It’s not every day you see the big guys at Microsoft geeking out about video games, but here we are. During the Annual Shareholder Meeting last Thursday (Dec 10), Satya Nadella – the tech wizard who’s also Microsoft’s CEO – couldn’t hide his excitement about the gaming division’s recent fire results.
Gaming sessions in these corporate meetings usually get skipped like that one side quest you’re too lazy to finish. But this year? Totally different story. Microsoft got hit with the big questions about the juicy ROI on their modest $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard and what the future holds for gaming in 2024.
The Activision Power Move 🕹️
ICYMI, Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard was the flex of 2023. And boy, has it paid off. With franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft now under the Xbox umbrella, Microsoft’s gaming revenue skyrocketed by 49%, pulling in a casual $7.1 billion. Oh, and they also roped in 200 million active players monthly. Not too shabby, right?
Satya’s Thoughts: “Feeling Fantastic!” 💬
Satya Nadella is pretty stoked. “I’m feeling very, very good about where we are in gaming,” he said, probably with a victory dance off-camera. Nadella praised the “peak gaming season” thanks to the launches of Call of Duty: Black Ops and the latest Flight Simulator.
And let’s be real, this isn’t just about games. Microsoft’s CEO declared they’re doubling down on their investments in gaming, calling it a “secular growth category” in entertainment. Translation? More games, better tech, and happy gamers.
Redefining the Xbox Experience 🎯
In case you missed it, Nadella is flipping the script on what it means to be an Xbox fan. Whether you’re on console, PC, or streaming on a potato, Xbox is aiming to be everywhere.
AI and the Future of Gaming 🤖
But wait, there’s more! Nadella hinted that Microsoft plans to use AI to “create the best games that can be enjoyed anywhere.” Picture smarter NPCs, immersive worlds, and games that practically play themselves… maybe.
Exclusivity is so 2023 💔
Just when fans were processing all this good news, The Game Awards dropped a bombshell: The Outer Worlds 2 (formerly an Xbox exclusive) will hit PlayStation 5, too. Does this mean Microsoft is ditching exclusives? It sure looks that way. While fans are split, there’s no denying that more platforms mean more $$$.
Key Takeaway? Microsoft’s Gaming Division = Winning.
Whether you’re team PlayStation or Xbox, one thing is clear: Microsoft isn’t just playing games. They’re here to dominate.
