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Google and Nvidia concerned about Microsoft Activision deal

Google and Nvidia concerned about Microsoft Activision deal

Ad giant Google and hardware specialist Nvidia have told the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that they are concerned about Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

As reported by Bloomberg, the duo has provided information that backs up one of the government body's issues with the deal, that it would give the Xbox firm too great an advantage in the games industry. Specifically, it would give Microsoft market dominance in cloud, subscription and mobile sectors.

Nvidia apparently does not oppose the acquisition, though says that there needs to be "equal and open access" to video games. The hardware giant is best known for its graphics cards, though also runs a streaming service called GeForce Now. Activision Blizzard titles are not part of this library as it stands after they were pulled in February 2020.

Google, meanwhile, is a rival to Microsoft on the cloud games side of things, though it does not really have much of a games business anymore thanks to the closure of its Stadia streaming service. Its Android mobile operating system is how a lot of people play games and it does sell these products through its Play storefront. 

The FTC sued Microsoft to stop the company acquiring Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion at the end of last year.


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PCGamesInsider Contributing Editor

Alex Calvin is a freelance journalist who writes about the business of games. He started out at UK trade paper MCV in 2013 and left as deputy editor over three years later. In June 2017, he joined Steel Media as the editor for new site PCGamesInsider.biz. In October 2019 he left this full-time position at the company but still contributes to the site on a daily basis. He has also written for GamesIndustry.biz, VGC, Games London, The Observer/Guardian and Esquire UK.