Microsoft and Nintendo have “signed a binding ten-year contract” to ensure that tentpole Activision titles are released on Nintendo the day as they are on Xbox.
Of course, this deal is meaningless if Microsoft’s proposed A$100 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard is unsuccessful – the “binding” document is yet another move to remove the sting of anticompetitive cries from the likes of Sony, who refused to sign such a deal.
We’ve now signed a binding 10-year contract to bring Xbox games to Nintendo’s gamers. This is just part of our commitment to bring Xbox games and Activision titles like Call of Duty to more players on more platforms. pic.twitter.com/JmO0hzw1BO
— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) February 21, 2023
This comes the same week as Microsoft promised the same to Nvidia’s GeForce Now gaming system, which “resolves Nvidia’s concerns with Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard”.
More importantly, it comes days away from Microsoft’s meeting with the European Commission, one of the major roadblocks to the Activision Blizzard deal.
