Xbox Chief Asha Sharma Admits It Is 'Hard to Say' If the $69 Billion Activision Deal Was Worth It
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma offered a surprisingly ambivalent take on Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard acquisition, citing massive shifts in the tech and gaming landscape since the deal was struck.
Nearly three years after Microsoft officially finalized its staggering $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, current Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is offering a surprisingly candid perspective on the massive corporate buyout. Speaking in a recent interview with Bloomberg Tech, Sharma acknowledged the immense value of the inherited portfolio, pointing out that Call of Duty pulls in more revenue than the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe, alongside powerhouses like Candy Crush and World of Warcraft. However, when pressed on whether the monumental investment is truly paying off, Sharma noted that the deal was struck in a vastly different era before the generative AI boom, during the height of Covid lockdowns, and under a heavily console centric strategy.
For players who have watched the fallout of the acquisition unfold through widespread studio layoffs, project cancellations, and rising Game Pass subscription tiers, Sharma's hesitant remarks carry significant weight. While she quickly reaffirmed Microsoft's commitment to investing in these massive franchises, letting the mask slip on a deal of this magnitude is a stark departure from standard corporate playbook optimism. It highlights a clear disconnect between the high stakes bets of previous leadership and the current reality of running a cross platform gaming ecosystem in a rapidly shifting tech landscape.
As Xbox continues to navigate a turbulent transition period under new leadership, public comments like these leave the community wondering about the long term stability of the platform. Openness from top executives is usually a welcome change from typical PR bullet points, but it risks fostering deeper uncertainty among players invested in the ecosystem's future. You can read the original reporting over at Rock Paper Shotgun.
Tags: Xbox, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Industry News, Game Pass
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun