According to Reuters, Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, on Wednesday met with EU antitrust boss Margrethe Vestager to discuss Microsoft’s proposed buyout of publishing giant Activision Blizzard.
The report says that the EU is expected to issue the Xbox format holder with a charge sheet detailing its concerns regarding the acquisition. It adds that Microsoft is hoping to appease EU regulators in the hope of shortening the regulatory process, but the EU is reportedly not open to remedies without releasing its charge sheet first.
Microsoft has faced stiff backlash from Sony regarding the acquisition, although the company tried to appease the PlayStation maker by offering it 10-year contract to ensure that any new Call of Duty games arrive day-and-date on PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
Furthermore, Microsoft was recently sued by the US Federal Trade Commission in the hopes of blocking the acquisition, arguing the buyout would allow the company to “suppress competitors” to the Xbox family of consoles, subscription content and cloud gaming business.
While Sony has argued that the Call of Duty franchise is a big decider in what platform consumers choose, Microsoft has argued otherwise, insisting the first-person shooter franchise does not drive platform adoption.
The PlayStation hardware manufacturer has also claimed that Microsoft’s goal with the acquisition is to ‘make PlayStation like Nintendo.’
[Source – Reuters]