Devs tell UK regulator they feel "compelled" to support Activision Blizzard merger

gamedeveloper.com:

A number of game companies have told UK regulator the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) that Microsoft's proposed Activision Blizzard might actually be a Very Good Thing for all involved.

The CMA has been investigating the proposed deal for months over concerns it could allow Microsoft to dominate rivals like Sony should it gain approval.

Earlier this year, the regulator shared its provisional findings, and suggested Microsoft would need to make concessions in order to seal the deal. It also reiterated its concerns that by purchasing Activision Blizzard, Microsoft could potentially make key franchises such as Call of Duty platform exclusive and potentially foreclose its rivals.

Microsoft and Sony have now responded to those findings as you'd expect. The latter says it wouldn't make any sense to make Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox, and points to the fact that, since the merger was announced, it has "focused on using the deal to bring more games to more people" by penning a series of partnerships with Nintendo, Nvidia, and others.

Long story short, Microsoft insists it wants to ensure Call of Duty remains on rival platforms, and once again described Sony's stance (hint: the PlayStation maker isn't keen on the merger) as a "self-serving attempt to protect its dominant market position."

In brief, Sony agreed with the provisional findings laid out by the CMA, and said it agrees with the regulator that the deal would "likely" result in a substantial lessening of competition in the UK game industry. "Microsoft would have both the ability and incentive to withhold or degrade access to Activision content, in particular Call of Duty, from its competitors. This, in turn, would cause harm to consumers and competition," wrote the