A deal has finally been made allowing Microsoft to buy Activision Blizzard, but it comes with a hefty cost. Microsoft had to relinquish the rights to cloud gaming technology, which will now be given to Ubisoft.
As a final push, Microsoft have relinquished the cloud gaming capabilities ofActivision Blizzardin order to finally push the deal through with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The decision was made back in August 2023 and seesUbisofttake the reins instead with the rights lasting for 15 years.
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Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA said this “We delivered a clear message to Microsoft that the deal would be blocked unless they comprehensively addressed our concerns and stuck to our guns on that.”
The sale of of Activision’s cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft will “prevent the distribution of important, popular content - including games such asCall of Duty,OverwatchandWorld of Warcraft.”
This is a big loss toMicrosoftwho would have wanted the deal to go through with previous stipulations, but now the deal will go ahead they have the opportunity to put Activision Blizzard games on their Game Pass subscription service from 2024.
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This move will not only secure future titles, including the yearly updates toCall of Duty, but will also open up the possibilities of adding older Activision Blizzard titles toGame Passwhich will surely bolster the subscription’s user base.
Topics:Microsoft,Activision Blizzard,Call Of Duty
