A few hours ago, Windows Central reported on an internal Activision Blizzard meeting where CEO Bobby Kotick answered a plethora of questions on the company’s future after the closure of the $68.7 billion acquisition by Microsoft (rumored to take place in just two days, if UK regulator CMA approves the deal).
Kotick highlighted Microsoft’s research into AI and machine learning (on a related note, Microsoft appears to be gearing to develop its own AI chips, too) as technologies that can unlock ‘unlimited potential’ for Activision Blizzard games.
A big part of what I’ve seen in Microsoft is research. And they do development in areas that are extraordinary. And so being able to tap into their AI and machine learning capability, the data analytics, new ways of thinking about graphics — I just see unlimited potential for what we do. If you look at the new technologies that are on the horizon, we’re going to be able to do things that we’ve never done before with AI and machine learning.
Kotick is not the first Activision Blizzard executive to mention that. Just a few days ago, President Rob Kostich said that ‘being able to tap into Microsoft’s technology and suite of tools would benefit our teams to create even greater, more immersive experiences for our players’. While Activision Blizzard is obviously no indie publisher, Microsoft clearly is a major leap in resources even for them.
At some point in the aforementioned ‘townhall’ discussion, Kotick also reportedly hinted at a return of the Guitar Hero franchise due to those Microsoft resources. The last installment, Guitar Hero Live, came out in 2015.
The re-emergence of Guitar Hero and other things would not be possible without the different types of resources. And so, you know, just the endless possibilities for the future that are just incredibly exciting.
Despite all the focus on AI and machine learning, the Activision Blizzard CEO also mentioned that the company will need to hire more writers and actors to create even more cinematic experiences to appease customers.
The quality of graphics are now elevated to a place where we’re going to need more writing talent and more acting talent — because we won’t be able to actually fulfill the expectations of our players. Games are always very different than film and television. In film and television, you are successful by creating a connection that’s emotional between you and the audience — our experiences are more visceral, but it’s changing. We have characters on the screen and video games who with mouth movements and facial animation that is realistic — you’re going to have a new dimension of emotional connection that we’ve not yet mastered.
As a reminder, just two years ago, Bobby Kotick faced personal accusations of mistreating fellow Activision Blizzard employees.
