Sony’s gaming boss Jim Ryan met with EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager on Wednesday to discuss Microsoft’s $69 billion (approx.
The meeting came as the EU competition regulator prepared to issue a warning Microsoft this week on the potential anti-competitive impact of the US software giant and Xbox Maker’s acquisition in the largest gaming industry deal in history.
Microsoft is looking for activity so that it can better compete with leading companies Tencent and Sony. The latter has criticized the deal and even called for an official veto.
The person declined to provide details of the discussion between Ryan and Vestager. The European Commission, which is scheduled to decide on the deal by April 11, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The USA Federal Trade Commission has sued to block the deal, while UK regulators have also expressed concerns, arguing that it would give Microsoft’s Xbox exclusive access to Activision games, and left Nintendo Consoles and Sonys PlayStation outside in the cold.
On earlier report suggested that Microsoft argued that the deal would benefit gamers and gaming companies alike, and offered to sign a legally binding consent decree with the FTC to provide it call of Duty Played against competitors like Sony for a decade.
Michael Chappell, the FTC’s administrative judge, will rule on the deal after hearings scheduled for August 2023.
The deal is currently under review in the European Union which has until March 23 to decide whether to approve or block the deal.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
