Google and Nvidia have become the latest companies to raise concerns about Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. Sony has been kicking up a stink about the deal for quite a while in several jurisdictions but Google and Nvidia have decided to lodge their complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States.
This information was divulged to Bloomberg by sources it has kept anonymous. They say that Google and Nvidia have told the FTC that Microsoft could gain an unfair advantage from the deal in the cloud, subscription, and mobile gaming sectors if the deal were to be approved. The sources revealed that Nvidia isn’t strictly against the acquisition but wants to ensure there is equal and open access to game titles like Call of Duty.
The FTC is due to hold an in-house trial in August regarding the acquisition. Google, Nvidia, or Sony may be called to testify in the FTC’s trial. Any compromises that allow the deal to go ahead will likely include forcing Microsoft to keep access to the games open for at least a decade. Microsoft has already expressed a willingness to do this but it’s unclear what would happen after that.
Call of Duty is the game most of Microsoft’s rivals will be most concerned about due to its popularity but Activision Blizzard owns lots of other really popular titles too such as World of Warcraft, Crash Bandicoot, Guitar Hero, StarCraft, Hearthstone, Diablo, Overwatch, Candy Crush Saga, and more. Hopefully, regulators can find a way to ensure the acquisition works for all the concerned parties.
Source: Bloomberg