Microsoft CEO Nadella tells a judge his planned Activision takeover is good for gaming
Associated PressSAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told a judge Wednesday that his company’s proposed $69 billion takeover of video game-maker Activision Blizzard will be good for the gaming industry, remarks that came as he defended the deal against an attempt by federal regulators to block it. Activision CEO Bobby Kotick also testified Wednesday, asserting that there’s no business incentive to deprive Microsoft gaming rivals like Sony of the popular Activision game Call of Duty, because such a move would alienate the franchise’s devoted fanbase. Kotick said it doesn’t make sense to make Call of Duty exclusive to Microsoft’s Xbox console or to offer subpar versions of the military action game on other systems, like Sony’s PlayStation. But Ryan said he later came to believe Microsoft would leverage Call of Duty’s popularity to disadvantage PlayStation, whose players might get a more “degraded experience.” “The harm to arises from gamers deserting our platform and going to Xbox,” said Ryan, the CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.