While the UK was in opposition, the EU has taken a more lenient stance, in regards to the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger. Less than a month after the UK's market regulators blocked Microsoft's buyout of Activision, the European Commission has decided to allow the merger to go through. Europe's regulators found that even if Microsoft were to stop putting Activision's games on Sony's platforms, it would, "not significantly harm competition in the consoles market."

• Even if Microsoft did decide to withdraw Activision's games from the PlayStation, this would not significantly harm competition in the consoles market. Even if Call of Duty is largely played on console, it is less popular in the EEA than in other regions of the world, and is less popular in the EEA within its genre compared to other markets. Therefore, even without being able to offer this specific game, Sony could leverage its size, extensive games catalogue and market position to fend off any attempt to weaken its competitive position.

There is a caveat, though. In order for the deal to go through, Microsoft must license Activision Blizzard's game library to other cloud streaming service competitors, and will be in effect for all regions, not just European markets. The license would be in effect for a minimum of ten years, and would allow owners of Activision Blizzard games to use cloud gaming to stream the games to their platform of choosing.

To address the competition concerns identified by the Commission in the market for the distribution of PC and console games via cloud game streaming services, Microsoft offered the following comprehensive licensing commitments, with a 10-year duration:

• A free license to consumers in the EEA that would allow them to stream, via any cloud game streaming services of their choice, all current and future Activision Blizzard PC and console games for which they have a license.
• A corresponding free license to cloud game streaming service providers to allow EEA-based gamers to stream any Activision Blizzard's PC and console games.

Source

 

[Deleted member 194275]

Xbox always come last. They can buy anything and everything, their talent to be the last can't be changed.

If they buy both Sorry and Microsoft, they still will manage to lose against someone.

 

[VinsCool]

At this point they should consider changing their name to "Macrosoft" to match their expanding, err, appendices being added to the pile of acquisitions.

 

[Fusion]

Xbox always come last. They can buy anything and everything, their talent to be the last can't be changed.

If they buy both Sorry and Microsoft, they still will manage to lose against someone.

I'm sorry, but this comment is beyond hilarious
I know what they mean but the mistakes makes it funny.

 

[HarveyHouston]

Interesting...

 

[Niels Van Son]

I'm looking forward to see what comes of this

 

[Skelletonike]

While I'm personally in favour of this acquisition, I am pretty surprised that the EU accepted it. They tend to be very nitpicky, if they've accepted it, I don't see any others rejecting it (aside from the UK, but they're known for making stupid choices lately).

 

[Viri]

who the fuck "loves" Yahoo?

Japan apparently.

 

[Godofcheese]

Sweet, can't wait for this deal to go through

 

[Urbanshadow]

If this somehow means a crack of light in the doors of opportunity for an official linux release of the world of warcraft client, sign me in. Otherwise meh.

 

[DiscostewSM]

they gave only 2 wisp games because the devs really asked them to do so, spyro and crash are more important games that will be used for gamepass/console sales call.

Studio MDHR signed an exclusive deal with MS to make Cuphead for only Xbox and PC, but later, MS approached them asking if they wanted to port the game to Switch.

 

[pedro702]

Studio MDHR signed an exclusive deal with MS to make Cuphead for only Xbox and PC, but later, MS approached them asking if they wanted to port the game to Switch.

we all know nintendo and microsoft made some deal behind the scenes since smash bros ultimate banjo being playable.
not sure what nintendo paid to microsoft, to allow banjo kazooie on the switch online plus the rights to goldeneye and such so maybe this was all part of the deal with microsoft porting some smaller games like both wisp and cuphead plus the n64 online stuff.

 

[Skelletonike]

we all know nintendo and microsoft made some deal behind the scenes since smash bros ultimate banjo being playable.
not sure what nintendo paid to microsoft, to allow banjo kazooie on the switch online plus the rights to goldeneye and such so maybe this was all part of the deal with microsoft porting some smaller games like both wisp and cuphead plus the n64 online stuff.

I don't think it involved money or was any trade of the sort.
Back in the 360 days, Blue Dragon's sequels were released on the Nintendo DS. Before that Microsoft had released some GBA games.
There's also Ori and several others more recently.

 

[_47iscool]

$ony is probably fuming over this. Not that I care for either.

 

[CathyRina]

UK blocking this deal over cloud gaming concerns has to be one of the most bizarre statements I've ever seen considering Microsoft signed a deal with pretty much every cloud gaming company out there.
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As for the Activision acquisition going through I only really care because the leadership seems to be rotten to its core. Microsoft actually likes to push Age of Empires games despite strategy games being rather niche these days. If that means we'll get a new StarCraft game I'm all for it. Blizzard in general could use less corporate greed behavior, if there is a shred of the original charm left in them.
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I couldn't care less about Candy Crush or Call of Duty myself. I'm pretty sure Microsoft will be interested in not keeping Crash and Spyro Xbox exclusive. These games probably sell best on Switch and Xbox has been buddy buddy with Nintendo for a while. Banjo being in smash is still surreal to me.

 

[urbanman2004]

Congrats M$; you just won a battle, but you haven't won the war yet....

 

[Flygsand]

Xbox always come last. They can buy anything and everything, their talent to be the last can't be changed.

If they buy both Sorry and Microsoft, they still will manage to lose against someone.

Xbox buying Microsoft would be bad for everyone, because they would make beloved franchises like PowerPoint and Word exclusive. Create your own productivity software, Xbox!