Cheap Xbox Series S Games – CMA Blocks Microsoft and Activision Deal
Are you a fan of Call of Duty, Overwatch, or World of Warcraft? Well, shocking new info says that the deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard is blocked. This is from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the UK. The $68.7bn deal has been under inquiry for months now. So, the purpose was to see if Microsoft would get an unfair market advantage. Unfortunately for Microsoft, the CMA now says that it would. Getting Activision titles as cheap Xbox Series S games might just be a dream still.
Cheap Xbox Series S Games – Microsoft to Appeal Against the Decision
Microsoft’s president Brad Smith says that they will fully commit to this buyout and will appeal against the decision too.
However, the CMA’s decision rejects a rational path to take care of competition concerns. So, it stops advances in tech and investment in the UK, according to Smith.
CMA’s View Perspective on the Deal
According to a press release from the CMA, they made their decision based on “concerns the deal would alter the future of the fast-growing cloud gaming market, leading to reduced innovation and less choice for UK gamers over the years to come”.
They say that Microsoft already has around 60-70% of cloud gaming services across the world. So, this suggests that making Activision games exclusive to Microsoft’s cloud gaming service would be “commercially beneficial”.
The CMA also says that Microsoft’s proposal had several “shortcomings”. They say it didn’t “sufficiently cover different cloud gaming service business models”.
Additionally, it’s bad for “providers who might wish to offer versions of games on PC operating systems other than Windows”.
Furthermore, the CMA says, “It would standardize the terms and conditions on which games are available”. This would be the opposite of having creativity and huge competition in the market. After all, that is what we would see any way in the absence of the merger.
Successful Acquisition Could Mean Trouble for Sony
If the buyout goes through, Microsoft will own the CoD IP, and that makes rival company Sony quite worried. Microsoft already owns about 60-70% of cloud gaming services across the world.
So, making Activision games exclusive to Microsoft’s cloud gaming service would lead to a huge monetary boost.
Cheap Xbox Series S Games – The Future of the Deal Could Be Good
Microsoft already has contracts in place to make Activision Blizzard’s popular games available on 150 million more devices. So, they are going to reinforce these agreements with regulatory solutions.
However, The CMA’s decision would alter the future of the huge and growing cloud gaming market. So, this will lead to less innovation and less choice for UK gamers over the years to come.
It remains to be seen if Microsoft’s appeal will be successful. However, if you’re a UK gamer, you can rest easy that the decision from CMA is to protect the industry. You can play titles like Call of Duty Modern Warfare II as cheap Xbox Series S games by buying them.