Microsoft talks about the acquisition of Activision Blizzard and defends the purchase

Microsoft Corp.. clashed with the antitrust agency European Union and confirmed that his acquisition Activision Blizzard Inc. for $69 billion “will bring more competition” to gamers, but demonstrated a willingness to address antitrust concerns.

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I thought we’d explain that our acquisition Activision Blizzard will bring more games to more people on more devices and platforms than ever before.”said the president of Microsoft, Brad Smith, told reporters before a closed hearing in Brussels.

We are more than willing, given our strategy, to address any issues you may have, whether they are contractual, as we did with Nintendo this morning, or regulatory issues, which we are always open to addressing.“, Smith pointed out. He was referring to signing a 10-year agreement with Nintendo that “will carry over call of duty to the device Nintendo“.

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Last year, Microsoft already openly offered its rivals sony group companies. a similar license for the hit game. Microsoft’s proposed deal for Activision Blizzard is the largest in the company’s history And one of the 30 greatest acquisitions of all time. In addition to Call of Duty, antitrust regulators are concerned about leadership positions Microsoft in cloud games.

This technology is still in its infancy, but Microsoft lead with the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which offers a library of over 300 titles for around $10 per month for gamers looking to play on Xbox or PC. The higher subscription tier, $15 per month, includes cloud gaming, which allows subscribers to stream select games on any device, including tablets and phones.

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That UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA, for its English acronym) presents the biggest hurdle, after the agency suggested earlier this month a range of structural solutions, including selling Call of Duty-related businesses, part of Activision’s businesses, or blocking a merger.

Microsoft and other interested parties have until Wednesday to respond interim conclusion of the CMA. A hearing will be held in London later this month to discuss possible solutions. Microsoft recently received initial findings from EU regulators in a statement of objections, setting out the bloc’s main concerns about the deal, according to a person familiar with the review.

Along with Tuesday’s EU assembly, it will set the stage for Microsoft to come up with a formal solution in the coming weeks. Microsoft has repeatedly said that they have no plans to make Call of Duty exclusive. The software giant has offered to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation for several years and a similar deal with Nintendo for its Switch console. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, who also participated in the EU assembly, stated that the company’s plan is to spread its content on as many screens and systems as possible.

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Bloomberg

Roderick Gilbert

"Entrepreneur. Internet fanatic. Certified zombie scholar. Friendly troublemaker. Bacon expert."

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