Blizzard News Articles
Thursday20th Apr 2023
News Diablo 4 Is Getting A Final 'Server Slam' Beta On Xbox This May
"It's time to visit Sanctuary once more"
Update (Thu 20th Apr, 2023 20:30 BST): As we'd hoped, the announcement was for another Diablo 4 beta! This beta, known as "Server Slam", will be arriving on May 12th and lasting until May 14th - free for all players. Here's a bit more information on what you can expect, courtesy of Xbox Wire: "Explore all...
Wednesday19th Apr 2023
News Microsoft Reportedly Invited To 'Showcase Its Products' At UK's 10 Downing St Next Week
At the same time the CMA delivers its verdict on ActiBlizz
Microsoft's protracted showdown with the UK Competition and Markets Authority is about to end after months of back and forth over Xbox getting its ActiBlizz deal closed. The CMA's investigation will be all wrapped up by next Wednesday, April 26, and it seems like Microsoft might be booking...
Monday17th Apr 2023
News Diablo 4 Performance Targets Confirmed For Xbox Series X And S
Blizzard reveals the numbers
As we near Diablo 4's upcoming Xbox release, Blizzard is starting to talk specifics about what we can all expect from the game come launch day - June 6th, 2023. Of course, one specific that fans will be eager to learn about is the exact frame rate and resolution the game will run at on their console of choice. In a...
Friday14th Apr 2023
News Microsoft Is Starting To Advertise Its ActiBlizz Acquisition On Billboards In London
Call of tubey
Early last month, Microsoft increased its efforts to convince the UK that its Activision Blizzard deal would be a good one for gaming, when full-page ads started cropping up in newspapers. Well, those same ads (or very similar ones) have now been converted into digital billboards as the Xbox owner continues to push for positivity...
Tuesday11th Apr 2023
News Xbox Signs Yet Another 10-Year ActiBlizz Deal, This Time With UK Mobile Network
Kevin Bacon approves
As approval processes continue for Xbox's huge Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft has signed another 10-year agreement in relation to its cloud gaming endeavours. This time, the Xbox owner has entered into a deal with UK internet and mobile phone provider EE. As expected, the agreement is focused on bringing Activision...
Friday24th Mar 2023
News Activision Blizzard Warns Of 'Unprecedented Queue Times' For The Diablo 4 Open Beta
"Please be patient with us"
Diablo 4's Xbox open beta kicks off later today and will be live over the course of the weekend, however Activision and Blizzard aren't expecting it to be plain sailing throughout. The teams are warning players of "unprecedented traffic and queue times" once the beta moves from pre-order exclusivity to being fully open to...
Thursday23rd Mar 2023
News Diablo 4 Open Beta Preload Now Live On Xbox Series X|S
Return to Sanctuary this weekend
If you're curious to see what Diablo IV is like, but weren't able to participate in last weekend's beta, the good news is Blizzard is running an open beta this weekend from March 24th to March 26th. The download for the open beta is now officially live on the Xbox Store. This weekend will also allow players to try...
Tuesday14th Mar 2023
News Microsoft Signs Another 10-Year Deal In Its Bid To Buy Activision Blizzard
"Players deserve more choice than they have now"
In a bid to further enhance Xbox's case for buying Activision Blizzard, Microsoft has confirmed another 10-year agreement has been put into place following similar deals with Nintendo and Nvidia. This time around,
News Diablo 4 GM Confirms Blizzard's Upcoming RPG Won't Be Available On Xbox Game Pass
ActiBlizz on Game Pass isn't happening yet
Diablo 4's launch is almost upon us, with Blizzard's latest entry in the legendary action RPG series landing this June. However, with Blizzard being a major part of Xbox's quest to acquire ActiBlizz, there have been lots of questions surrounding this title and whether it will be available on Xbox Game Pass...
