US Regulatory Body Requests More Information on Microsoft's Deals with Nintendo and Nvidia

Recently released documents indicate that the Federal Trade Commission is asking for more details about Microsoft's recent agreements. According to a report by VGC, the agency is seeking this information because it believes Microsoft is using these deals to justify its acquisition of Activision Blizzard to regulatory authorities. The documents state that "Microsoft has declined to provide internal documents related to these agreements or communications with third parties, except for those with Nvidia, Nintendo, and Sony." It is argued that "Microsoft should not be allowed to rely on these agreements without providing the requested underlying information." Some notable agreements include a ten-year contract to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms, a deal to release Xbox games on Nvidia's GeForce Now cloud service, and ten-year agreements with Ubitus and Boosteroid cloud gaming services. The FTC has also requested all information regarding ZeniMax's exclusivity since its acquisition in 2021 and details about the exclusive content Microsoft plans to acquire from Activision Blizzard. Furthermore, the regulatory body is asking Activision to produce documents previously absent from proceedings, related to the importance of cross-play for consumers, including purchasing habits and the impact of subscription services on game sales. This development comes three months after the FTC filed a lawsuit to block Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.