More details have come to light about the decision to halt Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard from from the recent UK Competition and Market Authority (CMA) report. Along with the extensive examination of Microsoft’s current business practices and plans, including its advantage in cloud computing, the CMA also raised concerns about how an increased library of video game content could potentially open the door for Microsoft to make things more costly for consumers.
Detailed in the 400-page report, which gave an extensive and highly detailed overview of Microsoft’s current business plans and how it would affect competitors, the CMA committee highlighted its belief that the Xbox Game Pass service would see its value heightened following potential additions from the Activision Blizzard library — which would give Microsoft an incentive to raise the price.
In the report, the CMA detailed that adding new games into the Microsoft library wasn’t the issue, but rather how having Activision’s games specifically – such as Call of Duty – would influence the catalog.
Having Activision’s content on Game Pass would represent a new option to pay for content that is already available on a buy-to-play basis on Xbox, and it would only represent better value than the status quo for some consumers (which, in any event, would only start to accrue some time after the Merger completes). Moreover, we expect Microsoft to have the incentive to increase the price of Game Pass commensurate with the value enhancement of adding Activision’s valuable content to it, and we found that even a modest price increase would significantly reduce or eliminate any potential RCB (relevant customer benefits).
In its investigation, the CMA committee explained that the gains of relevant customer benefits (RCBs) for this merger, such as the benefits of being able to access Call of Duty via Game Pass, would not outweigh the losses. Not only would the expanded Game Pass post-merger potentially make for a pricier service for consumers, this would also give Xbox more significant edge against the likes of Sony and Nintendo, both of which do not have services as extensive as Microsoft’s Game Pass and its other products.
We recognise that having Activision’s content available on Game Pass is an attractive prospect to some customers and something that, based on the comments we received from the public during this investigation, seems to explain much of the support for this Merger by those in favour of it. On balance, we found that having this new option to pay for content that is already available on a buy-to-play basis on Xbox would not outweigh the overall harm to competition (and, ultimately, consumers) arising from this Merger in the sizeable and rapidly expanding market for cloud gaming services.
As of now, Microsoft is seeking an appeal for the CMA decision to halt the merger, which has steadily been gaining traction ever since its announcement in February 2022. In addition to the details about the potential of Game Pass, the CMA report also included mentions of Nintendo’s current hardware, and how it would likely not be able to play current-gen Call of Duty games, which representatives from Activision Blizzard claimed that it could do.
For a more detailed breakdown of the current about the recent halt to the Microsoft / Activision Blizzard merger, do check out IGN’s explanation detailing everything you need to know.
Throughout its 16-year history, the Assassin’s Creed has explored numerous regions, historical periods, protagonists, mythologies, and even genres. It’s this expansiveness, built on a foundation of highly detailed worlds, engaging stories, and evolving gameplay, that’s led Assassin’s Creed to become Ubisoft’s most successful franchise, and what makes for such a wide variety of AC fans.
There’s a lot to enjoy in Assassin’s Creed games, and many of their best attributes can be found in the games we’ve compiled below. As we await the release of Assassin’s Creed Mirage later this year, these are 9 games we recommend for Assassin’s Creed fans, whether you come to the series for its rich open worlds, historical fiction, mythological exploration, or old-school stealth-action gameplay.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s combat, RPG mechanics, and open-world design.
In evolving Assassin’s Creed’s core mechanics from stealth-action to action-RPG, Ubisoft cited Skyrim, Fallout, and The Witcher 3 among its inspirations, though none is more apparent than CD Projekt’s 2015 RPG epic.
In Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Valhalla specifically, the list of design similarities includes a massive open world filled with over 100 hours of content, an emphasis on player agency through narrative decisions and branching dialogue (including a strikinglysimilar dialogue-selection design), and comparable gear systems. Gameplay-wise, The Witcher 3 features fast-paced, third-person action combat akin to that found in Origins, Odyssey, and Valhalla, though it adds another wrinkle with signs (i.e., magical abilities).
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s combat, traversal, RPG mechanics, and open-world design.
