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

 

[64bitmodels]

tea and crumpets make you hate microsoft more then i suppose

 

[Kioku]

The fact that cloud gaming was a point of contention is funny, but mostly sad. Really grasping at straws.

 

[Jayro]

I've hated Microsoft since the 1990's, lol. Then in the 2010's they started gobbling up companies I love and use. Skype, Minecraft, Zenimax, almost got Yahoo!, etc etc.

Time to fire up them anti-trust lawsuits again...

 

[x65943]

I've hated Microsoft since the 1990's, lol. Then in the 2010's they started gobbling up companies I love and use. Skype, Minecraft, Zenimax, almost got Yahoo!, etc etc.

Time to fire up them anti-trust lawsuits again...

The first offense was destroying rare

 

[Kioku]

The first offense was destroying rare

That one still stings… knowing we could have a BFD 2 and having it scrapped for a crappy XBL experience…

 

[Purple_Heart]

fuck Europe.....and i live there.....eww

 

[x65943]

fuck Europe.....and i live there.....eww

Europe approved it, it's the UK that are trying to throw their weight around to show they are still a player on the world stage

 

[tech3475]

Europe approved it, it's the UK that are trying to throw their weight around to show they are still a player on the world stage

Nah, it was because this guy was on the CMA:

 

[Doran754]

They absolutely only approved it to one up the UK because they're still bitter about Brexit, good for Microsoft I guess.

 

[Ferris1000]

I hope Microsoft will give everybody CoD but not Sony...that would be Epic, they deserve it.

 

[gnmmarechal]

I hope Microsoft will give everybody CoD but not Sony...that would be Epic, they deserve it.

Hopefully not Epic... Games Launcher




I'll see myself out

 

[SDA]

Italy has approved this merger situation?
God damn it then.

 

[pedro702]

well its a shame we will not see any more crash or spyro games on sony/nintendo consoles :S

 

[Xzi]

The UK just wants a hug...but I don't know what kind of diseases Charles III is carrying around, so somebody else do it.

 

[Bladexdsl]

R.I.P blizzard/activision...o wait they were already dead haven't played their shit games in years

 

[ZeroFX]

Eurocucks being eurocucks.

 

[Marc_LFD]

Why does the EU and UK matter in regards to an American company? That just seems weird.

Also, Europe and EU are not the same. Europe is a continent, EU is an organization.

 

[RAHelllord]

I love how short the memory is of politicians whenever big corporations are involved. Microsoft has a long history of locally bribing officials to get a market dominating position with regards to having their OS used in government and public institutions, and yet they don't smell any future foul play from a merger of this magnitude.

Why does the EU and UK matter in regards to an American company? That just seems weird.

Also, Europe and EU are not the same. Europe is a continent, EU is an organization.

Because both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have offices in the EU and UK and are thus subject to EU and UK laws in addition to US laws. This is very, very basic information, really, and trivial to Google.

 

[KingVamp]

Honestly, I'm torn either way. Don't like the precedent of this big of a buyout and I don't want too see other games "Red Falled". That said, I don't want Sony getting even more complacent.

well its a shame we will not see any more crash or spyro games on sony/nintendo consoles :S

Actually, Microsoft tends to still give Nintendo games.