Activision Blizzard said its studio that developed Call of Duty would set up shop in Barcelona, putting into practice its commitment to invest in Europe after Brussels approved its $69 billion (almost Rs. 5,66,000 crore) acquisition of Microsoft. ) in May.
The US company said on Wednesday that its game developer Infinity Ward, which created the hit first-person shooter, would join its Digital Legends mobile gaming unit in the Spanish city.
The move comes after Britain blocked the Microsoft takeover, prompting Activision, which has studios in Guildford and Warrington in England, to say it would “reassess” its growth plans in the country.
By contrast, it said it would “significantly expand” its investment and workforce in the European Union after the deal was given the green light there.
Microsoft and Activision Blizzard are fighting antitrust regulators on both sides of the Atlantic to close the deal, the largest in video game history.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and his Microsoft counterpart Satya Nadella will testify in a San Francisco court on Wednesday to urge a judge to allow the merger.
The Federal Trade Commission, which is seeking to block the deal, wants the transaction to be temporarily halted to allow the agency’s internal judge to decide the case.
Microsoft appeals to the British veto with the “aggressive” support of Activision.
The games company, which also owns the Candy Crush Saga and World of Warcraft franchises, said in April that Britain was “clearly closed for business” after the deal was blocked.
It said on Wednesday that it was looking closely at the EU to broaden its study footprint.
“For good reason: Europe has played a key role in the evolution of gaming, particularly mobile gaming, around the world and it’s not unreasonable to expect the continent’s developers to maintain that momentum thanks to extensive skills, ambition and the support of the government.” he said he in a blog post.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