Similar to our recommendation for The Witcher 3, Horizon Zero Dawn and Forbidden West are third-person, open-world action-RPGs that should appeal to fans of the latest Assassin’s Creed games. Both games offer fluid third-person combat with viable options for close-quarters melee and long-range bow-and-arrow attacks, as well as satisfying stealth mechanics and free-climbing systems. On the RPG front, each offers dialogue choices and a gear-based loot system with stat-affecting weapons and armor.
Like the recent Assassin’s Creed games, Horizon features a massive map teeming with ultimately unimportant points of interest, making it a great recommendation for those who like to explore AC’s worlds while splitting their attention between a game and a podcast/audio book.
Ghost of Tsushima
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s combat, historical fiction, and open-world design.
Assassin’s Creed will finally explore the long-requested feudal Japan setting in Codename Red, but in the meantime, Ghost of Tsushima presents an excellent opportunity to explore that history through stealth-action gameplay. (Our Ghost of Tsushima review likened its combat to “a witches’ brew made with bits of the Batman Arkham series, the pre-Origins Assassin’s Creeds, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.”)
In addition to its third-person, stealth-melee combat, Assassin’s Creed fans will find a familiar level of open-world exploration couched in historical fiction: Ghost of Tsushima features dozens of side quests and a main narrative set during the real-world, 13th-century invasion of Japan by the Mongol Empire.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor & War
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s combat, traversal, and Mercenaries system.
WB’s Middle-earth games are another easy recommendation for Assassin’s Creed fans. AC players will feel at home with the games’ shared mechanics: third-person action combat and climbing/parkour systems (including air assassinations). Shadow of Mordor’s combat and air assassinations were so reminiscent of AC that a former Ubisoft developer suggested Monolith used code from Assassin’s Creed 2. (This suggestion highlights the games’ similarities, though WB was never formally accused of stealing code.)
Shadow of Mordor also introduced the ingenious Nemesis system, a villain generator that turns historically nameless NPCs into recurring rivals. It’s here that Ubisoft took a bite out of Monolith’s design, integrating a similar system in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey with Mercenaries.
God of War 2018 & Ragnarok
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s combat and exploration of Norse mythology.
Fans of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla’s Norse setting and mythology are sure to love what God of War 2018 and God of War Ragnarok offer in those (nine) realms. While AC Valhalla moves between Norse history and mythology, God of War takes place firmly within the region’s mythos with visceral third-person combat and a visually striking world to inhabit and explore.
Opinions may differ, but God of War’s Norse-set duology features a tighter narrative, better character development, and more rewarding side content — all to say if you enjoyed Valhalla’s exploration of Norse mythology, God of War and Ragnarok are must-play games. You can check out our guide to God of War games in order for more details about the series.
Far Cry
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s open-world design.
Ubisoft’s own Far Cry series will appeal to Assassin’s Creed fans who enjoy traversing open-world maps, bopping from marker to marker completing miscellaneous objectives. Above any other games, Far Cry 3–6 share the types of open-world objectives found in Assassin’s Creed, including towers to climb, outposts to clear, and collectibles to discover. Unlike Assassin’s Creed, however, Far Cry is played from a first-person perspective, and its combat relies largely on firearms.
Similar to our recommendation for the Horizon games, Far Cry’s bounty of mindless side activities are great for AC fans who enjoy ‘checklist’ or ‘podcast’ games.
It’s here we’ll give a nod to Watch Dogs: Legion as well, another Ubisoft game built on similar open-world design philosophy.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s old-school platforming, puzzles, and combat.
The most logical entry on this list is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, given it’s Ubisoft’s precursor to the Assassin’s Creed franchise: AC came to be while Ubisoft was exploring a sequel to Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, as detailed in IGN’s History of Assassin’s Creed. This connection is evident in Sands of Time’s combination of platforming, puzzles, and acrobatic combat — key features of the first several Assassin’s Creed games.
The best way to play 2003’s Sands of Time is on PC or through backward compatibility on Xbox. However, those understandably sensitive to dated gameplay are better off waiting for the Sands of Time remake currently in development at Ubisoft Montreal.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s open-world design and exploration of Greek mythology.
