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WATCH: Biggest video gaming announcements of 2022
Both Microsoft and Sony caused an uproar this year with their high-stakes acquisitions of independent game studios.
Microsoft’s Blizzard acquisition drama continues into 2023. Photo: iStock
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2022 was a rollercoaster ride for the gaming industry – full of big announcements and massive acquisitions from Microsoft, Sony and others.
Here are some of the biggest video game news stories of 2022.
2022 Gaming news
Grand Theft Auto 6
In 2022, Rockstar Games finally announced that the sixth instalment of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) was in development.
Unfortunately, the studio was also hit with one of the biggest leaks in gaming history.
Hackers stole nearly the entire source code of GTA 5 and 6, and also released gameplay footage ahead of the deadline.
At the time, Rockstar said the network intrusion stemmed from “an unauthorised third party illegally accessed and downloaded confidential information from our systems”.
These leaks included “early development footage for the next Grand Theft Auto [GTA6]”.
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Acquisitions
Sony takes Bungie
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) bought Bungie, Haven Studios and other gaming studios back in July 2022.
The outcry around Sony’s acquisitions was centred specifically around Bungie, the creators of the Halo and Destiny franchises.
Despite Bungie remaining a standalone studio, the deal will have a massive impact on Sony’s roadmap for future AAA games
Meanwhile, SIE CEO Jim Ryan said back in May that Sony’s intention was to shift nearly 50% of its gaming development budget towards live service games.
“Bungie is one of the leading developers and publishers of live service games in the world today, and we’re incredibly excited at the thought of applying their expertise and lessons learned as we build out our plans in the area of live services”, Ryan said.
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Microsoft eyes Blizzard
And let’s not forget Microsoft’s takeover of Activision Blizzard in January, with the company’s goal “to become more competitive”.
After putting a massive $68.7 billion on the table to purchase Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s deal is said to be the biggest acquisition deal in the history of the industry.
However, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit to block the deal, saying the purchase of Activision “would enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles”.
Meanwhile, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer assured gamers and stakeholders they will “pursue a principled path”, especially when it comes to the Call of Duty franchise.
That said, the lawsuit hasn’t been finalised yet, which according to Game Rant, means this deal could “likely go on to be one of 2023’s biggest talking points”.
