic Map Castle's Return

Josh Coulson — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 14:04:06 GMT

Even though Modern Warfare 2's first season has only just begun, it seems the first details surrounding season two, which won't be rolled out until February, have already started to leak. Key art, which appears to be official since it has been quickly taken down, hints at a Japanese theme for the game and its BR spinoff Warzone 2 in season two via the return of a certain map and also a past operator.

Warzone 2 Needs An All New Looting System

Ben Sledge — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 16:30:14 GMT

Warzone 2 hasn’t got off to a good start. The game needed an update as Verdansk was feeling stale, but the sequel is riddled with issues. From game-breaking bugs and invisible opponents, to restarting PCs when you try to launch it, I don’t know why I’m still even trying to play Warzone at this point. But honestly, the looting annoys me more than anything else.

Warzone 2's Best Field Upgrades Are Temporarily Disabled Due To Infinite Glitch

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 13:43:14 GMT

Call of Duty: Warzone 2 devs must be hoping for at least one day where a new crack isn't found in their already broken game. The problem with Warzone 2 isn't just that it has a lot of bugs and glitches, but there are a number of exploits that players have been using to mess with the gameplay balance. The latest crack comes in the form of two of the game's best Field Upgrades running on an infinite loop, turning players into absolute juggernauts or silent killers. Infinity Ward has decided to disable both of them until they're fixed.

What Will It Take For Us To Give Up On Warzone?

Ben Sledge — Sat, 03 Dec 2022 17:30:13 GMT

Warzone 2 is a mess. It may be a less predatory upgrade than Overwatch 2, but it’s also somehow even more broken. You’d think ‘working’ would be a prerequisite for games to release, but these days developers have rigid schedules to hit and too much on their plates. We’ve seen it with Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, which looks terrible, runs even worse, and would still be a subpar game if it was technically perfect.

Second Group Of Activision Blizzard Devs Successfully Unionize

Sean Murray — Fri, 02 Dec 2022 19:23:55 GMT

A day after the US National Labor Relations Board denied Activision’s last-minute request to delay Blizzard Albany’s unionization vote, the NLRB opened the ballots to find all 14 votes in favor of unionization. With nearly 80 percent majority, Game Workers Alliance Albany is now Activision Blizzard’s second official union after the original Game Workers Alliance formed from Raven Software’s QA department earlier this year.

US Labor Board Denies Activision's Delay On Blizzard Albany Union Vote

Sean Murray — Thu, 01 Dec 2022 17:46:11 GMT

Blizzard Albany is now one step closer to becoming Activision Blizzard's second union. The 18-member QA team at Blizzard's Albany office first applied for unionization over the summer, leading Activision to immediately begin union-busting with familiar tactics like mandatory meetings. Blizzard Albany's QA team is demanding better pay, healthcare, and paid sick days. Albany secured the right to hold its union vote in October, but Activision appealed the decision, reiterating previous arguments that all of Blizzard Albany should vote on unionization and not just the QA team.

Activision And Geoff Keighley Working Together On Last Year's The Game Awards Message Is Vulgar

Stacey Henley — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 17:45:14 GMT

I was in the audience of The Game Awards last year. I spoke to the protestors outside with signs about Activision Blizzard's rampant abuse and union busting, and wore the Raven pin one of the protestors gave me in support of their efforts to unionise. In truth, I felt a little conflicted. It was my first time at The Game Awards, and my first gaming event in a long time thanks to the pandemic. I was fully vaxxed, fully masked, and I'd paid for my own flights and accommodation, so I felt relatively in the clear. I knew it was an advertising showcase with a few customary awards handed out to justify its own existence, but it was nice to feel connected to the industry in a tangible way beyond a computer screen. When Keighley announced that Activision Blizzard had been pulled from the show and would only appear in categories they were nominated for (so no ads), any residual guilt lifted. When Keighley made his opening speech about the state of the industry, I clapped along with the rest of the crowd. We did it, Reddit. Abuse in the games industry no longer existed. What a fool I was.

Call Of Duty's Original Warzone Returns As Promised Following Sequel's Launch

Josh Coulson — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 14:09:45 GMT

Activision has stuck to its word and relaunched the original Warzone. However, those of you hoping to step back into Call of Duty's original BR game should lower your expectations. The relaunch was always going to be pretty stripped back, and what remains of the OG Warzone is very different from what was left behind in preparation for the launch of its sequel.

Warzone 2 And Modern Warfare 2 Glitch Gives Out Free Store Purchases

James Troughton — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 12:01:24 GMT

Call of Duty: Warzone 2 players aren't just getting maximum cash in the DMZ mode, but free, otherwise paid purchases, in the store. And it's not intentional. It's a dev error that lets effected players unlock weapon camos, attachments, operators, future DLC, and even Modern Warfare 2's Vault Edition.

