"With Nintendo, we're bringing Call of Duty to 150 million more consoles, that wouldn't have had it previously."
— Jez (@JezCorden) February 21, 2023
Smith is more optimistic of getting the deal done than he was 24 hours ago - but not because of what was said in the room today, he says.
— Eurogamer (@eurogamer) February 21, 2023
"We don't think it's feasible or realistic to think one game or one slice can be carved out from the rest," Smith says, when asked if losing Call of Duty would make the deal work.
— Eurogamer (@eurogamer) February 21, 2023
Microsoft president @BradSmi says Sony "can spend all of its energy trying to block this deal... or it can sit down with us and hammer out an agreement that addresses what it says it's concerned about, mainly the access to Call of Duty in the future."
— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) February 21, 2023
Smith says, in his view, the UK regulator did not completely shut the door on behavioural remedies rather than structural ones. In other words - he believes there's still wiggle room to get Activision Blizzard King whole.
— Eurogamer (@eurogamer) February 21, 2023
Microsoft's closing message is that the main issue regulators have with the deal is that Call of Duty will become more exclusive - which these deals show is not the case.
— Eurogamer (@eurogamer) February 21, 2023
Smith has produced an envelope containing the deal paperwork he hopes Sony will sign - but it hasn't yet. He's waiting with a pen, or with Microsoft Office to print it off for them.
— Eurogamer (@eurogamer) February 21, 2023
"Activision Blizzard has accused Sony of simply trying to "protect its two-decade dominance in video games", and believes the proposed merger will enhance competition and "create greater opportunities" for workers"
Essay Pro