15.5.2023
EGDF welcomes the Commission’s decision to greenlight Microsoft’s ActivisionBlizzard acquisition and the legally binding commitments made by Microsoft to secure the continued availability of ActivisionBlizzard games on rival cloud gaming services. EGDF is pleased to note that the Commission packed up these commitments with sufficient compliance and enforcement mechanisms.
The Commission’s decision supports the broader EU policy objectives to fuel competition in the platform economy. While the recent ruling by the UK Competition and Market Authority (CMA) imposes, hopefully, a temporary speed bump on the road to finalizing the acquisition, EGDF reminds parties involved to move from words to deeds and put the legally binding commitments and other pro-competitive commitments made during the Commission investigation into action.
In particular, EGDF urges alternative cloud gaming platforms to start exploiting the boost Microsoft’s legally binding commitments provide for them and use it to challenge Mircosoft’s cloud gaming platforms directly. Regarding other pro-competitive commitments, EGDF counts on Microsoft to fully explore the possibilities of the Digital Markets Act in the EU and continue its investment in introducing third-party application stores and payment systems on mobile platforms. Similarly, EGDF expects Microsoft to continue distributing other Activision games via other popular consoles like Sony’s PlayStation.
EGDF anticipates that increased competition between platforms, enabled by the Commission decision, will lead to an investment boost in European content. EGDF and its member associations are eager to help all platforms interested in strengthening their competitive edge by reaching and investing in world-leading European games.
The full EGDF position from December 2022 on the acquisition of ActivisionBlizzard by Microsoft can be accessed here: https://www.egdf.eu/documentation/5-fair-digital-markets/how-to-secure-fair-competition-2023/microsoft-activisionblizzard-acquisition-2022/
Jari-Pekka Kaleva, tel: +358 40 716 3640
Managing Director, European Games Developer Federation (EGDF)
Email: jari-pekka.kaleva(a)egdf.eu
Twitter: @jpkaleva