Thursday9th Mar 2023
News Microsoft Is Running Full-Page Newspaper Ads About Call Of Duty On Xbox
"More games, for more players on more platforms"
We've seen that UK regulators have been some of the toughest to convince for Microsoft, so the company is going on the offensive to convince the nation that its Activision Blizzard deal will be good for gaming. As spotted by The Verg
Wednesday8th Mar 2023
News Microsoft Says Xbox Game Pass Prices Won't Increase If ActiBlizz Deal Goes Through
"Any price increase would be counter-productive"
The UK CMA has posted another document relating to its ongoing Activision Blizzard investigation today, as Microsoft continues in its pursuit to acquire the Call of Duty publisher. This document goes over Xbox's response to making potential 'remedies' to suit all interested parties, and Xbox Game Pass...
Tuesday7th Mar 2023
Report Xbox Feels UK CMA Has 'Significantly' Overestimated The Impact Of COD Exclusivity
If it ever happened
The UK Competition and Markets Authority is one of the various regulatory bodies currently overseeing Xbox's Activision Blizzard deal, with the authority consistently hypothesising why the deal could, and possibly should, be blocked. One of those reasons is related to Call of Duty, with the CMA even suggesting that
Thursday2nd Mar 2023
News Microsoft Granted Access To Certain Sony Docs As FTC Continues To Scrutinise ActiBlizz Deal
Some access granted, some denied
Many of you have probably been following Xbox's ongoing Activision Blizzard negotiations, with Microsoft still trying to secure regulatory approval for its mammoth deal. As was perhaps expected, Sony has become one of Microsoft's biggest obstacles for the deal going ahead, and it looks like the PlayStation owner will...
News Free Play Days: Try These Xbox Games For Free (March 2-5)
As part of Xbox Live Gold & Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
Xbox Free Play Days is in full swing once again, with Microsoft adding three games to the program for the coming weekend. Diablo 3 is certainly leading the charge this week, a few months out from Blizzard's upcoming sequel. Here's the full lineup: Diablo 3: Eternal Collection
Wednesday22nd Feb 2023
News Xbox Says It's Offering 'Better Deal' Than Sony's Current COD Contract, Which Expires In 2024
"It's a better deal for Sony than the one they have right now"
Microsoft has been very upfront about offering Sony 10 years of Call of Duty on PlayStation following Xbox's Activision Blizzard acquisition, an offer also extended to Nintendo this week. Even though the likes of Nintendo have now accepted the deal, the PlayStation owner is yet to accept...
Tuesday21st Feb 2023
News Microsoft Agrees Deal With Nvidia To Bring Xbox & ActiBlizz Games To GeForce Now
Phil Spencer has made a statement on the partnership
There's been another big acquisition-led showdown in the EU today, as Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo and other companies all meet to discuss Xbox's Activision Blizzard deal. One of those other companies is Nvidia, who've just agreed a deal with Microsoft relating to bringing Xbox games to the 'GeForce...
Friday17th Feb 2023
News Three Rivals Feel Microsoft's ActiBlizz Deal Would Have 'Negative Impact On Competition'
The latest from the UK CMA's investigation
The UK Competition and Markets Authority is still investigating Xbox's Activision Blizzard deal, with the final report currently set to be published by April 26th. While we've heard plenty about Sony's clear objections to the merger, today the CMA posted new findings relating to other gaming competitors...
Wednesday15th Feb 2023
News Microsoft Will Defend Its Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal In EU Court Hearing Next Week
Will the company see success?
Some of you may remember (unless you're as lost as we are at this point) that not too long ago, Microsoft reportedly received a 'statement of objections' from the European Commission in regards to the Xbox ActiBlizz deal. That statement basically included a bunch of things the commission wants to see altered for the...
Friday10th Feb 2023
News Sony Feels Microsoft Is Committing 'Obvious Harassment' In Relation To ActiBlizz Deal
What is going on?!
Not too long ago (although it all seems like a blur at this point), Microsoft ordered Sony to attend court to present its findings regarding Xbox's Activision Blizzard purchase. That court trial hasn't gone ahead yet — the hearing is currently planned for August 2nd — but it seems like Sony isn't too happy with Microsoft's...
