REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft is paying nearly $70 billion for video game company Activision Blizzard.
Though Activision is a powerhouse in the gaming world, local gamers are now sounding off on how this could potentially change the gaming landscape.
"I think a lot of people are really scared that Microsoft is going to become the next Disney and buy up everything," said Ash Herron, an employee at Pink Gorilla, a game store located in the heart of Seattle’s Chinatown International District.
That is the concern some gamers have when they hear that Microsoft paid $68.7 billion to acquire one of the most popular video game companies in the world.
“Activision Blizzard, that's crazy, that's insane, that's a huge amount of money," Herron said.
It could be one of the biggest tech acquisitions in history, if the deal survives scrutiny from U.S. and European regulators.
Herron is still in disbelief that Redmond-based Microsoft is now the third largest video game company in the world, after purchasing a company coming out of a summer filled with scandals.
"I think it's a really weird choice given all the controversy around them right now ... but at the same time, it's kind of cool given [that] I grew up playing a lot of Blizzard games," Herron said.
Activision has been buffeted for months by allegations of misconduct and unequal pay. On Tuesday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addressed the issues.
"The culture of our organization is my number on priority," he said.
Activision Blizzard is known as the creator of popular video games like World of Warcraft, Call of Duty and Candy Crash, among other favorites. Gamers hope that this acquisition by Microsoft doesn't mean the end for these games on other consoles.
"I think a lot of people are really scared about Microsoft owning them and then making it exclusive to Xbox," Herron said.
That's the worst-case scenario for gamers like Herron. But he's optimistic that this deal will entice other video game companies to set up shop in Washington and will hopefully result in better things to come for some of his favorite video games.
"There's nothing wrong with Microsoft owning these companies as long as they have the consumer in mind," Herron said.
