Sony apparently isn’t isolated when it comes to expressing concerns about the Microsoft Activision deal. Where Microsoft found an unlikely ally in Facebook’s parent company Meta, Sony reportedly has Google in its camp. It’s unclear what specific concerns Google, which recently announced the shutdown of Stadia, has. However, the search engine giant previously struck a multi-year strategic partnerships with Activision Blizzard, and likely feels that it’ll be in the crosshairs should the publisher be acquired.
Microsoft Activision acquisition threatens Google’s cloud deal
Activision Blizzard and Google announced in January 2020 that they entered into a multi-year partnership, as part of which Activision Blizzard has been utilizing Google’s cloud services. A year later, Microsoft came into the picture with its own cloud solution in Azure. Microsoft is legally obligated to honor Activision Blizzard’s contracts should the acquisition go ahead, but it’s highly unlikely that it’ll extend the publisher’s current partnerships. That’s a concern Sony shares as well, especially when it comes to Call of Duty.
According to a new report by Dealreporter (via SeekingAlpha), Google joined Sony in expressing its reservations about the consolidation to European Union regulators. The search engine maker previously voiced its concerns to Brazil’s antitrust regulator CADE.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has only been approved by Saudi Arabia thus far.
