‘New Eyes’: Gamers Greet Microsoft’s Activision Deal With Guarded Optimism

Drew Bienusa was immediately enamored with Call of Duty when he began playing it. He loved the experience of having a virtual friend, and the game was a favorite among his friends.

Mr. Bienusa started playing Call of Duty on the platform in 2016 because he was so enamored with it. He had 114,000 followers on twitch. He became a professional Call of Duty: Warzone player in January.

Mr. Bienusa had changed his feelings about Call of Duty. He said that bugs in the game went unfixed for months. Communication with players fell off. He was turned off by a recent sexual harassment lawsuit against the company.

Mr. Bienusa woke up on Tuesday to the news that Microsoft was going to buy his company. He said it was a step in the right direction. It is almost at a point where it cannot get worse.

Mr. Bienusa was one of the many people who expressed cautious optimism about the deal. Microsoft will gain access to a library of popular video game titles, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Crash Bandicoot and Overwatch, if regulators approve the acquisition. Microsoft positioned the deal as one that would help it get into the future world of the metaverse.

The success of the deal will depend on how it is received by the gaming community. Many players have expressed concern about how acquisitions might affect the quality of online games. Some people were concerned when Microsoft bought the maker of the game.

This time, the reaction has been more positive because of how much of the company has appeared to have trouble with its core users in recent years. According to interviews, Microsoft is a potential life raft for the company and a chance to bring new people into gaming.

The purpose of the deal was to strengthen the company culture, according to an email from Bobby Kotick. The company declined to comment further. Microsoft didn't respond to requests for comment.

The last few years have seen a decline in the popularity of the company. Many said they had been down on the publisher for a while, worried that they put too much pressure on some divisions to deliver hits rather than giving developers time to create great games. Last year, a lawsuit over workplace harassment brought by a California employment agency DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch DropCatch

The track record of some of its games became spottier. It delayed the new versions of the two games. The new Call of Duty: Vanguard was panned as boring and full of problems.

Microsoft's deal to buy Activision would help the company's video game subscription service, but also allow the company's developers to step off the treadmill, according to a video game streamer. Mr. Lilly said that Microsoft might allow developers to take a break so they can improve their games over time.

He said that the acquisition could be a chance to fix workplace issues. Mr. Kotick wouldn't say if he'd stay as chief executive after the deal closed. People with knowledge of his plans say he will step down, though he could move into an advisory role.

The deal could transform the competitive video gaming league dedicated to Call of Duty: Warzone, as well as other games, according to several gaming enthusiasts. Many players think that the leagues have been neglected by the company. Microsoft has had success with its game.

Many people in the gaming community said they couldn't care less about Microsoft's framing of the deal as a way to strengthen its footing in the metaverse. The deal had the potential to improve the games and workplace immediately, whereas the metaverse seemed like a far-off idea.

Mr. Bienusa said he didn't know much about the metaverse.

Chris Nobriga said he had spent over 11,000 hours playing World of Warcraft, an online role-playing game, after watching his brother play.

He said his views on the game changed as popular developers left and the company used in-game systems.

The company has failed. If we don't even talk about Bobby Kotick or the sexual harassment, people in World of Warcraft are really tired.

He said that he and others were skeptical but hopeful that Microsoft would make a difference. There is a chance that the company could be turned around and that they could reexamine their objectives.

The downside of a Microsoft gaming related deal was experienced by another gaming enthusiast. He joined Mixer one month after Microsoft bought it.

He said it felt like someone was coming to save you. Microsoft shut down Mixer in 2020 after Mr. Neelley became the fourth-most-followed streamer on the platform. He streams Call of Duty: Warzone using the nameJaredFPS and has 63,000 followers.

He was hopeful about the deal because he felt Microsoft knew how to succeed in games in a way that was different from what happened at Activision.

It would take time for Microsoft executives to make changes at the company. I think it is the best thing for the company and the community.

Mike was reporting.