Microsoft Updates Activision Blizzard Merger Plans With CMA To Include Transferring Cloud Gaming To Ubisoft

While Microsoft’s bid to purchase Activision Blizzard has more or less been approved globally, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority has been one of the countries holding out. One big reason given for the agency’s reluctance is its concern about the mergers resulting in Microsoft taking up an unfair share of the cloud streaming market. In order to push forward, Microsoft has announced an adjustment to their deal – on their end at least. According to a letter from Bobby Kotick, this won’t change anything for ABK’s side of the deal.

Yesterday, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith announced that the company is “restructuring the transaction to acquire a narrower set of rights.” This restructuring includes transferring “the cloud streaming rights for all current and new Activision Blizzard PC and console games released over the next 15 years to Ubisoft Entertainment SA.”

Microsoft believes that this deal will be enough for the CMA to reconsider its stance and approve the deal. As it would stand, Microsoft wouldn’t be able to release ABK games exclusively on Xbox Cloud Gaming or control licensing terms.

It’s also good news for Ubisoft who would be able to add a decent library of popular (and some less popular) games to their service. Ubisoft plans to add the games to Ubisoft+ as well as license them out to other providers. The catch for the players is that they’ll need to subscribe to Ubisoft+ Multi Access unless they use another Ubisoft licensed provider, one of which would be Xbox Cloud Gaming itself.