Microsoft has signed a new deal with Call of Duty in a fresh bid to win over regulators. The tech giant has now signed its fourth deal with the popular first-person shooter game franchise, which is owned by Activision Blizzard.
The new deal between Microsoft and Call of Duty will see the game franchise become the exclusive partner for Xbox’s cloud gaming service, Project xCloud. This means that players will be able to stream Call of Duty games on their Xbox devices without having to download them first.
This move comes as Microsoft is trying to convince regulators that it is not engaging in anti-competitive behavior. The tech giant has faced criticism from regulators in recent years for its dominance in the gaming industry. Microsoft’s gaming division, Xbox, has long been one of the leading players in the industry, with its Xbox consoles being some of the most popular gaming devices in the world.
However, regulators have expressed concerns about Microsoft’s market power and have called for more competition in the industry. This has led to Microsoft making a series of moves aimed at winning over regulators and promoting competition in the gaming industry.
One of these moves was the acquisition of ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, in 2020. The acquisition brought some of the most popular gaming franchises, such as The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, under the Microsoft umbrella. Microsoft also announced earlier this month that it was acquiring Activision Blizzard, the parent company of Call of Duty, in a deal worth $68.7 billion.
The acquisition of Activision Blizzard has caused some concern among regulators, who fear that Microsoft’s market power will become even more dominant. However, Microsoft has been keen to emphasize the benefits of the deal, including the fact that it will bring more competition to the gaming industry.
The new deal between Microsoft and Call of Duty is another move aimed at winning over regulators. By making Call of Duty the exclusive partner for Project xCloud, Microsoft is demonstrating that it is committed to promoting competition in the gaming industry. The move will also give Xbox users access to one of the most popular gaming franchises in the world, further strengthening the Xbox brand.
The deal also highlights the growing importance of cloud gaming in the gaming industry. With cloud gaming, players can stream games on their devices without having to download them first. This makes it easier for players to access games, particularly on devices with limited storage space.
Microsoft has been investing heavily in cloud gaming, with Project xCloud being one of its flagship services. By partnering with Call of Duty, Microsoft is demonstrating the capabilities of its cloud gaming service and positioning itself as a leader in the space.
Overall, the new deal between Microsoft and Call of Duty is another example of Microsoft’s efforts to win over regulators and promote competition in the gaming industry. The move will also strengthen the Xbox brand and highlight the growing importance of cloud gaming in the industry. As Microsoft continues to make moves aimed at promoting competition, it will be interesting to see how regulators respond and whether these moves will be enough to convince them that Microsoft is not engaging in anti-competitive behavior.
