So, we know the drill by now, right? Microsoft is purchasing Activision-Blizzard, and this deal has been making waves around the industry for a while. The acquisition seemed to be going just fine until it entered a review process in Europe and Brazil. This is because PlayStation used its influence and dominance over these markets to insist that Microsoft’s deal would be detrimental to the industry.
Microsoft, probably refusing to take the beating they’ve been getting from Sony lying down, has stepped up and made a new website that outlines the benefits of the Activision-Blizzard purchase. The company essentially reached out to the consumers to outline benefits for players, game creators, and the gaming industry.
The website includes various handy links that offer some insight on the current state of the acquisition alongside Microsoft’s commitments and even an interview with the Gaming division CEO Phil Spencer. The overall message is that once the deal goes through, everyone will benefit in various ways. They even made a chart that explains how:
It’s obvious that Microsoft is majorly directing this to the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the European Commission. Considering the fact that both of these entities are thoroughly scrutinizing the deal, it’s not strange that Microsoft would make this sort of website explaining the reasons why this is a good thing for the industry.
As of now, Microsoft will have to wait until November 8 to hear more about whether the European Commission will permit the deal to go into its next phase. The acquisition is being scrutinized by global regulators amid antitrust concerns during a time of increasing consolidation in the gaming industry, after all, so every bit of scrutiny is justified.
Still, Microsoft’s CEO remains positive regarding the acquisition going through. In a recent interview with Bloomberg Technology, Satya Nadella expressed that the deal worth nearly $70 billion would get through regulatory hurdles, highlighting that companies ranked higher in gaming revenue like Sony are still investing in M&A.