The world and narrative of Immortals: Fenyx Rising is fully immersed in the Greek mythology Assassin’s Creed Odyssey occassionally dips into. Immortals developer Ubisoft Quebec also led work on Odyssey, and its open-world influences can be found here as well.
Immortals was actually inspired by a bug from Odyssey’s development: “You’d be sailing on your ship,” creative director Scott Phillips told IGN, “but instead of your human crew, you ended up having cyclopes as your crew. It was just sort of one of those moments like, ‘Oh wow. Yeah, that’d be really cool actually to do a full game focused on this mythology.’”
Kingdom Come: Deliverance
For fans of Assassin’s Creed’s historical fiction.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance does not play like Assassin’s Creed; this recommendation is purely for those who come to Assassin’s Creed for its well-crafted historical fiction. Warhorse Studios’ medieval RPG is set in the 15th-century Roman Empire, specifically in the Kingdom of Bohemia (modern-day Czech Republic), decades before the story of Ezio Auditore da Firenze begins in another kingdom of the Roman Empire.
Kingdom Come’s impressive attention to detail elevates it above other works of interactive historical fiction: From its survival mechanics and the way NPCs judge your character’s appearance to the scale of its towns and structures, Kingdom Come “does the medieval era right, with a level of detail and research rarely seen previously,” according to IGN’s review.
Looking for more from the wide world of Assassin’s Creed? Check out our breakdown of the series’ chronology to discover the best way to play the Assassin’s Creed games in order.
Jordan covers games, shows, and movies as a freelance writer for IGN.
In a surprise decision yesterday, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority made the decision to block Microsoft’s planned $69 billion acquisition of Activision-Blizzard, citing concerns over Microsoft’s ability to dominate the emerging cloud gaming market with exclusives like Call of Duty.
While the deal has seen challenges in numerous other regions including the US and the EU, many expected the CMA to approve it, especially after its March statement that Call of Duty console exclusivity was no longer a concern. Thus with further legal challenges looming globally and Microsoft set to appeal the CMA’s decision, many are now wondering what’s next for Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard both in the UK and abroad.
The answer is of course complicated, dependent on multiple regulatory bodies, time consuming, and above all, expensive. We spoke to lawyers and analysts to help unpack the rocky road Microsoft has ahead of it if it wants to pursue Activision-Blizzard, what possible outcomes remain, and why we’re likely going to be hearing about this deal for months and potentially years to come.
What Happened and Why?
After a lengthy review, the CMA has moved to prevent Microsoft from acquiring Activision-Blizzard, but not for the reason many expected. While much of the public debate has centered around the possibility of Call of Duty console exclusivity to Xbox, the CMA determined back in February that this was not actually a serious concern. In the end, what convinced the CMA to fire back was not Call of Duty, but cloud gaming.
We’ve covered what exactly the CMA’s objections are to the acquisition regarding cloud gaming in detail elsewhere, but to summarize, the CMA is concerned that if Xbox purchased Activision Blizzard, it would be able to dominate the cloud gaming market by making games like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft not console-exclusive, but exclusive to its own cloud gaming platforms. With these content powerhouses in its pocket, the CMA says, Microsoft could effectively control elements of the market such as subscription pricing and structure without significant opposition from other services that were missing these enormous games. It doesn’t help that the CMA already sees Microsoft as holding a dominant position in the emerging cloud gaming to begin with, thanks to its ownership of Windows OS, significant cloud infrastructure, and its already-robust content library.
If all this sounds like a pretty big deal, that’s because it is: for Microsoft to successfully follow through on its plans to pay $69 billion for Activision Blizzard, it needs approval from regulators in various regions including the UK, the US, and the EU. While some countries have already signed off, both the US and EU’s decisions are still pending, meaning the UK’s rejection could be just one of more to come. And while Microsoft claims it will appeal, the longer this goes on, the more expensive and obnoxious it gets for the company to follow through.
What Comes Next?