Warzone 2 DMZ Exploit Is Giving Players Maximum Cash

Vaspaan Dastoor — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 09:58:19 GMT

They would like you to think that war is like Modern Warfare 2 – where everything you do is glorified, your team is always right, and you're surrounded by cool technology, all for the purpose of killing evil people. But the truth is that war is more like Warzone 2 – nothing works properly, you have no idea who is shooting at you, and someone is always making money off of it. Yes, Warzone 2, much like war, is a broken concept, and we're finding new cracks just about every day.

Sony Is Right, Battlefield Will Never Keep Up With Call Of Duty

Jade King — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 17:15:13 GMT

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is getting messy. Multiple trading and anti-competition bodies from around the world have been grilling the companies to ensure there is no major risk of an industry monopoly. I’m of the opinion that this whole deal is a terrible idea, even if it results in the revival of our fan favourite franchises. But it also feels like a deal too far, one of such magnitude that it can only lead to bad things later down the line. The acquisition has some rough roads ahead, no matter how you slice it.

The Gulag Is The Only Good Part Of Warzone 2

Ben Sledge — Sun, 27 Nov 2022 16:45:14 GMT

Warzone 2 is a mess. It takes ages to get into a game, it’s laggy for the first ten minutes once you’re in, and then after another ten minutes trying to get your head around the terrible looting system, before you’re killed in a fraction of a second and have to head all the way back to the lobby to start over again. I’m too old for this incredibly fast time to kill, and too impatient to forgive huge waits for matches that will be buggy when I get in.

Call Of Duty: Warzone 2.0 Now Has Flying Boats Thanks To Hackers

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 06:56:35 GMT

Call of Duty: Warzone 2 has unfortunately not quite received the same reception as Modern Warfare 2. While the only real issue with Modern Warfare 2 is the ridiculously confusing menu UI, Warzone's 2.0 iteration is plagued with issues that have seen its Steam reviews drop down to Mostly Negative. This is primarily due to the fact that the game is not only filled with bugs, glitches, and performance issues, but the new DMZ mode is just plain boring. So, it seems that hackers have decided to make their own fun in Warzone 2.

Warzone Bug Lets Players Hideout In Underwater Trucks

Josh Coulson — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 11:07:16 GMT

Warzone 2 has been out for more than a week and it has already been revealed that more than 25 million people have taken the sequel for a whirl. There are naturally still a number of issues for Raven Software to iron out though, such as one player discovering they can hop in a truck and drive it along the bottom of the sea bed, safe from danger.

Call Of Duty Modern Warfare 2 "G Walk" Terrifies Players

Josh Coulson — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 14:10:26 GMT

Call of Duty season is in full swing as Modern Warfare 2 has been around for a few weeks and now Warzone 2 has joined it. The games are currently in that sweet spot where players are finding fun and sometimes annoying issues, but Infinity Ward hasn't had the chance to fix them yet. Exploits such as the terrifying G Walk below.

Pokemon And Call Of Duty Have Exactly The Same Problem

Ben Sledge — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 19:00:14 GMT

Pokemon Scarlet & Violet barely work. The open world of Paldea looks terrible, filled with bland plains and flat mountains. There are glitches aplenty – I’ve hard crashed once, and others have found far worse. Worst of all, I’m not sure there’s a good game underneath all the poor presentation. They’re a pair of games held together by Yamasking tape and decades of goodwill, but for many, it’s wearing thin.

Warzone 2 Uber Driver Picks Up Game's First Zero-Kill Win

Josh Coulson — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 11:24:06 GMT

Warzone 2.0 launched last week and some of the stories to spring from it in that time have been somewhat unexpected. Players roleplaying as Uber drivers, for instance. A fun and different way to enjoy the game, and if you find the right people to ferry around, your kindness might well be rewarded with a BR win.

Warzone 2.0 Players Are Now Getting Killed By Invisible Enemies

Vaspaan Dastoor — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 07:54:33 GMT

No matter what loadout and perks you take into battle, there's only so much difference they will make. If you come face to face with a skilled FPS player, chances are they'll probably eliminate you before you can even react. The best chance you'd have is by either rushing them with your squad, or by getting the drop on them. If none of those seem to work out, you can always hope that you turn invisible.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Players Are Seeing Completely Different Things In The Multiplayer Lobby Screen

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 20 Nov 2022 10:58:24 GMT

While Warzone 2.0 hasn't really launched in the best possible shape, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's campaign and multiplayer have done just fine. Of course, there will always be the occasional bug or glitch in a game of this magnitude, but so far, it's been relatively smooth sailing. The one aspect of Modern Warfare 2 we can point fingers at, however, is the overcomplicated menu UI that makes finding anything a task. Related to that is another relatively minor issue with the lobby screen.

