Microsoft Will Sell Activision Cloud Rights To Ubisoft In Latest Attempt To Secure Its Acquisition
Microsoft has agreed to sell the cloud streaming rights to all current and new Activision Blizzard PC and console games released over the next 15 years to Ubisoft in an attempt to secure regulatory approval for its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK’s antitrust regulator, had raised concerns that the acquisition would give Microsoft too much control over the video game market, particularly in the cloud gaming space. By selling the cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft, Microsoft hopes to address these concerns and get the deal approved.
The deal is still subject to regulatory approval in other jurisdictions, including the United States. However, the sale of the cloud streaming rights is seen as a significant step forward for Microsoft in its efforts to acquire Activision Blizzard.
Ubisoft is a French video game publisher that owns a number of popular franchises, including Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. The company has been expanding its cloud gaming offerings in recent years, and the addition of Activision Blizzard’s games would be a major boost.
It is still too early to say whether the sale of the cloud streaming rights will be enough to secure regulatory approval for the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal. However, it is a positive development for Microsoft and could help the company get the deal over the finish line.