As Alex Haffner, competition partner at London law firm Fladgate, explained to me, Microsoft effectively has four weeks to submit an appeal document with the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), which will then go onto judge whether or not the CMA “has acted within the boundaries of its proper discretion in reaching its final decision.”
“Generally this is a high bar for appellants to overcome and successful appeals of decisions by the CMA to block mergers have been rare, albeit not unprecedented,” Haffner explained. “Overall one can expect the appeal process to last three to four months in total. If the CAT does uphold any appeal, the most likely outcome would be a remittal of the case back to the CMA to re-make its decision based on any criticisms upheld by the CAT.”
There are certainly criticisms to be made of the CMA’s final ruling. Gamma Law’s David B. Hoppe pointed out that the CMA’s definition of “cloud gaming” as its own market segment is a difficult argument to make, adding that the CMA “sort of cherry-picked some things to support the position that Microsoft is already a dominant player in cloud gaming.”
As Haffner mentioned, it’s not common for CMA decisions to be overturned. From 2010 to 2020, the CMA won 67% of merger appeals, and even if Microsoft does manage to get the CAT on its side, that doesn’t mean the merger is a done deal. For one, the CAT isn’t examining whether or not the CMA’s arguments were sound or not: it’s there to make sure the CMA didn’t do anything irrational or illegal, and that it followed procedure. So the CAT could find the CMA acted inappropriately, but not in a severe enough way to merit another crack at the examination, and the merger would still be prohibited. Or, it could kick the decision back to the CMA to reexamine it correctly, likely with the same group of investigators, in a process that could take several more months.
While some analysts have suggested Microsoft could offer further concessions to appease the CMA, Haffner pointed out to me that this is not a likely route at this stage, hence the appeal. As part of the CMA process, Microsoft already offered remedies (such as its pledge to offer its games on Nvidia GeForce Now for the next ten years), but the CMA has already ruled that these were insufficient – largely because they would ultimately require proactive CMA enforcement down the line to ensure Microsoft did not become dominant. So while Nvidia and other cloud gaming companies that have benefited from these promises are rallying in Microsoft’s favor, it may not mean anything in the end.
What About the FTC?
Unlikely as it’s looking for Microsoft, let’s say it manages to win over both the CAT and the CMA. Even then, it’s still facing challenges in the EU and the US, which we should expect to hear more about in May and August, respectively. Haffner noted that the CMA’s decision has “set an important precedent” for both the EU Commission and the US Federal Trade Commission as their deliberations continue.
Sam Castree of Sam Castree Law explained that while the UK ruling doesn’t practically impact the US’s own, separate decision, it might nudge the US in a slightly different direction. Up to this stage, the FTC’s arguments have focused on two areas: concerns about Microsoft withholding games from other platforms, and concerns that Microsoft will create a monopoly in a narrow definition of a “relevant market” – such as “high performance consoles” or, yes, “cloud gaming.” After seeing the CMA drop its concerns about Call of Duty exclusivity and focus on cloud gaming, the FTC might be motivated to change its tactics to line up with the CMA.
It would put the FTC in an awkward place to argue that the CMA was correct about harm to cloud gaming, and wrong about harm to consoles.
“The FTC might drop some of the contentions in the initial complaint and focus on a narrower set of concerns, like the cloud gaming market,” Castree said. “They could easily adopt some or all of the CMA’s findings to bolster their own arguments, and tailor the fight to areas that they feel are the strongest. The other possibility is that they adopt the CMA’s findings on cloud gaming but still maintain the entirety of the initial complaint anyway.”
However, Castree noted that this second possibility seems unlikely, given that the only major competitor claiming harm to the console market at this stage is Sony. “Plus, it would put the FTC in an awkward place to argue that the CMA was correct and wise and good about harm to cloud gaming, and wrong and foolish and bad about harm to consoles,” he added.
