The Microsoft Activision Blizzard acquisition will bring together one of the game industry’s big-three companies, with one of the industry’s leading game developers. As Xbox continues its strategy of major acquisitions, will the Activision Blizzard purchase run afoul of antitrust laws? A legal expert says not likely at this stage.

Remember how Xbox successfully acquired Bethesda without running into complications with antitrust laws? This is because it was a form of vertical integration where a distributor of content, like Xbox, purchased a content producer, like Bethesda.

David Hoppe, a Managing Partner at the San Francisco-based Media and Tech law firm Gamma Law says Xbox’s acquisition of Activision runs on the same principle.

“The acquisition is another example of so-called ‘vertical integration’ in the video game industry — a console manufacturer (distributor) acquiring a game developer (producer). Of course, this is the largest such deal in games industry history, but U.S. courts have historically been unwilling to apply restrictive antitrust principles to vertical transactions,” Hoppe says.

Indeed historically the Justice Department has not had issues with console exclusivities, which is a likely outcome of the Xbox-Activision deal.

While there is a chance the deal could be viewed as a “horizontal” acquisition — where two direct competitors are merged — given that Xbox is also a game developer. Hoppe says, "it is difficult to apply legal competition principles when the ‘products’ are creative works like video games, each one of which is arguably unique and therefore not in direct competition."

While convergence in the industry means all entertainment options compete with each other in some way, Hoppe explains that “It would be quite ridiculous at this point to try to make an antitrust case on the basis that the acquisition will result in less consumer choice in the shooter games product category, for example.”

In fact, Xbox’s lack of presence in the mobile games space is one of the reasons Activision offered when it discussed the strategic benefits of Xbox acquiring Activision, which includes mobile developer King.

Despite the legal pathway for such a deal to go through, Hoppe does say consolidation at this scale could be bad for the industry and that at this time the clear winners are “likely to be Activision executives, who benefit from a major diversion of attention from a huge, potentially existential crisis, and undoubtedly have the assurance of rich exit packages at the appropriate time.”

The Xbox Activision Blizzard acquisition is set to finalize by June 2023. As we head towards this date, various agencies will announce whether they’ll clear the way for such a deal to proceed. Until then check out IGN’s full coverage of events so far, including reactions across the games industry, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick’s reasonings for the sale, and how this sets the stage for a new kind of content war.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.

Earlier today, Microsoft announced plans to buy Activision Blizzard for a whopping $68.7 billion, putting huge franchises like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and more under Xbox's umbrella. While we've already seen how the video game industry is reacting to the huge acquisition, you can now take a look at how Microsoft and Activision Blizzard leaders broke the news to their staff members.

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick, whose future with the company is still unclear at the moment, shared an email with all Activision Blizzard employees, saying Microsoft was the clear choice to partner with.

"In considering possible partners, all roads ultimately lead to Microsoft," Kotick wrote. "Like us, they have been making games for a long time. Microsoft has already distributed games to hundreds of millions of the world’s computers and computing devices and has technologies and innovation that will support the next generation of games."

Activision Blizzard has been under fire for months due to serious allegations of harassment and misconduct, with Kotick at the center of many of the headlines. Kotick told employees Microsoft will help improve Activision Blizzard's culture.

"Microsoft also will support our journey to further strengthen our culture," Kotick wrote. "Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s CEO, has been a passionate advocate for caring as the currency of leadership. Inspiring people through empathy is a powerful motivator, and one we embrace as we renew our resolve – and in the work we are now doing – to set a new standard for a welcoming and inclusive workplace culture."

The ABK Worker's Alliance has already responded to the news, saying the acquisition, "does not change the goals" of the organization working for workplace improvements and employee rights.

And, speaking of Nadella, MSPU posted the email penned by the Microsoft CEO, sent to all employees regarding the acquisition. In addition to celebrating the acquisition, Nadella also announced a new title for Xbox head Phil Spencer.

"Effective today, Phil Spencer will become CEO, Microsoft Gaming," Nadella wrote. "When the acquisition closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil. We look forward to extending our journey to create a more diverse and inclusive culture to our new colleagues at Activision Blizzard, and ensuring all our employees can do what they love, while thriving in a safe and welcoming environment — one where everyone feels empowered to do their best work."

Spencer also shared his own words with Microsoft employees, calling the agreement, "a milestone for our company, our business, and our industry. Spencer also somewhat addressed Microsoft's efforts to create inclusive environments at all of its studios.

