Microsoft and Activision Blizzard Deal Reveals New Plan for CMA Approval

Microsoft has revealed a new plan to address the concerns of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) about its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The CMA had blocked the deal in April, saying that it raised competition concerns in the nascent cloud gaming market.

Under the new plan, Microsoft would divest itself of cloud streaming rights for Activision Blizzard games for the next 15 years. These rights would be transferred to Ubisoft Entertainment, which would make Activision Blizzard games available on its Ubisoft+ subscription service via cloud streaming. Ubisoft also intends to license these games to other cloud streaming and subscription services.

Microsoft hopes that this new plan will address the CMA’s concerns and allow the deal to go through. The CMA is expected to make a decision on the deal by September 1.

It is still possible that the CMA will not approve the deal, even with the new plan. However, Microsoft’s willingness to divest itself of cloud streaming rights is a significant concession, and it could increase the chances of the deal being approved.

Here are some of the key points of the new plan:

• Microsoft will divest itself of cloud streaming rights for Activision Blizzard games for the next 15 years.
• These rights will be transferred to Ubisoft Entertainment.
• Ubisoft will make Activision Blizzard games available on its Ubisoft+ subscription service via cloud streaming.
• Ubisoft also intends to license these games to other cloud streaming and subscription services.

The CMA is expected to make a decision on the deal by September 1.