Microsoft, oyun devi Activision’ın bulut haklarını satışa çıkarıyor. Bu satış, oyun endüstrisindeki büyük bir hareket olarak kabul edilmektedir. Activision, dünya çapında çok popüler olan oyunların sahibidir ve bu oyunlar, Microsoft’un bulut teknolojisiyle kullanıcılara sunulmaktadır. Satışın, Activision oyunlarının daha geniş bir kullanıcı kitlesine sunulmasını sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir. Bu aynı zamanda Microsoft’un bulut hizmetlerinin daha da gelişmesine olanak sağlayacak ve şirketin rekabet gücünü artıracaktır. Hem oyunseverler hem de teknoloji dünyası bu satışı yakından takip etmektedir. Microsoft’un Activision’ın bulut haklarını satmasıyla, oyun endüstrisinde büyük değişikliklerin gerçekleşebileceği ve yeni fırsatların ortaya çıkabileceği tahmin edilmektedir.
Microsoft Activision Blizzard, British regulators’ concerns have largely been addressed by selling cloud gaming rights to rival company Ubisoft as part of its merger proposal. However, completion of the process is not expected before October 18th.
Microsoft President Brad Smith stated, “The agreement with Ubisoft transforms the acquisition of Activision Blizzard into a structure that is different from the agreement submitted to the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) for assessment in 2022 and complies with British laws.”
If the merger is realized, Microsoft will transfer the cloud streaming rights of all existing and new Activision Blizzard PC and console games to Ubisoft Entertainment SA, one of the leading global game publishers, over the next 15 years. This transfer will be permanent. This means that Microsoft cannot make Activision Blizzard games exclusive to Xbox Cloud Gaming or have any say in how they are broadcasted on competing services. Additionally, Ubisoft will also be able to provide Activision Blizzard cloud gaming services on Apple and other non-Windows systems.
Regarding the conditions of the agreement between Microsoft and Ubisoft, Brad Smith stated, “Ubisoft will make payments to Microsoft for cloud streaming rights of Activision Blizzard’s games through a market-based wholesale pricing mechanism, including a one-time payment option and supporting usage-based pricing.”
According to Ubisoft’s statement, if the agreement is approved, Activision Blizzard games will be accessible on multiple services. The statement by Daniel O’Connor reads, “Players will be able to play their favorite Ubisoft and Activision Blizzard games on multiple platforms, including soon PC, Xbox consoles, and Amazon Luna, with a single Ubisoft+ Multi Access subscription and through Ubisoft+ Classics on the PlayStation platform.”
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had previously blocked the proposed merger, citing concerns about a cloud gaming monopoly as the primary issue. However, after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lost its objection to blocking the merger, the CMA agreed to extend the negotiations until August 29th. In a statement made by the CMA in July, the following words were used: “Based on the discussions held so far, both parties (Microsoft and CMA) believe that submitting a restructured transaction notification by Microsoft could address the concerns identified by the CMA.”
The CMA announced that a decision regarding the Microsoft Activision agreement is planned to be made on October 18th. CMA CEO Sarah Cardell stated, “This is not a green light. We will carefully and objectively evaluate the details of the restructured agreement, including the impact on competition, taking into account the comments of third parties. Our goal has not changed; any future decision regarding this new agreement will ensure that the growing cloud gaming market continues to benefit from open and effective competition that promotes innovation and choice.”