After a closed hearing at the European Commission, Microsoft MSFT President Brad Smith addressed the media in an attempt to persuade the regulator to greenlight its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard ATVI.
During the press conference in Brussels, Smith claimed that Sony SONY has a much larger market share than Microsoft, and announced the company is fully prepared to address any concerns that regulators may have regarding the acquisition.
"Think about the market in Europe. It is a market where Sony has an 80% share. Globally, it is about 70/30. In Japan, it is 96/4," Smith said, according to GamesIndustry.Biz.
“These numbers have been remarkably steady for two decades," Smith added. "Even last year, when there were issues with Sony's supply chain, they came back strong."
Smith also mentioned that according to research by IDG (International Data Group), PlayStation had a 69/31 market share over Microsoft's console in the global market at the end of 2022. However, no specific sales figures for Xbox were provided in regions such as the U.S. and the U.K., where Microsoft's presence is stronger.
"Regulators are not here to protect super dominant companies," he added. "Believe me, I know."
For a while now, Sony has been vocal about its opposition to the proposed acquisition, citing concerns over the potential negative impact on the PlayStation platform.
While Sony's opposition to the deal is one of the few remaining detractors, Smith remains hopeful that an agreement can be reached soon, citing the example of the successful partnership between Nvidia NVDA and Nintendo NTDOY.
"We haven't agreed on a deal with Sony, but I hope we will. I hope today is a day that will advance our industry and regulation in a responsible way," Smith concluded.
Image by Matthew Manuel via Unsplash
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