"Microsoft is committed to our journey for inclusion in every aspect of gaming, among both employees and players," Spencer wrote. "We deeply value individual studio cultures. We also believe that creative success and autonomy go hand-in-hand with treating every person with dignity and respect. We hold all teams, and all leaders, to this commitment. We’re looking forward to extending our culture of proactive inclusion to the great teams across Activision Blizzard."

You can read the full statements from Kotick, Spencer, and Nadella, as the industry continues to digest this significant announcement. And, read up on how this transaction compares to other media mega deals over the last few years.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN. You can find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.

As superhero fanatics begin following John Cena's Peacemaker series on HBO Max, director and creator James Gunn has some promising news: A major character from Peacemaker will return in a DC film in the future.

On an interview with TV's Top 5 podcast, Gunn reiterated that Peacemaker takes place in the same cinematic universe as 2021's The Suicide Squad.

"It [Peacemaker] is part of the DCU, I mean they can use these characters," Gunn said. "I mean one of these characters, which people have kind of figured out, one of these characters is used in a future big DC movie that's from here. So we are connected to all of this."

Excluding Cena/Peacemaker, it's possible that Gunn could be referencing Peacemaker's best bud and utter sociopath Vigilante, played by Freddie Stroma.

Gunn also reflected on how it's unclear which characters or actors will take off in the DC extended universe, citing his work on Guardians of the Galaxy. Those movies featured relatively unknown characters in the Marvel comics universe, but popular reception helped launch them to key roles in Infinity War and Endgame.

Gunn's comments could also imply that NSA agent Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) will return in DC's Black Adam, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. With only the first three episodes available now, only time will tell.

You can check out IGN's review of Peacemaker on HBO Max for our thoughts on the first three episodes, which writer Samantha Nelson called "a goofy takedown of vigilantism while hinting at bigger and darker plots to come." You should also absolutely check out the goofy dance choreographed opening credits sequence, featuring Wig Wam's "Do You Wanna Taste It?" Or check out the history of Peacemaker in DC comics and beyond.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/instrument of justice for IGN.

Nearly two weeks after the digital version of the Pandemic board game was quietly delisted from Steam for seemingly no reason, developer Asmodee Digital and publisher Z-Man have finally released a statement explaining their decision. Though some contemplated the decision was due to the impact of COVID-19, Asmodee's statement claims an alternate reasoning.

"The Pandemic app was released 9 years ago, and we no longer feel the current quality and reliability of the game is on par with what Pandemic deserves on digital platforms," Asmodee said. "The time has come to make way for the digital future of Pandemic. "

Asmodee clarified that current owners of Pandemic will not be impacted, and can still download and play the game. A multiplayer version of Pandemic has also remained available on Board Game Arena (which Asmodee owns) despite the delisting.

"We are truly thankful to the whole Pandemic community for their awesome support and involvement over these last years," Asmodee continued. "Stay tuned!"

Asmodee's statement implies that Pandemic's digital version will continue to exist in some form in the future, perhaps an updated version. It's possible that, since the original digital version released nearly a decade ago, it was due for a cosmetic and structural makeover.

In early 2020, a giveaway of Pandemic on the Epic Games Store was canceled. It was assumed at the time to be a matter of sensitivity thanks to the emergence of COVID-19, but Asmodee's most recent comment seems to imply the two decisions are unrelated.

Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer for IGN.

In his first interview following the news that Xbox is acquiring Activision Blizzard for close to $70 billion, current Activision CEO Bobby Kotick says the deal is necessary to compete with trillion-dollar competitors.

Speaking to VentureBeat, Kotick says that Activision Blizzard is looking increasingly outgunned in a field that now includes companies like Tencent, Netease, Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, Netflix, and Sony.

“It’s a reality that started to factor into our thinking. There is more competition from bigger companies with more resources,” Kotick says. “Facebook is spending [billions] a year on the metaverse. I’ve never seen as much competition, and we’re seeing it even in the wage inflation.”

Activision Blizzard makes around $8 billion a year according to analysts, which is no small figure. But as context, Microsoft is valued at over $2 trillion. Other tech giants like Netflix are trying their hands at games and Facebook renamed itself Meta and is positioning its VR platform as a key product.

According to Kotick, Microsoft’s offer of a 45% premium over the stock price was an attractive offer that got the longtime CEO to seriously consider the deal and looking at the industry as a whole cemented Kotick’s belief that partnering with Microsoft and Xbox for the future was the way to go.

