Activision Blizzard Partners with Facebook to Boost Viewership for MLG Anaheim Open

Facebook being as ubiquitous as it is, it comes as no surprise that Activision Blizzard has joined forces with the blue empire in the hopes of boosting viewership for its Major League Gaming TV channel (MLG.tv). From this partnership, expect to see more MLG.tv promotions while taking your daily dose of FB.

The driving force behind this partnership is to boost viewership for the improvements set to be implemented for the MLG Anaheim Open on June 10. MLG.tv is improving viewers' experience by pairing important, seemingly-native information with their broadcasts including match statistics, leaderboards, and live data-feeds. Called the "Enhanced Viewing Experience" the HD video stream is meant to revolutionize how eSports is regarded by fans. Proof of this change lies in the hiring of Chris Puckett, broadcast veteran and retired pro gamer, as the host of MLG.tv to cover match highlights, interviews, and news. 

Streams of eSports matches will be available on the network itself and, thanks to Facebook Livestream, watchable on social media. Down the line, MLG would like to post content on their Facebook page daily. 

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In January of this year, Activision Blizzard bought Major League Gaming, a games tournament organiser, solidifying the Call of Duty publisher's venture into eSports. By acquiring MLG, Activision Blizzard's goal was to create an internal eSports division in order to capitalize on massive viewing numbers. MLG commanded several eSport-focused platforms: MLG.tv, the MLG Pro Circuit League, and the GameBattles online tournament systems, all of which have persevered through the acquisition. A test of Activision Blizzard's foresight is fast-approaching as the MLG Anaheim Open looms on the horizon. 

An important distinction:

To understand the difference between Activision Blizzard and plain old Blizzard, the one that conjures up visions of demons, orcs and those blue alien things (Draenei), we have to backtrack a bit. In 2008, Vivendi Games, a publishing company owning the rights to all games produced by Blizzard Entertainment (World of Warcraft, Diablo, Starcraft) and a few other console-based games, merged with Activision to create a new publishing company called Activision Blizzard. Did they chose to integrate Blizzard to be confusing? More likely it was to boost their credibility by associating themselves with Blizzard's success in creating consistently high-quality, lore-driven games.

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Blizzard started out as a subsidiary of Vivendi Games and, eventually, Activision Blizzard, though it now operates independently of its parent company. The projects it launches are done in-house, usually with no interference from Activision Blizzard.

Jacqui Litvan

Jacqui Litvan, wielding a bachelor's degree in English, strives to create a world of fantasy amidst the ever-changing landscape of military life. Attempting to become a writer, she fuels herself with coffee (working as a barista) and music (spending free time as a raver). Follow her @Songbird_Jacqui

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