Activision Blizzard
Activision Blizzard business and news from across the web.
Voidling Bound Hatches in Less Than a Month! A Sci-Fi Monster-Taming Action RPG Built on Evolution & DNA SplicingHatchery Games, an indie studio founded by ex-Skylanders developers, has announced that Voidling Bound will be released on Steam for PC on June 9, 2026, with console versions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch to follow. This sci-fi action RPG features direct control of creatures called Voidlings, which can be evolved through branching paths using DNA splicing and gene combinations. The game also includes third-person shooter combat, breeding, and training mechanics.
UK software sales chart for the week ending May 16, 2026 – Tomodachi Life at #1, Indiana Jones gets Nintendo Switch 2 bumpThe UK software sales chart for the week ending May 16, 2026, sees Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream return to the number one spot. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle re-entered the top 40 at second place following the release of its Nintendo Switch 2 version.
Diablo 4 players become unkillable gods as a minor bug fix in Lord of Hatred turns into a major problem for BlizzardA bug fix in Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred has inadvertently granted players near-immortality by allowing resolve stacks to increase far beyond intended limits. This exploit, particularly effective with certain classes and the Glynn's Anvil mechanic, provides massive damage reduction. Blizzard has not yet commented on a fix for this unintended defensive advantage.
Politicians accuse Rockstar of obstructing legal process, eBay rebuffs GameStop, and video game hardware screams now - Patch Notes #52This week's Patch Notes covers several key industry events, including politicians accusing Rockstar Games of obstructing legal processes related to union-busting allegations for Grand Theft Auto 6. eBay rejected a takeover bid from GameStop, while Nintendo cited geopolitical and technological factors for its Switch 2 price increases. Additionally, Subnautica 2 achieved over a million sales in its first hour, and Valve's new Steam Controller features an audible alert when dropped.
Trump confirms he brought Jensen Huang on his expedition to convince China to 'open up'Donald Trump confirmed that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was on Air Force One with him to discuss opening up trade with China regarding AI hardware. Huang has previously advocated for exporting AI technology to China, despite concerns about military use and US bans. The article notes Nvidia's significant growth and its desire to supply goods globally.
Protesters 'raid' EA to oppose Saudi Arabia acquisitionProtesters gathered at Electronic Arts headquarters to oppose the acquisition of the company by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The group attempted to deliver a petition signed by over 70,000 people but was denied direct access by security. Concerns were raised about potential layoffs, studio closures, and content restrictions due to the leveraged buyout and foreign influence.
Report: Microsoft Israel's general manager leaves amid alleged unethical use of AzureAlon Haimovich, the general manager of Microsoft Israel, has reportedly left the company following an investigation into the alleged unethical use of Microsoft Azure services by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The investigation, conducted by Microsoft's global management team, raised concerns about potential violations of the company's code of ethics and terms of use. Several other managers in Microsoft Israel's governance department have also departed, and the company has stated it ceased and disabled some Azure services for the Ministry of Defense in September.
Amidst Xbox boycotts and media pressure, Microsoft reportedly restructures Israeli office after internal investigation into ethical violationsMicrosoft has reportedly restructured its Israeli office following an internal investigation into ethical violations concerning its work with the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the use of its cloud services. The investigation, prompted by reports of military use of Microsoft's AI and cloud technology in Gaza, has led to the departure of the general manager and several other managers. Despite ongoing protests and calls for boycotts of Microsoft and Xbox, the company and the Ministry of Defense are reportedly interested in renewing their contract on a smaller scale.
Mixtape is at the center of another tedious culture war discourse, and I think I know whyThe game Mixtape has become a focal point for online discourse and culture war debates, despite receiving widespread critical acclaim. The author argues that the game's focus on nostalgia and its publisher's ties to tech billionaire Larry Ellison have fueled these discussions, rather than any perceived insincerity in reviews or developer intent. The article suggests that the varied reception of Mixtape is a natural consequence of its nostalgic themes, which can resonate differently with players based on their own experiences.- Issues and ActivismElectronic Arts' headquarters in Redwood was reportedly 'raided' as a protest against a potential takeover by Saudi Arabia. Separately, Microsoft fired the head of its Israeli subsidiary and other managers due to allegations of surveillance on Palestinians.
