Sony fears that Microsoft may raise prices for consoles and games – Multiplayer.it

between Concerns reported by Sony Within the document sent to the British antitrust onActivision Blizzard acquisition There is, in terms of the consumer’s point of view, the risk of that Microsoft intends to raise prices for consoles and games.

The question falls within the various considerations of very harsh tones against Microsoft that we have seen in the world as documents sent to the British CMA were made public yesterday, but it is particularly interesting to note also because, unlike other considerations that have surfaced previously, it examines the user.

Sony says it’s “confident” that antitrust will prevent the Activision Blizzard takeover, because it’s a deal that “significantly reduces competition and should be banned,” according to reports from Jim Ryan’s company.

In addition to the damage that may result from Sony in the end The exclusive acquisition of Call of Duty And other games from Microsoft, a particularly interesting point is the risks highlighted by the company, that of increasing the price of Xbox hardware.

According to Sony, the acquisition of Activision Blizzard represents a danger to consumers, because it may push Microsoft to raise the prices of Xbox games and consoles. In the face of weakening competition, Microsoft may be able to raise the prices of consoles and games for Xbox users (including those who switched to Xbox from PlayStation), in addition to the price of Game Pass, while also reducing innovation and quality.

Obviously, this is somewhat ironic since it was Sony itself that raised the price of the PS5 and the games, effectively validating the concept expressed: perhaps with less competition, such decisions could be made with less risk, which is exactly what the company would challenge Microsoft if it finds itself in a dominant position.