Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger 'is really about mobile' gaming, Phil Spencer says

Xbox boss Phil Spencer recently said the discussions about the Activision Blizzard acquisition are fair, considering the size of the deal and its potential impact on the gaming industry. But he noted that, for Microsoft, the transaction is more about helping it expand its mobile gaming reach.

The majority of, or at least the most shared, discussions and criticisms of the $68.7 billion transaction had been focused on the concern that Microsoft will eventually remove "Call of Duty" from PlayStation. Many fans are fearing that the deal would give Microsoft the chance to make the first-person shooter franchise exclusive to Xbox consoles and services.

Spencer, once again, addressed those concerns in his appearance at the Wall Street Journal Tech Live last week. Aside from reiterating that "'Call of Duty' specifically" will be available on PlayStation, the Xbox chief added that he would also love to see the game be playable on Nintendo Switch and "many different screens."

Spencer seemingly wanted to expand the conversation, though, noting that debates about the Activision Blizzard acquisition stem from Xbox and PlayStation's rivalry. "But when we think about three billion people playing video games, there’s only about 200 million households that play on console," Spencer said (via VGC). "The vast majority of people who play, do so on the device that’s already in their pocket, which is their phone."

This statement lined up with what Microsoft told UK's Competition and Markets Authority in documents filed earlier this month. The Xbox parent company implied that Activision Blizzard, especially its King subsidiary, would be crucial in establishing the Xbox mobile gaming store. In the same filing, Microsoft also pointed out that the game publisher has had fiscal reports indicating that its mobile revenue and monthly average users have significantly outnumbered the turnouts from PC and console games.

At the same event, Spencer said the concerns over Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal are "fair" and "warranted." He also revealed that he has been spending plenty of time in "major jurisdictions," where Microsoft hopes to get the transaction approved, including Brussels (where the Europan Commission is headquartered), London, and the US Federal Trade Commission.

Concerned agencies in the mentioned territories have yet to decide on the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger. UK's CMA has started its prolonged Phase 2 investigation and recently asked for opinions from the public. The European Commission previously will announce the results of its preliminary inquiry on Nov. 8 and decide whether or not a longer investigation will commence. Meanwhile, it was reported that the FTC could release its decision in November.

Photo by Alexander Cifuentes (@aleexcif) from Unsplash