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The acquisition of Activision Blizzard King could set Microsoft up to outpace Sony in the console market. Sony perceives this merger as a significant threat to its console and subscription sectors as it grapples with creating the ideal game subscription.
Microsoft faced fierce opposition in its bid to merge with Activision Blizzard King. It wasn't just regulators that had concerns. Sony was one of the deal's most vocal opponents. It was so boisterous with its protest that Microsoft had to promise to make Call of Duty available on PlayStation for the next 10 years.
Redmond's 10-year concession satisfied all regulators except the FTC. However, documents leaked from the Insomniac hack reveal that Sony is still deeply concerned. The PlayStation maker sees the acquisition as a formidable threat that could allow Microsoft to "leapfrog" Sony in the console market.
"Microsoft's acquisition of [Activision] positions it to leapfrog our current pillars," says a "confidential" presentation slide. "[Activision] provides incredible stratigic value across live service games, scale in mobile, and PC storefront (Battle.net)."
The slide notes Microsoft's effort to build a mobile game store to compete with Apple and Google. Indeed, Redmond plans to launch the store in 2024. However, the Verge notes that its success hinges directly on whether regulators force Apple and Google to open up their ecosystems to the extent that an alternative store has a chance. While we have seen some movement in this direction, it is not enough to allow an Xbox store to thrive on competing platforms.
www.techspot.com
Microsoft faced fierce opposition in its bid to merge with Activision Blizzard King. It wasn't just regulators that had concerns. Sony was one of the deal's most vocal opponents. It was so boisterous with its protest that Microsoft had to promise to make Call of Duty available on PlayStation for the next 10 years.
Redmond's 10-year concession satisfied all regulators except the FTC. However, documents leaked from the Insomniac hack reveal that Sony is still deeply concerned. The PlayStation maker sees the acquisition as a formidable threat that could allow Microsoft to "leapfrog" Sony in the console market.
"Microsoft's acquisition of [Activision] positions it to leapfrog our current pillars," says a "confidential" presentation slide. "[Activision] provides incredible stratigic value across live service games, scale in mobile, and PC storefront (Battle.net)."
The slide notes Microsoft's effort to build a mobile game store to compete with Apple and Google. Indeed, Redmond plans to launch the store in 2024. However, the Verge notes that its success hinges directly on whether regulators force Apple and Google to open up their ecosystems to the extent that an alternative store has a chance. While we have seen some movement in this direction, it is not enough to allow an Xbox store to thrive on competing platforms.
Activision apocalypse: Sony forecasts $1.5 billion loss by 2027 after Microsoft merger
Microsoft faced fierce opposition in its bid to merge with Activision Blizzard King. It wasn't just regulators that had concerns. Sony was one of the deal's most...
www.techspot.com
