The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) yesterday confirmed the launch of a detailed investigation into Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Officials are concernedthat the merger of these publishers could result in a significant restriction of competition in the UK market or markets.
Sony welcomes the decision of the UK authorities. This is not surprising given that the Japanese company is the most vocal critic of the nearly $70 billion acquisition. He worries that PlayStation players will miss out on Call of Duty.
“By giving Microsoft control of Activision games like Call of Duty, this deal serious negative consequences for the players and the future of the gaming industry. We want to ensure that PlayStation players can continue to enjoy the highest quality games, and we appreciate the CMA’s focus on player protection.” This was announced by a representative of Sony in a statement sent to GamesIndustry.biz.
As you can see, Sony is really trying to stop the acquisition and prevent Microsoft from taking control of Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch and other Activision and Blizzard brands with Xbox.
Microsoft doesn’t understand Sony’s concerns. Phil Spencer, as head of Microsoft’s gaming division, has already ensured that Call of Duty will be released on the PlayStation for at least three more years after the end of the current agreement between Sony and Activision. But that’s not enough for Sony.
A Microsoft spokesperson responded to Sony’s latest statement and told Eurogamer.net that withdrawing PlayStation from Call of Duty makes no sense from a business standpoint. Microsoft considers Sony the market leader.
According to the giant from Redmond, the PlayStation has a dominant position in the market. This statement may be based, among other things, on sales of previous generation consoles. PlayStation 4 sold twice as much as Xbox One.
Source: MicrosoftWhy is Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard? The reason may surprise you
A few years ago, Microsoft stopped reporting the number of sales of its consoles. Sony, on the other hand, recently reported 117.2 million PlayStation 4 units sold, bringing the Xbox rival to around 50 million, which is analysts’ earlier estimate.
PlayStation, according to Microsoft, will continue to occupy a strong position in the market. Out of loyalty, he doesn’t expect Xbox to compete with Sony hardware in the next/current cycle.
However, it is no secret that Sony’s biggest sticking point is Xbox Game Pass. The concern is likely due to the fact that the inclusion of Activision Blizzard games in a subscription may affect the decision of some players to buy a console. They could have opted for Xbox over PlayStation due to Call of Duty on the day of release at a bargain subscription.
Sony finds it impractical to release big games on the day of the subscription. According to her, such a game does not pay off. Especially in the face of rising costs. And when Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard, Call of Duty and other games will be available with Xbox Game Pass on PC and Xbox consoles, and will be sold at full price on PlayStation.
Source :Indian TV
