Six studios defend the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, is PlayStation alone?

The UK Competition Authority has published testimonials from six studies on Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. All of them have agreed to defend the operation, which is still pending approval by the antitrust organizations of the different countries.

4J Studios, the developer who ported Minecraft to consoles, has said the following: “During this period, which has lasted several years, Microsoft has complied with all agreements. It has also expanded our relationship significantly to cover new formats, such as Nintendo Switch, as well as many other content enhancements.”

The second study, which has maintained anonymity, has recalled that consumers have different tastes and preferences in video games, genres, and platforms. “Therefore, we do not believe that any title can be considered a ‘must have’ in the interactive entertainment market. Microsoft has endorsed its commitment to make certain games available on all platforms, so we do not believe the proposed transaction will have a negative impact on consumers.”

What if Tencent acquired it?

The following developer is an indie studio that has worked with Sony, Microsoft, and Activision. In the words of its CEO, Microsoft has always fulfilled its agreements. “If Microsoft is prevented from acquiring Activivision, will UK consumers be better protected? if it is acquired by Tencent instead?”.

Another of the companies, a triple-A developer that releases its games on all major consoles, has admitted that it is difficult to predict the effects of the acquisition. However, do not expect “significant impact” for your company. “In particular, we do not expect the purchase to pose risks in the distribution of our own games on Xbox or other consoles.”

The fifth company markets cross-platform games. At PlayStation, they have discovered that their sales have stagnated with each launch, as they consider that although Sony consoles enjoy more players and consoles sold, titles from large publishers or companies that pay for space appear mainly in the PS Store. “On Xbox, the opposite has been true for several years now. There are numerous possibilities to find your games on Xbox, including special sections in your store and through Xbox Game Pass”.

The verdict of this company is as follows: “The acquisition will not immediately make Xbox the dominant platform”. For them, this can help to balance the difference between Xbox and PlayStation, something they consider “necessary”, since “PlayStation needs more competition.”

The sixth and final study has defended its conviction that the arguments against the acquisition “they have been somewhat exaggerated”. On the other hand, they have stressed that the acquisition block may prevent “real competition” or innovative and consumer-friendly initiatives. Regarding the cases of sexual and labor abuse within Activision Blizzard, the company believes that joining Microsoft can improve the company culture of the Call of Duty giant.

PlayStation has consistently opposed the operation. According to an Activision Blizzard employee, the Japanese are not about to sign any deal.

Source | VGC