I'm Getting Too Old For Call Of Duty: Warzone 2

Ben Sledge — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 17:45:13 GMT

If you get shot in the head by a bullet, you’re dead in half a second. Maybe less? I’m talking real life here, if you’re in an active warzone or your best friend suddenly betrays you, pulls out a pistol, and BAM. Maybe I’ve been playing too many video games and that doesn’t actually happen in real life, but you get the picture. A bullet to the head will kill you instantly 99 times out of 100.

Modern Warfare 2’s UI Is Such An Overcomplicated Mess

Jade King — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 17:00:14 GMT

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is pretty great, and might be my favourite entry in the series since 2016’s Infinite Warfare. It has a confident campaign, varied multiplayer, and a belief in its identity that the past few games have been sorely lacking. Infinity Ward has smashed it.

Overwatch 2 Aim Assist Enabled In Crossplay, Non Competitive

Rhiannon Bevan — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 14:51:21 GMT

Overwatch 2 will allow console players to use aim assist in matches with PC users, as long as it's not Competitive. Quick Play, Arcade and private matches will now keep aim assist enabled even if a PC player is in the game, whereas previously even one PC player in a match was enough to disable the feature for everyone.

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Player Somehow Reaches Max Level Via Pacifist Run

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 08:32:41 GMT

A pacifist run is a pretty cool concept. For the uninitiated, it means completing a game, or a certain milestone, without killing any enemies, NPC or otherwise. These kinds of runs are usually performed in RPGs, where the player has a plethora of options to get by an enemy without having to kill them. They are testament to the player's knowledge of the game's systems, mastery over their build, and overall patience.

Warzone 2 Is Telling Players To Buy Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 If They Want To Continue Playing

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sat, 19 Nov 2022 07:17:34 GMT

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 came with its share of issues. One of the biggest being the revamped menu UI that utterly confused players and made finding anything a task of its own. Then, of course, there were issues related to gameplay, like a ping system that turned into a wallhack, annoying proximity chat, and sheer lack of new maps. All of these, and more, are enough to make some players wish they hadn't spent so much money on the game – just yet at least. At least we can play Warzone 2 without having to worry about spending too much on it – well, most of us.

Google Reportedly Paid Activision $360 Million To Not Build A Rival App Store

Sean Murray — Fri, 18 Nov 2022 16:50:29 GMT

Google paid hundreds of millions of dollars to rival software developers to keep them from making their own mobile app stores. That's according to newly unredacted court documents from Epic's lawsuit against Google.

Warzone 2 Players Are Using Proximity Chat To Bait Enemies Into The Open

Josh Coulson — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 12:51:09 GMT

Warzone 2.0 has launched and many of you reading this will have already logged multiple hours into the free-to-play Call of Duty sequel. You will have also likely experienced proximity chat, a new feature added to Warzone 2.0 that has the player base split less than 24 hours after launch.

Warzone Installation Is Confusing Players Again Ahead Of 2.0's Launch

Josh Coulson — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 15:37:58 GMT

Warzone 2.0 launches this week and Call of Duty's free-to-play battle royale spin-off is available to preload right now. That will ensure the game is ready and raring to go as soon as it launches, unless you're one of the many having trouble installing the game, a repeat of what happened when the original Warzone launched in 2020.

Modern Warfare 2's Ghost And Soap Side-Eye Moment Is Getting Memed

Josh Coulson — Mon, 14 Nov 2022 15:12:06 GMT

Call Of Duty games aren't typically known for their character-building and relationships. Modern Warfare 2 has broken that mold through Soap and Ghost, and if you have so much as opened TikTok at any point over the past few days, you will have seen Ghost giving Soap the side-eye.

Call Of Duty Could Soon Have Customisable Killcams With This Activision Patent

Lu-Hai Liang — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 15:51:59 GMT

Killcams have become an integral part of Call of Duty, allowing players to show off their skills if they're the ones being featured, and for others to witness them. It's turned the game into something of a spectator sport too as killcam videos are shared online.

Call Of Duty Warzone 2.0's DMZ Is An Extraction Mode Launching As A Beta

Vaspaan Dastoor — Sun, 13 Nov 2022 11:50:06 GMT

There will come a time when we reach the shooter game singularity – when all the shooters everywhere become the exact same game, causing the destruction of the shooter genre as we know it. After Battle Royale, the Extraction sub-genre – made popular by Escape from Tarkov – is the latest step towards this event. Expectedly, Call of Duty Warzone's 2.0 avatar has come up with its own twist on it, called DMZ.