EU backs Microsoft buying Call of Duty maker Activision
Al JazeeraThe US software giant still faces a battle to clinch its $69bn deal as Britain has blocked it and the US seeks to block. The European Commission said that the biggest-ever deal in gaming was pro-competitive due to Microsoft’s licencing deals. The EU watchdog said Microsoft has offered 10-year free licencing deals to European consumers and cloud game streaming services for Activision’s PC and console games. Microsoft has in recent months signed such deals with Nvidia, Nintendo, Ukraine’s Boosteroid and Japan’s Ubitus to bring Activision’s Call of Duty to their gaming platforms should the deal go through. “The European Commission has required Microsoft to licence popular Activision Blizzard games automatically to competing cloud gaming services.