Microsoft continues to try to defuse one PlayStation argument after another. So what discussions continue within the European Unionthe UK and the USA to validate the acquisition of Activision Blizzard King for 69 million dollarsthe company made a resounding announcement.
On Twitter, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox’s gaming branch, announced that in case of validation of the acquisition, the video game obligations it would be available for 10 years on consoles… Nintendo Switch. An agreement has also been reached with the PC game download platform Steam. “Microsoft is committed to providing obligations to Nintendo for ten years after the merger of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard King,” he wrote.
PlayStation alone against all
Not a word about the great rival PlayStation, spearhead of the protest to redemption early on, arguing that Microsoft will take over Activision’s flagship Blizzard King titles and make them exclusive to its Xbox consoles. First, obligationsthe franchise with tens of millions of annual sales and the true goose that laid the golden eggs for Sony.
It is also this argument that the Japanese rival invokes with all the regulatory authorities around the world that must give their opinion on the takeover bid that, without making Microsoft the number one in the sector (far behind in particular the Chinese Tencent) , however, make it a giant of major gaming licenses.
Microsoft has always Forbidden to want it to be an exclusive. and Phil Spencer had even explained speaking quickly to his Sony counterparts to reassure them. But nothing helps and PlayStation does not budge. After bloomberg, Phil Spencer, however, indicated that he had made the same proposal to ensure a presence of the famous shooter on PS5 and the next console for 10 years. But Sony would have rejected the offer, he explains. Comments also backed up in a tweet from Brad Smith, the CEO of Microsoft.
“Good for competition and consumers”
“Our acquisition will offer obligations gamers and platforms than ever before,” Brad Smith writes, adding that it’s “good for competition and good for consumers.” It leaves the door open for Sony if its executives want to “sit down and chat, we’d be happy to sign a deal 10 years for PlayStation as well”. A few days ago, a publisher had already left in the Wall Street Journal to compare its “dominant” console rival to a DVD rental company in a panic over the arrival of Netflix and video streaming services.
This announcement from Xbox, which comes at the right time as the US Competition Authority (FTC) is expected to review the case on Thursday to continue to seek additional information before making a final decisionas the European authorities.
For several weeks, Microsoft has accelerated its communication campaign to justify the merits of its acquisition proposal, which would increase the number of Xbox studios in its possession to more than thirty, in particular after the incorporation of the ZeniMax group (owner of Bethesda and Arkane studios). The American giant also received the support of the CWA, the main American video game union. Within The hillHe gave his support to the takeover bid by pointing out that the Bethesda takeover by Xbox had not changed anything for the industry despite the fears and was even good for making the market competitive.
There remains the question of how a game as technically and graphically demanding as obligations can come to Switch. Phil Spencer doesn’t say this, nor does he say that all COD games will be available there or at the same time. A nice announcement effect that the authorities were able to hear and that especially puts PlayStation in the awkward position of killjoy when all the other crooks are ready to party as a team.
Source: BFM TV