“I think like, you’d think, ‘oh, ‘were this big company and have great resources.’ Kotick says. “But when you’re comparing us to, you know, $2 trillion companies and $3 trillion companies and trillion-dollar companies and 4500 billion companies, you realize, we may have been a big company in video gaming, but now, when you look at the landscape of who the competitors are, it’s a different world today than ever before.”

If Activision’s ongoing sexual harassment scandal had anything to do with the deal, Kotick only spoke of the matter to the extent it affected the company’s stock prices. And even then, Kotick says delaying the next Overwatch and Diablo had more of an impact there.

Kotick also didn’t elaborate on whether he will remain CEO after the deal between Activision and Microsoft is complete. Currently, Kotick will remain CEO and he says he will remain as long as he’s needed “However much time that takes, if it’s a month after the close, if it’s a year after that, I just care that the transition goes well.” Reports from sources say, however, that Kotick is expected to depart once the deal is finalized.

The Xbox Activision Blizzard acquisition story is developing and there will be plenty to unpack in the coming months. The games industry is already reacting to the news of Xbox’s latest big purchase, and the move could signal a shift towards the content wars versus a traditional console war.

Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.
Thumbnail Image Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Paramount+ has officially ordered Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 to "engage," with the streaming giant announcing that the show has been renewed for a fifth season.

The news was included among a raft of Star Trek updates from Paramount+, including a release date for Star Trek: Picard and a second season for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the retro series starring Captain Christopher Pike. It's all part of Paramount's sustained push for the franchise, which has enjoyed a revival since Discovery first came on the scene back in 2017.

In addition to Star Trek: Discovery's renewal, Paramount+ confirmed that Star Trek: Picard's second season will begin streaming weekly on March 3. It will be followed by the premiere of Strange New Worlds, which debuts on May 5.

Meanwhile, Star Trek's animated efforts are also getting a push, with Lower Decks returning in the summer for a 10 episode fourth season, and the rest of Star Trek: Prodigy's first season set to air later in 2022. In other words, if you want more Star Trek in your life, you're pretty much all set.

In the short-term, Star Trek: Discovery's fourth season returns with new episodes on February 10. In our review of the the premiere, we said that the episode meets the "high visual bar" established by the show in recent years, but wondered how it will balance its season-long mystery with its weekly adventures.

2021 was a great year to be a video game company, or at least it was if you had a big existing franchise to repackage and make tons of money off of. A surprising number of 2021's best-selling games were also best-selling games in 2020, and the rest were part of big, beloved franchises. Like Pokémon, for instance.

In fact, 2021 was huge for the Pokémon games. Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, despite being remakes of games from 2006, were the third best-selling games in December and the fourth best-selling games the entire year in the US, according to The NPD Group. They were also the best-selling games on Nintendo consoles for both the entire month of December and for the full year.

Specifically, a lot of people were buying physical copies of not just Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, but other Pokémon games too, like New Pokémon Snap. In total, physical sales of Pokémon games in 2021 were the best they've been since 2000 when Pokémon Gold and Silver first came out in the US. That doesn't count digital sales, of course, which didn't exist for Pokémon games in 2000 and have likely surpassed total sales ever since, but it's still a massive milestone.

Pokémon games aside, Call of Duty was, as usual, 2021's favorite game to throw money at. Vanguard was the best-selling game for both December and the full year, and Black Ops: Cold War was the second best-selling game of the year.

That makes Call of Duty the best-selling gaming franchise for the 13th consecutive year and marks the third year in a row that a Call of Duty game has topped the charts for a full year since Red Dead Redemption 2 broke its previous streak in 2018.

The rest of the top sellers of 2021 should look pretty familiar. Notably, seven of the top 20 were also in the top 20 last year, and three of them (Mortal Kombat 11, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and Mario Kart 8) were also in the top 20 for 2019.

