Tech giants Google and Nvidia recently expressed concerns over the recent Activision Blizzard deal that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wishes to block. The companies apparently provided information that supports the FTC’s case on Microsoft gaining an unfair advantage in the fields of cloud, mobile, and subscription-based gaming. This comes from sources via Bloomberg, who wish to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of the whole process.
Both Google and Nvidia have (or had) their own versions of cloud and/or subscription-based gaming in the past, so the deal does have some relevance to their operations. Google’s Stadia streaming service is set to shut down next week, with games already closing servers ahead of its final day. On the other hand, Nvidia boasted a user base of over 20 million last August with its own streaming service, GeForce Now.
Google also has a stake in mobile gaming, as its Android operating system is home to thousands of games that rake in billions in revenue. Should Activision’s IP catalog merge with Microsoft’s already expansive collection of video game IPs, the FTC worries that this would allow Microsoft to expand its already alluring Xbox Game Pass service.
It is worth noting that Microsoft hasn’t let these statements go uncontested, however. The company has stated that these claims are given “too much weight,” and that the concerns raised by Sony are “self-serving.”
Source: Bloomberg
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