FTC lawyers want more info on Microsoft’s 10 year deals with Nintendo and Nvidia
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wants more information regarding Microsoft‘s recent agreements with Nintendo and Nvidia, as well as its exclusivity plans for content from both Zenimax and Activision Blizzard.
That’s according to new documents filed yesterday, which outlined issues the FTC has with some of the information Microsoft has presented to the governing body amid Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision/Blizzard.
The FTC has requested that Microsoft produce details of the several agreements that it’s recently touted and has alleged that Microsoft intends to use these deals as a means to justify the acquisition to regulatory bodies.
“Despite clearly intending to use these agreements in its defense, Microsoft has refused to produce underlying internal documents related to these agreements, or communications with third parties other than Nvidia, Nintendo and Sony,” it wrote. “Microsoft should be not permitted to introduce or rely on these agreements without producing the requested underlying discovery.”
On Wednesday, the Xbox owner announced it had signed yet another ten-year agreement to stream Xbox PC Games, as well as Activision Blizzard titles after the acquisition closes, with Japanese cloud gaming company Ubitus.
This follows a “binding 10-year legal agreement” to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms, which the companies committed to last month, as well as Microsoft’s announcement that it plans to 10-year partnership with Nvidia to bring itsXbox PC games to GeForce Now.
Microsoft appears to be using these deals as a lynchpin in its messaging justifying the deal, including claiming that should the $69 billion deal go through, Xbox will be able to offer Call of Duty to more than 150 million additional
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