EU antitrust regulators are asking games developers whether Microsoft will be incentivised to block rivals' access to Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard's best-selling games, according to an EU document seen by Reuters. EU antitrust regulators are due to make a preliminary decision by November 8 on whether to clear Microsoft's proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision.
The EU competition enforcer also asked if Activision's trove
of user data would give the US software giant a competitive advantage in the
development, publishing and distribution of computer and console games, the EU
document shows.
The planned acquisition, the biggest in the gaming industry,
will help Microsoft better compete with leaders Tencent and Sony.
After its decision next month, the European Commission is
expected to open a four-month long investigation, underscoring regulatory
concerns about Big Tech acquisitions.
Games developers, publishers and distributors were asked
whether the deal would affect their bargaining power regarding the terms for
selling console and PC games via Microsoft's Xbox and its cloud game streaming
service Game Pass.
Regulators also wanted to know if there would be sufficient
alternative suppliers in the market following the deal and also in the event
Microsoft decides to make Activision's games exclusively available on its Xbox,
its Games Pass and its cloud game streaming services.
They asked if such exclusivity clauses would reinforce
Microsoft's Windows operating system versus rivals, and whether the addition of
Activision to its PC operating system, cloud computing services and
game-related software tools gives it an advantage in the video gaming industry.
They asked how important the Call of Duty franchise is for
distributors of console games, third-party multi-game subscription services on
computers and providers of cloud game streaming services.
The questionnaire, with about 100 questions, asked which of
the rivals such as Nvidia's GeForce Now, Sony's PlayStation, Google Stadia,
Amazon Luna and Facebook Gaming could be considered the most attractive
following the deal.
Respondents have until October 10 to reply.
0 comments:
Post a Comment