World of Warcraft 'Classic Plus', a version of the old MMO with modern updates, might actually be real as Blizzard hosts secret event with popular streamersBlizzard Entertainment may be developing a "World of Warcraft Classic Plus" based on recent secretive events with popular streamers. While not officially confirmed, hints include a special event for content creators, a "long-term future" tease for WoW Classic, and a remixed version available in China. This potential new version would diverge from the original timeline, offering modern updates to the classic MMO experience.
Microsoft fires head of Israeli subsidiary and other managers over surveillance of PalestiniansMicrosoft has dismissed the general manager of its Israeli subsidiary, Alon Haimovich, and other managers following an internal investigation. This action is a consequence of a report detailing Israel's use of Microsoft Azure cloud services for surveillance in the occupied West Bank, raising concerns about legal liability in Europe and human rights issues.
Double Fine petitions to unionizeDouble Fine Productions, a Microsoft-owned studio, has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with the Communication Workers of America. Approximately 42 employees are included in the union effort, which aims to preserve the studio's commitments to creative excellence and worker quality of life. Microsoft has stated a neutral approach to the organizing efforts.
Double Fine Productions is the latest Microsoft subsidiary to unioniseDouble Fine Productions, the developer of Psychonauts, has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with the support of the Communications Workers of America. This move follows a trend of unionization among Microsoft subsidiaries, with the company agreeing to a neutral approach. The proposed union includes 42 employees who aim to preserve the studio's commitments to creative excellence and worker quality of life.
Double Fine is the latest team at Microsoft to unionizeDouble Fine, the studio behind Psychonauts, has filed a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board, with all 42 employees participating. The studio is organizing with the Communications Workers of America, a union that has previously supported labor efforts at other Microsoft-owned studios like Activision and ZeniMax.
Double Fine is unionising at Xbox Game StudiosDouble Fine, the developer of Psychonauts, has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with the Communications Workers of America. This move involves 42 employees and follows similar unionization efforts within Microsoft's gaming divisions, including Activision Blizzard and Zenimax. While Microsoft has historically taken a neutral stance on unionization, the company has faced delays in collective bargaining with previously formed unions.
Is Bungie Sony's Worst Ever Acquisition After $765 Million Write-Down?Sony has reported a $765 million impairment loss on its acquisition of Bungie, significantly devaluing the developer since its $3.6 billion purchase in 2022. This write-down, partly due to the underperformance of games like Marathon and Destiny 2's declining player base, raises questions about whether Bungie is Sony's worst acquisition. The article also touches on Sony's broader struggles with live service games and other studio acquisitions.
Bungie’s value keeps on dropping in latest Sony financialsSony reported significant impairment losses of approximately $565 million USD in the last quarter related to its acquisition of Bungie, bringing the total annual loss to around $765 million USD. This financial downturn coincides with declining player counts for Destiny 2 and underperformance of the newly released Marathon, as well as substantial layoffs at Bungie since its acquisition.
ESA Says Bill Pushing For Offline Versions Of Live-Service Games Would Hurt DevelopersThe Entertainment Software Association is opposing California Assembly Bill 1921, which would require developers of live-service games to provide advance notice of server shutdowns, offer refunds, and potentially make games playable offline. The ESA argues this legislation would divert resources from creating new content and doesn't reflect the realities of modern game development.
Xbox scraps Microsoft Copilot in yet another win for new CEO Asha SharmaXbox CEO Asha Sharma has announced the discontinuation of Microsoft Copilot development for consoles and mobile, prioritizing community connection and addressing player and developer friction. This decision marks a significant shift away from AI integration for Xbox, contrasting with Microsoft's broader AI initiatives and the continued embrace of the technology by other industry figures and companies.