C'è a problem with the CMA, the UK regulator that is analyzing Microsoft's acquisition of Activision, which will make the group an Xbox first party. A problem that obviously extends to the lack of knowledge of the market, which could in some way influence decisions and how all those who orbit around this reality are perceived.
What happened, in short? Quite simply, in the document that analyzes the doubts of the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the CMA has branded all the entertainment giants as incompetent, unable to create game experiences equal to Call of Duty. In a post on Twitter published by an account close to the Xbox world the whole absurdity of the story is well expressed. “If you were EA, Take Two, Capcom, Embracer, Tencent, Smilegate, Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Nexon, Netflix, CDPR, Epic Games, WB, NetEase, Krafton, Konami, Koei Tecmo, SEGA, Kadokawa, Netmarble or many others , I would feel insulted”. And it is indeed true: it is a decidedly disheartening scenario and demonstrates that not everyone has a deep knowledge of the world of video games.
Far be it from us to replace ourselves at the CMA. We are unable to analyze the conditions of a possible monopoly. However, we are able to know the video game industry and we know that if it is true that Call of Duty has become the most important shooter on the market, it is also true that big names like Ubisoft, Electronic Arts and all the others included in the list can quietly create very strong and very valid gaming experiences, even able to carve out a space against the IP created by Vince Zampella. Right in Redwood, for example, have responded to the Battle Royale phenomenon by launching Apex Legends, one of the few that has been able to survive in a very crowded landscape. Without forgetting PUBG, which literally created a new genre.
If I'm EA, Take Two, Capcom, Embracer, Tencent, Smilegate, Ubisoft, Bandai Namco, Nexon, Netflix, CDPR, Epic Games, WB, NetEase, Krafton, Konami, Koei Tecmo, Sega, Kadokawa, Netmarble or many others, I would be insulted.
What a joke by the CMA. pic.twitter.com/2c8Wvm10Ll
— XboxWorlds (@WorldsXbox) October 14, 2022
The CMA will probably issue eventually a positive or negative verdict by analyzing other factors as well. However, it remains disheartening to know how easy it is to be judged "incompetent" compared to competitors by those who have probably never picked up a pad.