1. Call of Duty: Vanguard
2. Call of Duty: Black Ops: Cold War
3. Madden NFL 22
4. Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl
5. Battlefield 2042
6. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
7. Mario Kart 8
8. Resident Evil: Village
9. MLB: The Show 21
10. Super Mario 3D World
11. Far cry 6
12. FIFA 22
13. Minecraft
14. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
15. NBA 2K22
16. Assassin's Creed: Valhalla
17. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
18. Back 4 Blood
19. Mortal Kombat 11
20. Forza Horizon 5

The month of December taken by itself similarly had little variety:

1. Call of Duty: Vanguard
2. Halo: Infinite
3. Pokemon: Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl
4. Madden NFL 22
5. Battlefield 2042
6. Mario Kart 8
7. Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales
8. Mario Party Superstars
9. NBA 2K22
10. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Overall, gaming spending for the full year of 2021 was up 8% from 2020 to a new record high of $60.4 billion. Spending in December was down 1% to $7.5 billion, mostly due to increases in gaming subscription spending and recurrent spending balanced out by decreases in premium game sales.

Hardware spending in 2021 was up 14% to $6.1 billion, and the Nintendo Switch was the best-selling console of 2021 both in unit sales and dollar sales.

Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.

Daniel Radcliffe will star in the title role of WEIRD: The Weird Al Yankovic Story.

The film, which is now in the works at Funny Or Die, will focus on the life and career of award-winning musician “Weird Al” Yankovic, who is known for his cutting pop culture parodies.

“When my last movie UHF came out in 1989, I made a solemn vow to my fans that I would release a major motion picture every 33 years, like clockwork. I’m very happy to say we’re on schedule,” said Yankovic. “I am absolutely thrilled that Daniel Radcliffe will be portraying me in the film. I have no doubt whatsoever that this is the role future generations will remember him for.”

The biopic, which will star Radcliffe as Yankovic himself, “holds nothing back”. "[The biopic explores] every facet of Yankovic’s life, from his meteoric rise to fame with early hits like ‘Eat It’ and ‘Like a Surgeon’ to his torrid celebrity love affairs and famously depraved lifestyle,” reads the official synopsis. “WEIRD: The Al Yankovic Story takes audiences on a truly unbelievable journey through Yankovic’s life and career, from gifted child prodigy to the greatest musical legend of all time.”

“Weird Al” Yankovic has won five Grammy awards during his career, in which he’s recorded more than 150 parodies and original songs. He even took over as Editor-in-chief of MAD magazine for a single issue.

“I am excited that my first project as the owner of Funny Or Die Studios is to help bring the story of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic to the screen,” said executive producer and Funny Or Die boss, Henry Muñoz III.

“Weird Al is a comic genius and his impact on pop culture, his mastery of the music video, his award-winning music and his incredible life are a perfect fit for the talented producers at FOD,” he added. “We are honored to partner with Roku, Tango and our director Eric Appel on this important movie. WEIRD has brought together a weird and wonderful team of creative people, to tell the story of a man who has made people laugh and sing across the world.”

WEIRD: The Weird Al Yankovic Story is being written by “Weird Al” Yankovic himself, alongside Eric Appel, who will also direct the movie. Yankovic is also on board as producer along with Mike Farah, Joe Farrell and Whitney Hodack for Funny Or Die, as well as Tim Headington, Lia Buman and Max Silva for Tango. Eric Appel, Henry Muñoz III and Neil Shah are executive producers.

Production for WEIRD: The Weird Al Yankovic Story will begin in Los Angeles in February.

Ryan Leston is an entertainment journalist and film critic for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter.

Netflix has announced that The Cuphead Show will launch this February.

The streamer revealed that the 12-episode season will be available from February 18, 22. A brand new trailer accompanies the announcement, which can be watched below or on YouTube.

Each episode will run for 12 minutes, and follow the adventures of the impulsive Cuphead and his cautious brother, Mugman as they explore the Inkwell Isles.

If you're looking for more Cuphead, you'll be pleased to know that Cuphead's DLC, The Delicious Last Course, has finally been given a release date. It means 2022 will deliver both watchable and playable versions of Cuphead.

You can also check out the original first look at The Cuphead Show, as well as its casting announcements.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.

Netflix has announced that The Cuphead Show will launch this February.

The streamer revealed that the 12-episode season will be available from February 18, 22. A brand new trailer accompanies the announcement, which can be watched below or on YouTube.

Each episode will run for 12 minutes, and follow the adventures of the impulsive Cuphead and his cautious brother, Mugman as they explore the Inkwell Isles.

If you're looking for more Cuphead, you'll be pleased to know that Cuphead's DLC, The Delicious Last Course, has finally been given a release date. It means 2022 will deliver both watchable and playable versions of Cuphead.

You can also check out the original first look at The Cuphead Show, as well as its casting announcements.

Matt Purslow is IGN's UK News and Entertainment Writer.