The showdown between Microsoft and Sony continues. The Americans are determined to put the finishing touches on the deal, so they have started looking for allies. The results became visible soon.
The dispute between Microsoft and Sony continues and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. The Americans are showing great determination to complete the process of acquiring Activision Blizzard. In a bitter struggle with the Japanese at Sony, Microsoft strengthens the allied ranks. Nvidia and Nintendo have joined the Redmond giant’s plans, signing a relevant 10-year deal.
However, cooperation with other companies is unlikely to cause Sony to change its approach to the deal. Microsoft, for its part, does not want to make concessions and does not intend to waive any part of Activision Blizzard, including without limitation Call Of Duty, which is the thorn in Sony’s side.
unexpected cooperation
News of the deal with Nvidia was announced by Microsoft Vice President Brad Smith. He made the announcement shortly after the closed-door hearing held yesterday at the offices of the European Commission. The deal is expected to make the Redmond-based company’s portfolio of Xbox games (particularly those streamed via xCloud) available on GeForce Now. Although Nvidia has so far opposed Microsoft’s actions, its management has decided to cooperate, certainly encouraged by Activision Blizzard’s library of titles. After the possible green light for the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, the publisher’s games will be available on the GeForce Now service.. Nintendo signed a similar deal yesterday (albeit primarily CoD-focused), which was touted by, among others, Brad Smith, stating that Call Of Duty will be able to appear on millions more devices.
mutual benefits
Microsoft’s cooperation with other companies on game availability is important to Americans and New Allies. In this way the Redmond giant is winning in the eyes of officials reviewing the deal to acquire Activision Blizzard, giving the impression of a more competitive and honest entity. In turn, Nvidia and Nintendo provide access to popular game series. Microsoft offered a similar deal to Sonybut the company refused.
A tough legal battle
The Japanese are firmly on their side and refuse to agree with Microsoft. Sony continues to believe that Microsoft’s behavior is anti-competitive and unfair. successively The Americans respond by calling Sony the loudest opponent of the deal, accusing them of dominating the market for a long time. (You will read more about this in the following news).
At the same time, Microsoft quashes all speculation and discussion about giving up a slice of the lucrative pie that is Activision Blizzard. The company states that it is not possible to exclude certain brands from Microsoft’s processing (specifically refers to Call of Duty). Admittedly, this may not please regulators, but the company has decided to set the record straight.
verdict soon
Microsoft’s takeover of Activision Blizzard has been dragging on for months. The process is currently being studied by the European Commission. The final verdict from EU bodies is expected on April 11. Later, there is the hearing with the American FTC, or the Federal Trade Commission, and other entities. These actions are planned for the summer and should be strongly influenced, among other things, by the decision of the EU bodies.
- Microsoft – official site
- Activision Blizzard – official site
- PlayStation – official website
- Nintendo – official website
- Nvidia – official site