All of this leaves Microsoft with a rather expensive decision on its hands. Legal fees for all of these battles will quickly add up, but even if Microsoft were to back out now, there would be serious financial consequences. As a part of the merger agreement, Microsoft agreed to pay out a whopping $3 billion to Activision Blizzard if the deal fell apart after April 18, 2023. At some point, the tech giant will have to decide if it’s worth pumping infinite money into lawyers in multiple countries over months or even years of this, or if it should swallow its pride and $3 billion to escape a prolonged legal battle.
With all this combined, it’s starting to look like Microsoft’s chances of closing the most expensive deal in gaming are growing slimmer. For all Microsoft’s confidence in the lead-up and all Sony’s bluster around Call of Duty, it’s a bit surprising to see cloud gaming of all things take the wind out of this deal’s sails. Still, the fight’s not over just yet – perhaps Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, or cloud gaming will surprise us again.
Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine.
Live A Live was originally released in 1994, but only on SNES and only in Japan. It was short as far as Square Enix JRPGs from the period go, but was unique in that it featured 8 inter-connected stories set across 8 time periods.
Last year, a remake brought the game to Nintendo Switch, and as of today it’s also available on Steam.
After the expansive ‘Return to Castlevania‘ DLC last month, we imagined that it might be a little while before we get our next big update for Dead Cells. Clearly, we were wrong.
Publisher Motion Twin has today announced that a lengthy new patch, ‘Clean Cut’, is now available on PC and will be heading to consoles soon. This seems to be yet another big one, adding in two new weapons, additions to the Boss Rush and Training Room, a speedrun mode and the ability to put Bobby’s head on most outfits.
Sony has revealed that the PlayStation VR2 will soon be heading to a retailer near you. The company made the announcement on Twitter today, but it hasn’t given an exact date as to when major brick-and-mortar stores will have the headsets in stock.
Currently, you can still order the PS VR2 from PlayStation Direct, where it was exclusively sold in the two months since it was released. If you’re desperate to know when you’ll see it in stores, ShopTo says that it will show up in UK stores on May 12. Whether the headset will be stocked up in retailers on the same day in the US is unknown, but you may want to check the stores in your area for availability.
PlayStation VR2 will soon be in stock at local retailers, in addition to https://t.co/y9oEB5aBse. Check your local retailer for availability.
The PS VR2 on its own costs $549.99, but when you get the Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle it’s $599.99. Either way, it’s pricier than the PS5, which is $50 cheaper if you buy the original disc player version. With wider availability in physical and online retailers, however, the headset may see some discounts at some point in the future.
Sales of the PS VR2 were off to a rocky start last month, as Sony sold only 270,000 headsets towards the end of March, despite making two million units ahead of its launch in February. Analysts chalked up the low sales to consumers dealing with harsh economic conditions worldwide, from the rising cost of living to layoffs.
If you want to see if the PS VR2 may worth every dollar for you, check out our review.
Cristina Alexander is a freelance writer for IGN. She has contributed her work to various publications, including Digital Trends, TheGamer, Twinfinite, Mega Visions, and The Escapist. To paraphrase Calvin Harris, she wears her love for Sonic the Hedgehog on her sleeve like a big deal. Follow her on Twitter @SonicPrincess15.
Long before indie outfit Capybara Games made a name for themselves with Sword & Sworcery or Below, they made a puzzle-strategy game with the Might & Magic license for Ubisoft. Might & Magic: Clash Of Heroes was a surprise delight on Nintendo DS in 2009 and an HD release made its way to PC in 2011.
Now it’s getting a Definitive Edition release courtesy of Dotemu, with updated character art, quality-of-life improvements and rebalanced multiplayer.
The Case Of The Golden Idol was one of my favourite games of 2022, but one twist I didn’t see coming from the heir to Obra Dinn’s detective crown was more of it, or more of it so soon, for that matter. Happily, developers Color Gray Games have announced a new DLC pack is coming for The Golden Idol next week called The Spider Of Lanka. Set in 1741, a year before the first scenario of The Golden Idol proper, this trio of new cases looks set to shed extra light on the titular idol whose mysterious powers set the original game in motion. I’m afraid I can’t tell you much more than that, as most of the announcement details have been slapped with big black REDACTED marks. Have a watch of the reveal trailer below instead.
