The investigation process continues on the maxi-Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzardwith a new initiative by the European Commissionwhich stands by consulting competitors on the gaming market inviting them to comment on the operation, indicating any risks and prospects that could emerge from it.
As reported by Reuters in these hours, it seems that the antitrust of the European Union has already released a 91-page questionnaire to various exponents of the gaming market among producers, publishers and development teams. “We ask you to specify which partial exclusivity strategies you believe Microsoft has the ability to adopt on Activision Blizzard after the acquisition,” reads the main topic of the questionnaire.
The 91 pages therefore contain numerous questions which mainly concern the possibility that Microsoft implements exclusivity policies about Activision Blizzard’s games and how these practices may or may not adversely affect competitors.
Among the questions, there are references to possible practices such as exclusive content on Microsoft platforms and the harmful effects that these could have on other consoles (a practice which, curiously, is regularly implemented with Call of Duty on PlayStation).
It should be noted that the questionnaire also takes Nintendo into consideration among competing manufacturers, which should not be taken for granted given that so far the regulatory bodies seem to have focused only on Sony, even with the CMA which has deliberately excluded Nintendo Switch from the market segment taken into consideration examination.
In short, the whole questionnaire focuses on the need to collect information on ideas and impressions of various competitors on the possible acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. Considering that so far the impressions of the other major players in the market, with the exception of Sony, do not seem to be negative towards the operation, the questionnaire could also result in an element in favor of Microsoft.
In any case, we await to see how the matter will evolve, as we have seen that Microsoft prepares for battle with the FTC in court, on the US front.
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