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Activision Blizzard business and news from across the web.- Saudi Arabia’s EA Takeover Reportedly Set To Clear EU HurdleSaudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) is reportedly set to receive approval from the European Union for its $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts by the end of July. Despite initial concerns and gamer protests, the deal is expected to pass EU regulatory review under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation. This acquisition would be the second-largest in gaming history, following Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard.
Overwatch stopping work on Stadium may be an even bigger fumble than PvEBlizzard Entertainment has ceased development on Overwatch's Stadium game mode, with only 6% of the player base engaging with it. The author expresses sadness over the decision, highlighting Stadium's potential as an experimental space for creative ideas, some of which were originally intended for the canceled PvE mode. The article argues that canceling Stadium is a greater fumble than the PvE mode's cancellation due to its proven traction and popularity during its launch week.
Overwatch's attempt at bringing back 6v6 feels like a bad compromise—it just doesn't workThis article analyzes Overwatch's recent attempt to bridge the gap between its 5v5 and 6v6 formats through a new 1-3-2 flex mode in the Quickplay Hacked Event. The author argues that this compromise fails, as teams with two tanks consistently outperform those with one, making the mode redundant and suggesting that a true compromise between the two distinct formats is not feasible.
Develop:Brighton showed the UK games industry is done with hand-wringing and is determined to save itself | OpinionThe UK games industry, facing significant layoffs and funding challenges, is shifting from hand-wringing to proactive self-preservation through increased collaboration. Developers are exploring regional hubs, studio collectives, and cross-industry opportunities to ensure resilience and sustainability in a difficult economic climate. While government and private funding initiatives show some promise, securing early-stage prototype funding remains a critical hurdle.
Games Inbox: Are you playing EA Sports FC more because of the World Cup?Readers discuss their current engagement with EA Sports FC, with some playing less due to the lack of an official World Cup license and the team's performance. Other topics include potential Grand Theft Auto 6 boycotts, Xbox's mobile gaming strategy, the future of console design, and the impact of industry layoffs on studios like id Software.
Elder Scrolls Online is "not going to be able to put out the amount of content at the speed" it was, former…Former Zenimax Online Studios employees report that recent layoffs have significantly reduced the studio's capacity to produce content for The Elder Scrolls Online at its previous pace. Devs estimate some departments are now at a quarter of their former size, impacting the ability to maintain content cadence. The studio's executive producer, studio game director, and production director are among those reportedly let go.
Indie Studio 'Leyline' Announces New Strategy Game ‘Guildrun’Indie studio Leyline has announced Guildrun, a new roguelike autobattler strategy game featuring former lead designers from Hearthstone and The Bazaar. The game is set to release on PC via Steam in late 2026, with a playable demo available now. Guildrun blends roguelike replayability with autobattler mechanics, allowing players to build and evolve unique hero teams through deadly rifts.
Making Fallout and Elder Scrolls games will "be harder than ever now" following Xbox cuts, say laid-off Bethesda devs calling loss of institutional knowledge "staggering"Former Bethesda Game Studios developers report that recent layoffs at Xbox, impacting dozens of staff, will make developing core franchises like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls significantly harder. They expressed concern over the staggering loss of institutional knowledge and its potential impact on future projects, including The Elder Scrolls 6.
"There are no benefits to being owned by Microsoft," says Doom dev: "They have destroyed immense amounts of value that I don't even think that they're aware of"A developer at id Software claims there are no benefits to being owned by Microsoft, citing mass layoffs that occurred just before the launch of a new Doom DLC. The developer stated that Microsoft has destroyed significant value and that even successful game launches do not guarantee job security. This comes after reports of 136 out of 185 developers being laid off from the studio.
Evening Reading - July 14, 2026This edition of Evening Reading from Shacknews covers various gaming industry updates, including pre-order guides for Halo: Campaign Evolved and Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves DLC. It also reports on Ubisoft Barcelona developer strikes over layoffs, a delay for the PlayStation FlexStrike Fight Stick, and the retirement of Dead Space creator Glen Schofield. Additionally, the article touches on non-gaming news regarding data centers and healthcare.
