Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
Triple-I Initiative Showcase 2026: Castlevania, Dead As Disco, And Every Game Shown
The Triple-I Initiative Showcase featured 40 game announcements, including world premieres and DLC for existing titles. Highlights included new looks at Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, Dead as Disco, and Windrose, alongside reveals for games like Final Sentence and Crop. Several titles announced release dates or entered early access, with many coming to PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
Reviving Legacy Gaming Rigs for Mod-Heavy Classics and Community Servers
Enthusiasts are reviving older PC hardware to play modded classic games and connect to community-run servers. This trend prioritizes stability and compatibility with older operating systems and fan-made patches over high-end specifications. The focus is on maintaining legacy gaming rigs for a dedicated subculture that organizes events and shares curated mod packs.
Next PlayStation State of Play Set for the Coming Weeks, It's Claimed
Sony is reportedly planning to host its next State of Play livestream within the next seven weeks, likely before June. This event is expected to showcase upcoming PlayStation titles, potentially including Marvel's Wolverine, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, and Marvel Tokon, alongside third-party announcements.
Overwatch releases redesign of Anran for Season 2
Activision Blizzard has released a redesign for the character Anran in Overwatch, responding to player critiques about her previous design. The developers aimed to strengthen her overall presence in the game.
UK software sales chart for the week ending April 4, 2026 – Mario Kart World still putting in work
The UK software sales chart for the week ending April 4, 2026, shows Mario Kart World remaining a top performer, holding the second position. Resident Evil Requiem moved up to first place, while Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 saw a significant jump in sales.
PS6 Won’t be Delayed Past 2027 or AMD Wouldn’t Waste Time Validating Chips – Rumor
Rumors suggest Sony and Microsoft are targeting a 2027 launch for their next-generation consoles, with AMD reportedly validating chips for the PlayStation 6. Industry insider KeplerL2 indicated that AMD's investment in validation work points to a commitment to this timeframe, despite potential memory shortages. Updates to the PlayStation 5's SDK also suggest a new console is not far off, with potential for a handheld variant.
Sunday Legal Briefs
Tech companies are reportedly attempting to weaken Colorado's new right-to-repair law. This legislation aims to give consumers and independent repair shops greater access to parts, tools, and diagnostic information for electronic devices.
Halo director alleges he experienced ‘multiple harassment campaigns’ and ‘blacklisting, fraud, rampant favoritism’ at Halo Studios
Former 343 Industries art director Glenn Israel has accused Microsoft and Halo Studios executives of orchestrating "multiple harassment campaigns," blacklisting, fraud, and rampant favoritism. Israel alleges that these actions were designed to create grounds for the termination of employees, and that HR departments failed to act. He also claims Microsoft uses layoffs to remove employees who have filed complaints.
Jason Blundell announces his new-new studio, Magic Fractal
Jason Blundell, formerly of Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Black Ops series, has announced the formation of his new studio, Magic Fractal Studios. This marks Blundell's third studio since leaving Activision in 2020, following the closures of Deviation Games and Dark Outlaw Games. Little is known about Magic Fractal's projects, but it is confirmed not to be a live-service game.
Reddit posts can be more important than data, and other lessons from maintaining Candy Crush as a forever game
Eva Ryott, King's head of live operations, discusses maintaining Candy Crush Saga as a 'forever game' by focusing on player needs and leveraging AI for content creation and workflow support. She highlights the importance of combining data-driven insights with innovation and listening to player feedback, even from platforms like Reddit, to keep the long-running mobile title engaging.
Revisiting the last truly great Call of Duty
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) is revisited as the last truly great entry in the series, praised for its atmosphere, sound design, and grounded realism. The article highlights its superior gunplay and attachment customization compared to later titles, lamenting the shift towards cosmetic collaborations and the integration with Warzone.
Black Ops 7's April Fools' joke is very much real: the smallest Call of Duty map in history
Treyarch has released a new, extremely small map called GRWM for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, initially conceived as an April Fools' joke. The map, resembling a walk-in closet, supports an 8-player free-for-all and is noted for its fast-paced, violent gameplay and potential for rapid player progression.
World of Warcraft lead asks how players would feel about playing the MMO on controller with a dedicated UI, but fans…
Blizzard Entertainment is exploring the possibility of adding controller support and a dedicated UI for World of Warcraft, with executive producer Holly Longdale actively researching player interest. While some players expressed concerns about potential negative impacts on the PC experience, others see it as an inevitable move, especially following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
Stop Killing Games Campaign Reaches EU Parliament in Historic Push
The 'Stop Killing Games' campaign has reached the EU Parliament, initiating policy discussions on game shutdowns and digital art preservation. The movement advocates for legislation to prevent publishers from making older games unplayable by shutting down servers, arguing it destroys cultural heritage. While facing industry pushback regarding costs and technical challenges, the campaign leverages the EU's strong stance on consumer rights and digital regulation.
Microsoft is building new '100% native' Windows programs to replace memory-hogging web apps
Microsoft is encouraging developers to build '100% native' Windows applications, moving away from memory-intensive web apps that utilize WebView content. This initiative aims to improve the performance and reduce the memory footprint of Windows, with former Microsoft operative Mikhail Parakhin's '20/20 project' also contributing to this goal.
UK software sales chart for the week ending March 28, 2026 – Mario Kart World still doing well
The UK software sales chart for the week ending March 28, 2026, shows Mario Kart World holding strong at number two. Super Mario Bros. Wonder re-entered the top ten, boosted by its Nintendo Switch 2 Edition. The chart features a wide range of titles from various publishers, including EA SPORTS FC 26, Resident Evil Requiem, and Assassin's Creed Shadows.
The Best Xbox Game Pass Games In 2026
This guide highlights the best games available on Xbox Game Pass in 2026, covering a wide range of genres from roguelites to open-world adventures. It details different subscription tiers and provides brief descriptions of each recommended title, including recent additions and critically acclaimed games from previous years.
PS5, PS5 Pro’s Price Hikes Might Lead to PS6 Costing 50 Percent More, Say Analysts
Industry analysts predict that recent price hikes for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro could lead to the PlayStation 6 costing up to 50 percent more. Factors such as US economic policies, rising component costs, and market volatility are cited as reasons for the anticipated increase, potentially normalizing $1,000 console prices.
The PS5 is increasing in price yet again. So, what’s going on with all these price hikes in gaming?
Sony has announced another price increase for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal in several global markets, citing economic pressures and the need to deliver high-quality gaming experiences. This follows previous price hikes for PlayStation and Xbox consoles, with factors like inflation, increased tariffs, and the demand for AI-powered hardware contributing to rising costs across the tech industry.
Artificial Detective: Breaking Down the Gameplay Behind This Incredible Xbox Partner Preview Reveal
Artificial Detective is an upcoming action-adventure game from indie studio Vivix, featuring a robot detective named AD 2846 in a neo-noir, retro-futuristic city. The game emphasizes companion and survival mechanics, with players exploring a dystopian world alongside a robodog and a human girl. Developers Ilya Kuzyuk and Vadim Krayevoy highlighted the game's blend of investigation, combat, and environmental interaction, inspired by classic archetypes and films like Blade Runner.