In a wide-ranging interview posted online, Take-Two Interactive chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick says that he believes the proposed Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard would be a good thing for the gaming industry as a whole. Zelnick’s statement of support for Microsoft follows news in early 2022 that Take-Two Interactive acquired Zynga, the mobile game developer behind mobile megahits like Farmville and Words With Friends.
Microsoft’s potential acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been as source of speculation and frustration for gamers and gaming executives alike ever since Microsoft announced its intentions to purchase the World of Warcraft and Call of Duty developer at the start of 2022. The proposed acquisition has drawn scrutiny from international regulators and concerns from gamers worried that their favorite franchises will become Xbox exclusives. Worries about PlayStation losing access to Activision titles even grew to the point that one report claims PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan visited EU regulators to voice his opposition to the acquisition.
In an interview posted to YouTube by entertainment and media business site The Wrap, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick shared his belief that a Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard would be a net positive for the industry by drawing more gamers into the overall market. In opposition to the views of some industry figures like PlayStation’s Jim Ryan, Zelnick stated that he didn’t see Microsoft’s games as direct competitors because they didn’t offer the same franchises and experiences to gamers that Take-Two could. With hype for Take-Two developer Rockstar’s next title at an all-time high following the Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks, it’s clear that Zelnick thinks demand for Take-Two’s titles won’t be affected by Microsoft’s acquisition plans.
At one point in the video the interviewer pushes back on the idea that the Microsoft deal could help Take-Two, leading Zelnick to issue a response that gives some insight into why he thinks Take-Two could benefit from a bigger Microsoft presence in the industry. Zelnick notes that Microsoft wants to respond to the desires of their gamers and that many of those gamers have made it clear that they want to play Take-Two’s releases, meaning it’s likely in Microsoft’s best interest to promote Take-Two’s titles. Whether that promotion takes the form of highlighting Take-Two titles on the Xbox store or letting gamers play the latest GTA game on the rumored Xbox streaming console, Zelnick thinks more gamers overall just means more potential Take-Two customers.
Whether or not Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is eventually approved, it’s becoming clear that consolidation is becoming the norm in the gaming industry. From Sony’s acquisition of a larger stake in From Software to Meta acquiring VR developers, mergers are becoming an everyday occurrence in gaming. While these mergers are profitable for the companies involved, it may be a long time until it can be determined whether these deals work out as well for the everyday gamers.