Wednesday8th Feb 2023
News Microsoft CEO Suggests ActiBlizz Deal Would Help Xbox 'Compete' In Japan
Expanding territories
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella appeared on CNBC this week to talk about the future of the company, including what's next for the Xbox team. Of course, this discussion led to questions about the Activision Blizzard acquisition, and how Microsoft is responding to the current regulatory approval processes going on around the world...
News UK Authority Proposes Excluding Call Of Duty From Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal
Amongst other potential changes
The UK CMA has today published a new report on its ongoing investigation into Xbox's ActiBlizz deal, and there's a lot to unpack here in regards to the likelihood of the purchase actually going through. While there are plenty of wrinkles to this report, much of the focus is once again centred around Call of Duty. The...
Monday6th Feb 2023
News Call Of Duty 'Full Annual Premium Release' Set To Launch In 2023
Water is wet
Activision Blizzard's latest financial report is now out for public viewing, or at least a summarised version of it is via the company's investor website. New ActiBlizz financials means one surefire thing - plenty of talk about Call of Duty. Alongside lots of boasting about how much money last year's Modern Warfare 2 made — along...
Tuesday24th Jan 2023
News Microsoft Orders Sony To Attend Activision Blizzard Court Hearing This Summer
For the FTC trial
Things are getting real now! As part of Xbox's ongoing tussle over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft has issued a subpoena to Sony - summoning the PlayStation owner to attend an FTC court hearing this summer. According to a new filing in the overall case, Microsoft issued the legal order on January 17th, expecting...
Monday16th Jan 2023
Report EU Commission Preparing 'Statement Of Objections' Over Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal
We should hear more soon
A number of authorities around the world are currently investigating Xbox's Activision Blizzard acquisition, to ensure a fair and open market in the gaming industry is retained post-deal. One of those authorities is the European Commission, which is reportedly preparing a statement on the matter. According to Reuters, the...
Thursday5th Jan 2023
News UK CMA Extends Deadline For Its Investigation Into Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal
The wait continues
The Xbox ActiBlizz news just keeps on coming! After an FTC attorney just revealed that settlement talks between the US authority and Microsoft are yet to commence, the UK Competition and Markets Authority is back with an update of its own. The CMA has decided to extend its investigation period, meaning any ruling on Microsoft's...
Wednesday4th Jan 2023
Report Microsoft, ActiBlizz & The FTC Yet To Begin 'Substantive' Settlement Talks
The deal could end up in court
Earlier this month, the US Federal Trade Commission formally announced its intentions to try and block the Xbox Activision Blizzard deal, pointing at Microsoft's Bethesda exclusivity plans as a big reason for doing so. Ahead of a potential legal trial both parties could engage in settlement talks to sort this thing out...
Friday30th Dec 2022
News Xbox Activision Blizzard Deal Approved By Chile Authority
Progression
Xbox may well be battling hard with UK and US authorities over its purchase of Activision Blizzard, but the acquisition is proving a smoother process in other counties around the world. We know that Brazil and Saudi Arabia have already approved the deal, and now a second South A
Friday23rd Dec 2022
"The FTC ignores the significant benefits of the Transaction..."
Strap yourselves in, folks — here we go again! Earlier this month, the US Federal Trading Commission announced it was filing a suit against Microsoft's attempted takeover of Activision Blizzard, and now Microsoft and ActiBlizz have revealed their responses in court documents. The...
Wednesday21st Dec 2022
News CMA Reveals Public Feedback Has Been Mostly In Favour Of Xbox's ActiBlizz Acquisition
Based on around 2100 responses
The UK Competition and Markets Authority is currently conducting a "Phase 2" investigation into Microsoft's attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and you may remember that a couple of months ago, the authority also began asking the general public for their views on the takeover. Well, those results are now in,...
Wednesday7th Dec 2022
News Microsoft Enters '10-Year Commitment' To Bring Call Of Duty To Nintendo Platforms
CoD will also continue to be offered on Steam
Following on from yesterday's news about Microsoft offering Sony a 10-year deal to keep the Call of Duty franchise on PlayStation, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has now delivered another huge update. In a brief post on social media, the Xbox boss announced Microsoft had entered into a "10-year...
