Tech giantMicrosofthas had an uphill battle in its attempt to acquire Activision Blizzard thus far, but new information published by the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) shows that there are a number of gaming companies that support the deal.Microsoft has endured harsh opposition from Sonywith the latter company claiming that the merger would “irreparably harm competition” since it would include the massively popularCall of Dutyfranchise.Microsoft has signed deals with a number of platforms promising to makeCall of Dutyavailable on them for the next ten years. While companies likeNintendo have taken up Microsoft’s offer, Sony has remained steadfast in its opposition, going so far as to claim that Microsoft could purposefully release buggy versions ofCall of Dutyon PlayStation to harm the console’s sales in the future.RELATED:Starfield Rating Reveals Mature Content and ThemesThe CMA has published responses from six game studios that support theMicrosoftacquisition of Activision Blizzard. The companies are not named, except for Dundee-based 4J Studios. The responses range from fairly positive to outright supportive, with one company simply saying that they don’t believe the deal would negatively impact competition especially due to Microsoft’s commitment to makingCall of Dutyavailable on all platforms, while another company goes so far as to say that Sony’s concerns are “out of proportion.” Yet another response from the anonymous Market Participant E states that it’s sales are stagnating on PlayStation, and that it has been able to reach a wider audience than ever on Xbox.
There was only one respondent opposing the Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard; it should come as no surprise that this respondent is none other than Sony. The CMA has not yet made a final decision regarding the deal, but at this point it seems that gaming studios in the UK are overwhelmingly supportive of the move. The statutory deadline set by the CMA July 06, 2025. In the interim,Microsoft seems to be offering ten-year deals to just about anyoneincluding regional game streaming platforms like Ukraine-based Boosteroid.
As the saga that is Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal drags on, it is unlikely that Sony will soften its stance against its main competitor in the console space. On another front,Valve has rejected Microsoft’s offerguaranteeing thatCall of Dutywill be available on Steam for the next ten years, saying instead that it has good faith inMicrosoftand that it doesn’t believe that a contract is necessary. Valve’s curious response is yet another blow to Sony’s arguments against the acquisition.
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