Microsoft confirms its offer to Sony and causes the absence of games from Xbox Game Pass | XboxOne
The battle continues between various organizations investigating the takeover of Microsoft, Sony and Activision Blizzard. As we approach the end of 2022, Microsoft president Brad Smith has spoken out in an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal to defend his interests.
Microsoft confirms Call of Duty bid to Sony
The most important point raised by the various organizations responsible for confirming the admission is the exploitation of the Call of Duty franchise and Sony’s fear that it will be exclusive to the Xbox platforms.
The main potential anti-competitive risk raised by Sony is Microsoft’s decision to stop making Call of Duty available on the PlayStation. But it would be economically illogical. A large portion of Activision Blizzard’s revenue for “Call of Duty” comes from PlayStation game sales. Given the popularity of cross-play, it would also be disastrous for the Call of Duty franchise and Xbox itself, alienating millions of gamers.
Microsoft later confirmed that it had offered Sony a 10-year deal to make every new Call of Duty game available on PlayStation the same day it was released on Xbox:
That’s why we’ve offered Sony a 10-year deal to make every new Call of Duty game available on PlayStation the same day it’s released on Xbox. We are ready to offer the same commitment to other platforms and to be legally enforced by regulators in the US, UK and EU.
Enter the mobile market with Xbox Cloud Gaming
The firm, concerned about preventing the FTC’s takeover of Activision Blizzard, recalls that it had to face many challenges in the gaming industry to compete with Sony and Nintendo, especially thanks to Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Brad Smith also refers to Xbox Cloud Gaming, Microsoft’s offering dedicated to cloud gaming from any screen, including mobile. This offer is now available through an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, but it won’t be available as a full-fledged subscription for Microsoft.
Acquiring Activision Blizzard will allow Microsoft to compete with these companies with innovations that will benefit consumers. While today’s consumers can stream video or music to multiple devices through inexpensive subscriptions, many games can often be purchased and downloaded individually on just one device.
Microsoft wants to change that by offering consumers the option to subscribe to a cloud gaming service that allows them to stream different games across multiple devices for an affordable price. This service will also benefit developers by allowing them to reach a wider audience.
Game pass and more games on Xbox Cloud Gaming
Brad Smith continues his argument that Microsoft doesn’t currently have enough games to support services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or Xbox Game Pass, and that the acquisition will allow it to offer a more complete library on mobile phones, consoles and PCs. .
Microsoft needs a full library of popular games, and as with anything, we don’t have enough. This is where shopping starts. Activision Blizzard offers popular games for mobile, PC and consoles, including Candy Crush, World of Warcraft and Call of Duty.
While we’re not sure if this forum offered to Microsoft in the Wall Street Journal will have any effect on the decision of the FTC or any other agency, it does indicate Microsoft’s serious fears about the risk that this acquisition will not be approved.
Remember, we recently learned that the FTC may finally be in favor of the acquisition, with a decision expected in January. The European Commission should give its verdict in January 2023 after the in-depth investigation that started on November 8.
