Microsoft could be prepared to offer EU antitrust regulators concessions in its bid to close the Activision Blizzard deal.
Round 3. Or is it 4? It’s hard to keep count regarding the ongoing battle for Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard. In these latest developments, it would seem that once again Microsoft is willing to negotiate to see the deal go ahead. Xbox CEO Phil Spencer has already spoken out on numerous occasions on what fans and competitors can expect from the deal.
The biggest issue facing the acquisition is Sony as PlayStation Boss Jim Ryan has branded many of the previous statements made by Spencer as inadequate. Most of the debate surrounds one single game, which is the Call of Duty Franchise.
Microsoft’s latest attempt at offering some type of reassurance regarding the franchise is a 10-year licensing deal for PlayStation. The Reuters report details that this offer is also intended to help speed up the regulation process. The deal has already seen approval from regulators in Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia so it would seem that Microsoft is keen to see others follow suit.
It’s unknown as of yet if this could finally be the turning point that seals the deal or if PlayStation will still be unsatisfied with the 10-year plan.
The battle continues
The UK competition and markets authority released Sony’s response concerning the acquisition as a whole and it makes for an interesting read. The document details concerns regarding Call of Duty and that if the franchise was to become an exclusive it would essentially see fans having to purchase an Xbox to play.
This concern would be massively diminished by the offer of a 10-year deal and while it’s true the franchise is a massive one, PlayStation is highlighting this one title above all else for their argument against the deal. The world of gaming is no stranger to exclusive titles and given the ten-year offer, could PlayStation in that time simply create its own first person shooter to contend with the COD franchise?
More developments are sure to follow and it was always going to be a deal that saw major debate and controversy. If the deal does close it’ll stand as the largest acquisition that the industry has seen, at the huge sum of $68.7 billion.
Paige Cook is a writer with a multi-media background. She has experience covering video games and technology and also has freelance experience in video editing, graphic design, and photography. Paige is a massive fan of the movie industry and loves a good TV show, if she is not watching something interesting then she's probably playing video games or buried in a good book. Her latest addiction is virtual photography and currently spends far too much time taking pretty pictures in games rather than actually finishing them.
