Ubisoft Set to Acquire Activision’s Cloud Gaming Rights from Microsoft in Effort to Gain UK Approval

The restructured Microsoft deal will give future Ubisoft subscribers access an extensive collection of cherished and timeless Activision-Blizzard games, alongside the latest launches, using cloud streaming technology.

Activision Blizzard Games are on the way to Ubisoft+ subscribers!

On Tuesday, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked Blizzard's initial deal in the U.K before the tech giant put forward the new offer. This rejection came as the latest in a long line of international regulatory challenges the merger has bumped into.

To appease the UK authorities that are overseeing it's massive $68.7 billion acquisition, Microsoft president Brad Smith announced that the company's bid will now include plans to sell Activision-Blizzard's cloud gaming services to another major competitor in the gaming scene: Ubisoft Entertainment.

In the official press release, Smith confirmed that all of the rights would transfer over to the development studio once the merger deal closes. This is a major development, seeing as Ubisoft would not only be able to offer its patrons a wider range of classics, but also gain the rights “in perpetuity.”

Ubisoft Entertainment is a prominent video game company renowned for developing, publishing and distributing AAA classics. Since it was founded in 1986, the French company has grown to become a leader in the global industry. Widely recognized for its diverse portfolio of GOTY-winning titles, some of its most popular and influential games include the “Assassin's Creed” and “Farcry”
series, both of which offer rich and open-world storytelling narratives.

With the massive game company's ability to create both blockbuster franchises and experimental indie titles, Ubisoft continues to shape gaming culture as a pivotal player in the ever-evolving landscape of interactive entertainment.

Cloud gaming, also known as game streaming, allows users to play videogames over the internet without the need for powerful hardware. Instead of running the game on a PC or gaming console, the game is beamed to the user's device via data centers  maintained by cloud gaming providers. Both game video and audio are streamed to the player directly, as well as the user's inputs.

Cloud gaming offers several benefits, including the ability to play graphically demanding games on less-powerful devices, as all the processing is handled by the remote servers. On top of that, it also eliminates the need for expensive hardware upgrades. The quality of game streaming however is dependent on the strength of your internet connection and overall latency, which can impact the responsiveness of the game.

The CMA will investigate the new outline on the multibillion-dollar merger and will come to a decision by October 18, 2023.

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