The ongoing absurdity of Microsoft’s bid to buy Activision Blizzard | Opinion

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During Microsoft’s press briefing yesterday, the firm’s Brad Smith pulled out an envelope with a contract in it.

“I walk around with an envelope that contains the definitive agreement that we sent to Sony two days before Christmas, I am ready to sign it at any time.”

It was a theatrical flourish which, apparently, he also did within the closed European Commission hearing earlier that day. There was something frankly Trumpian and performative about the whole thing, and somewhat sums up the entire regulatory battle over whether this deal goes over-the-line.

This whole thing is a performance. Call of Duty is already on Steam and there's nothing to stop Activision putting Call of Duty on Switch

Earlier in the day, the US union Communication Workers of America issued a statement about why the deal would be a good thing. A group that has absolutely no bearing on the regulators’ decision over whether the acquisition goes ahead. During the press briefing, Smith referred to the union’s statement, which suggests that the whole thing was part of a constructed PR move.

Valve and Nintendo, two companies who have been dragged into the conversation, have been promised Call of Duty for ten years. Nintendo signed a contract over the proposed deal. Microsoft announced that in a release ahead of the hearing. The suggestion is that Nintendo supports the deal, but really, it just supports getting a game on its console. Valve doesn’t oppose the deal, but Gabe Newell dismissed the ten-year contract as unnecessary.

This whole thing is a performance. Call of Duty is already on Steam. There’s already nothing to stop Activision Blizzard putting Call of Duty on Switch.