Live: Microsoft press briefing on Activision Blizzard deal future
Sony hasn't signed, but there's a deal to win over Nvidia.
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Microsoft is holding a press briefing in Brussels to address the future of its $68.7bn Activision Blizzard buyout attempt, due to begin at 5.45pm UK time.
This evening's briefing follows an crucial day in court for the company, as it sought to settle anti-trust concerns raised by the EU's European Commission, one of several regulators around the world currently standing in the way of the buyout being allowed to go ahead as-is.
Sony and other companies with an interest in the deal were also part of today's court session - a closed hearing in which media were not allowed to attend. Join us now for live updates on how Microsoft frames the day - and what might be next for Xbox's potentially industry-shaking deal.
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Hello from Brussels, and welcome to our live coverage of this evening's Microsoft press conference. I'm in a hotel close to the European Commission where today's hearing took place, waiting to hear what Microsoft has to say...
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Today's hearing was closed to press, though we've heard whispers via Eurogamer's better dressed business sibling GamesIndustry.biz that Microsoft and Sony remain at loggerheads, despite efforts to find an agreement over matters such as Call of Duty.
Microsoft president Brad Smith and Xbox boss Phil Spencer are in the building to give us an update on the deal's progress (or lack thereof) with the European Commission.
Actually, Phil just tweeted he was filling the downtime before the briefing by playing Hi-Fi Rush on his Series S in the next room. Amazing scenes.
Sony's Jim Ryan and Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick were also present at today's hearing, though are not expected to put in an appearance tonight.
Brad Smith is on stage for the introduction. He's not in the position to describe what was said, he says, which is a shame.
Microsoft is announcing a deal with Nvidia's GeForce, Brad Smith says.
Xbox games will be available via GeForce Now - and this deal will include Activision Blizzard titles such Call of Duty, if and when Xbox owns it.
The way this has been announced suggests this may be the big announcement of the evening, but we shall see.
Smith continues by listing other companies supporting the deal - small European developers, Valve, now Nvidia.
Microsoft is open to a deal with "guard rails" to appease regulators around the world, Smith says.
"But think about the market in Europe," Smith says, pointing to a graphic which shows PlayStation has 80% of the gaming market in Europe. Xbox has 20%.
It would be tempting to hold onto that 80% share, but that's not where the cross-platform future of the gaming industry is headed, Smith continues.
Today's announcements with Nintendo and Nvidia mean Call of Duty will be on 150m devices that don't have Call of Duty today, Smith says.
Smith calls for leadership from the European Commission to get the deal done, calling back to deals going back 30 years on Windows hardware and PCs.
Those deals, including squabbles on PC file formats, were far more complex than the Activision Blizzard deals - just less controversial, Smith continues.
Remedies to keep Call of Duty accessible to all could include putting the game on cloud elsewhere, and via PC using ChromeOS, Smith says.
Smith has produced an envelope containing the deal paperwork he hopes Sony will sign - but it hasn't yet. He's waiting with a pen, or with Microsoft Office to print it off for them.
We're onto the Q&A now. The first question asks for a reading of the room from Sony today. Smith doesn't give one.
Sony can spend all its energy trying to block the deal by blocking competition, or it "can sit down with us to hammer out an agreement" addressing its concerns, Smith says by way of an answer.
Smith is more optimistic of getting the deal done than he was 24 hours ago - but not because of what was said in the room today, he says.
Instead he points to the Nintendo and Nvidia deals Microsoft has announced today. Those give him more confidence, he says.
To me it feels like Microsoft is leaning on those deals as a sign of progress - which were clearly made to be ready today in the event Sony didn't play ball.
"We don't think it's feasible or realistic to think one game or one slice can be carved out from the rest," Smith says, when asked if losing Call of Duty would make the deal work.
Smith says, in his view, the UK regulator did not completely shut the door on behavioural remedies rather than structural ones. In other words - he believes there's still wiggle room to get Activision Blizzard King whole.
Smith is arguing that Microsoft is not spending $69bn to keep Call of Duty on Xbox, but to make it more accessible - including "in the mobile space".
"We will make sure our games work the way people expect, with high technical standards," Smith says, of how Activision Blizzard games like Call of Duty might play on Nintendo platforms or Nvidia.
Today's Nintendo deal relates to current and future Xbox titles for now, and then Activision Blizzard games if the buyout is included, Smith says.
Smith is being asked again about losing Call of Duty or a specific part of Activision Blizzard to get the deal done - as the UK's regulator has suggested will be necessary. It's not what Microsoft is interested in, he says.
Cross-platform is the best strategy for the future - for developers and players. Which is what today's Nintendo and Nvidia deals will provide, Smith says.
Microsoft's closing message is that the main issue regulators have with the deal is that Call of Duty will become more exclusive - which these deals show is not the case.
With that, Microsoft leaves the stage.
I've just been handed a press release on the Nvidia deal on a piece of paper, which is novel. I feel like I should follow Brad Smith's example and wave it in the air.
From that press release: "The partnership delivers increased choice to gamers and resolves Nvidia's concerns wth Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Nvidia is therefore offering its full support for regulatory approval of the acquisition."
To me this reinforces the GeForce Now deal is not just about doing this for gamers, but to remove a sticking point and gain Nvidia as a champion for the deal.
Overall though, as a press conference - well attended by European gaming and business press - that announcement feels a little flat. Did Microsoft hope to have Sony on board before coming out this evening?
My time here is up and my Eurostar is calling. Thanks for joining me for one of the more unusual Microsoft press conferences I've ever covered. And of course, we'll have continued coverage of the deal and today's announcements on Eurogamer.