Competition in the Gaming Industry: Blizzard’s Strategic Layout, Risks, and Prospect

Mathematics Department, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M139PL, United Kingdom

^* Corresponding author: yixuan.chen-5@student.manchester.ac.uk

Abstract

With the growing digital economy and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the past two years, video games have become the mainstream entertainment for general public. Some game companies have chosen acquisitions over the past few years to expand their market share and enhance their competitiveness, but acquisitions come with many risks. This paper analyses the strategic intentions and risks of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and puts forward forward-looking suggestions based on the concept of metacomes. It is believed that the meta-universe is the core of the future of the game industry, and Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard helps it occupy a strategic commanding height in the meta-universe field, but it needs to pay attention to antitrust risks and cultural integration problems. To this end, it can be suggested that Microsoft should strengthen cultural management and regulatory responsibility, open platform cooperation, and strengthen meta-cosmic technology research and innovation.