“This will apply globally”, says Microsoft’s president

EU Makes Microsoft 'Automatically License' ActiBlizz Cloud Games Post-Merger

Following today’s news of the EU approval over the Xbox Activision Blizzard merger, Microsoft president Brad Smith has quickly made a follow-up statement that makes for interesting reading.

While we knew of lots of individual cloud gaming deals that the Xbox owner struck with various companies like Nvidia and Boosteroid, it seems that the European Commission actually forced Microsoft to go even further.

According to Smith, the EU “has required” Microsoft to commit to an automatic licensing deal for Activision Blizzard titles on other cloud gaming services. Here’s the quote in full:

“The European Commission has required Microsoft to license popular Activision Blizzard games automatically to competing cloud gaming services. This will apply globally and will empower millions of consumers worldwide to play these games on any device they choose.”

This move makes sense, given that just like the UK CMA, the EU was most hung up on cloud gaming before ultimately approving the deal. This does leave us wondering though… were the same remedies proposed to the UK authority as well? For what it’s worth, the CMA issued a statement earlier today:

We’ll have to wait and see whether the EU verdict has any effect in Microsoft’s attempts to overturn the deal on UK shores in the coming weeks and months.

Do you see the UK seeing this and caving to approve the deal? Let us know where you think this saga will head next!

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