Hollywood still has time to avoid the gaming industry's disastrous consolidation endgameThe article draws parallels between Hollywood's historical consolidation and the current state of the gaming industry, highlighting the risks of fewer companies controlling more assets. It discusses the potential negative impacts of mergers, such as layoffs and reduced creative diversity, using examples like Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard and the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal. California's lawsuit to block the latter merger is presented as a potential regulatory intervention.
After releasing a bummer of a Diablo 4 season, Blizzard swoops in with an update that fixes some of its worst issuesBlizzard Entertainment has released a patch for Diablo 4 to address player criticisms regarding the loot system in the Season of the Death Awakening. The update significantly boosts loot drops, particularly for the rare Mythic Unique items, which were previously difficult to obtain due to bugs and low drop rates. While some issues like stat randomness on Mythic Uniques remain, the patch aims to make the season less of a grind.
Compulsion Games posts call for business partners after Xbox spinoffCompulsion Games, the studio behind South of Midnight, is seeking business partners for collaboration after its recent spinoff from Xbox. The studio, which has received multiple awards for its original IP, aims to leverage its talent and creativity for future projects. This move follows a significant restructure within Xbox, which included layoffs and the divestment of several studios.
As feared, those new Call of Duty Black Ops 1 and 2 ports are riddled with hackers, but Activision is at least doing something about itThe recently released ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 for PlayStation 4 and 5 are experiencing widespread hacking and modded lobby issues, mirroring problems from their original releases. Activision has responded by disabling affected playlists and implementing server-side fixes to address negative XP and demotion exploits, with further updates promised.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 needs its own version of Black Ops 7's Classic mode or it risks sidelining its oldest and most loyal fansThe author argues that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 should include a "Classic" mode, similar to the one introduced in Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, to cater to its long-time player base. This mode, which simplifies movement and loadouts to resemble older titles like Black Ops 2, proved highly popular and was made permanent. The article suggests that the fast-paced, advanced movement in Modern Warfare 4 risks alienating older fans who prefer a more strategic, positioning-focused multiplayer experience.
Former PlayStation head tells Xbox to either be a good publisher or make a good platform with exclusives: "Nintendo…Former PlayStation head Shawn Layden advises Xbox to commit to either being a competitive platform with exclusive content or a major multi-platform publisher. He argues that trying to be both is a flawed strategy, citing Nintendo and PlayStation's reliance on exclusives. Layden also points to Microsoft's frequent layoffs and the confusing decision to acquire major franchises only to release them on rival platforms.
Games Inbox: Will there ever be a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite?Readers discuss the potential for a Nintendo Switch 2 Lite, with concerns about component costs and Nintendo's future hardware strategy. The discussion also touches on the high cost of AAA game development, the future of Sony and Microsoft, and skepticism surrounding the release of The Elder Scrolls 6 and Grand Theft Auto 6.
Xbox Does Not Plan to Replace Laid-Off Roles With H-1B Visa Hires, Says MicrosoftMicrosoft communications lead Frank Shaw clarified that recent layoffs at Xbox, totaling around 1,600 roles, were part of a necessary restructuring and not an effort to replace employees with H-1B visa hires. He stated that H-1B visas represent a small percentage of Microsoft's overall workforce and are not specific to Xbox. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma also confirmed the layoffs and the closure of four studios, emphasizing that the decisions do not reflect the talent of the affected employees.
Dutch consumer group suing PlayStation argues the end of physical discs just proves its point: 'Sony alone decides what a game costs and even how long you are allowed to use it'A Dutch consumer group, Stichting Massaschade & Consument, is suing Sony for €400 million over its 30% PlayStation Store tax, arguing that the upcoming discontinuation of physical discs by 2028 will give Sony complete control over game pricing and usage. The group compares Sony's practices to those of Apple and Steam, highlighting concerns about consumer ownership and lack of alternatives.
The PlayStation physical games debacle is taking over everything Sony does — it’s the biggest tech PR disaster since Sonos’ app update, so will Sony learn the lessons that turned Sonos around?Sony's move towards digital-only game sales is causing significant backlash from PlayStation owners concerned about cost, resale value, and true ownership, drawing parallels to Sonos' past app update disaster. The article suggests Sony could learn from Sonos' approach to rebuilding customer trust through humility and improved execution, but questions whether the company will prioritize this over its business interests, given its large customer base.