The European Union, through the European Commission, has approved Microsoft’s sale of Activision Blizzard. A few weeks ago, the British Competition Authority CMA refused to approve the deal. Right now we are waiting for the decision of the US Trade Commission.
According to an official statement, the decision includes conditions that Microsoft must honor agreements made with other cloud gaming operators. There is no threat of monopoly.
“Microsoft would have no incentive to refuse to distribute Activision’s games to Sony, the leading distributor of console games worldwide, including in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’).
There were other conditions as well.
A free license for consumers in the EEA that will allow them to stream, via any cloud game streaming services of their choice, all current and future Activision Blizzard PC and console games for which they hold a license.
A related free license for cloud game streaming service providers to allow EEA-based gamers to stream any of Activision Blizzard’s PC and console games.