According to reports, Activision Blizzard has reportedly purchased the majority of the beleaguered esports organization Major League Gaming (MLG).
Allegedly just before Christmas, Activision Blizzard essentially bought Major League Gaming for 46 million US dollars, as reported by the Esports Observer.
Major League Gaming was for a long time the leading esports league in the USA with titles such as StarCraft 2 or Call of Duty. However, in recent years, competition from ESL (Electronic Sports League) threatened to outpace MLG.
The purchase by Activision Blizzard includes certain “assets,” it is said – “essentially all.” 31 million dollars would be paid to the organization or used to settle outstanding liabilities. 15 million US dollars are being withheld to address potential claims.
Furthermore, according to the Esports Observer, they have replaced the previous CEO of MLG, Sundance DiGiovanni, with Greg Chisholm, who previously worked at MLG. According to the Esports Observer, MLG as we know it will cease to exist.
No official statement from Activision on the matter exists yet. It seems that the information was leaked to the Esports Observer by an angry MLG shareholder. Therefore, the information should be taken with caution.
How this all fits into Activision Blizzard’s long-term plans is currently unknown. In recent months, there have been clear signs that Activision Blizzard would further increase its involvement in esports, as they have established a separate “division” that is well-staffed.
Activision is evidently in the process of repositioning itself for the future. They have acquired the Candy Crush developer to strengthen their market position in the mobile sector, and founded a film studio.
