Microsoft has issued an announcement to the US Federal Commerce Fee (FTC) concerning its proposed acquisition of Overwatch, World of Warcraft, and Name of Responsibility proprietor Activision Blizzard, during which the corporate outlines how three future Bethesda video games, doubtlessly RPG sport Starfield, vampire shooter Redfall, and Skyrim sequel The Elder Scrolls 6, shall be unique to PC and Xbox.
Earlier in December, the FTC filed an antitrust swimsuit in opposition to the Microsoft Activision Blizzard deal, claiming that it might doubtlessly harm customers and competitors within the videogame business. This was adopted by a civil swimsuit from a bunch of ten “videogamers”, additionally arguing that the deal could be dangerous to the gaming market.
Microsoft has now issued a response to the FTC swimsuit, during which it outlines its plans for future Bethesda video games, having bought the studio’s mother or father firm, ZeniMax Media, in 2020.
“The grievance’s reference to Microsoft’s current acquisition of ZeniMax—a set of gaming studios acquired in 2020—has no relevance to the present transaction,” Microsoft says, referring to the swimsuit filed by the FTC. “Xbox anticipates that three future titles, all of that are designed to be performed primarily alone or in small teams, shall be unique to Xbox and PCs.”
The names of the titles are redacted from the publicly viewable model of Microsoft’s assertion, however area RPG Starfield and vampire co-op shooter Redfall have already been confirmed as unique to the corporate’s platforms once they launch in 2023. Nevertheless, the third “future title” might nicely be Skyrim’s successor, The Elder Scrolls 6. In November 2021, Microsoft’s head of gaming Phil Spencer gave an interview to GQ, and hinted at the opportunity of The Elder Scrolls 6 being PC and Xbox unique.
“It’s not about punishing another platform, I essentially imagine all the platforms can proceed to develop,” Spencer stated. “However with a purpose to be on Xbox, I would like us to have the ability to carry the complete full bundle of what we’ve. And that may be true after I take into consideration Elder Scrolls 6. That might be true after I take into consideration any of our franchises.”
Microsoft’s assertion to the FTC additionally addresses the opportunity of Name of Responsibility changing into a PC and Xbox unique, ought to the roughly $69 billion USD acquisition of Activision Blizzard achieve success.
“Sustaining broad availability of Activision video games is each good enterprise and good for avid gamers,” Microsoft says. “Paying $68.7 billion for Activision makes no monetary sense if that income stream goes away. Nor would it not make sense to degrade the sport expertise and alienate the tens of millions of Name of Responsibility gamers who play collectively utilizing various kinds of consoles. The reputational hit to Xbox wouldn’t be value any theoretical financial profit from taking Name of Responsibility away from rivals.”
Microsoft additional argues that the FTC “can’t meet its burden of exhibiting that the transaction would depart customers worse off,” and argues that the reduction outlined within the FTC submitting must be denied.