UK CMA will Resume Cloud Gaming and Mobile Browser Probe

UK CMA will Resume Cloud Gaming and Mobile Browser Probe

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is set to restart its investigation into the cloud gaming and mobile browser sectors on January 24, delving deeper into the dominant positions of tech giants Apple and Google in these emerging markets.

Initially paused in May due to objections from Apple and Google, as well as a dispute with the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal, the probe faced a setback. Apple, however, missed the deadline to formally object to the investigation, paving the way for its continuation.

This renewed investigation follows the CMA's ongoing inquiry, initiated in October, into whether Apple and Google hold such a dominant market position that they stifle competition in mobile web browsers. In November 2022, the regulator escalated its efforts by launching a Phase 2 investigation, focusing particularly on Apple’s restrictions on cloud gaming services on iOS devices.

Cloud gaming, a key concern for the CMA, was central to its decision to initially block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In response, Microsoft proposed a revised deal, transferring its cloud gaming rights from Activision Blizzard to Ubisoft. This concession led to the CMA approving the acquisition, granting it the official go-ahead.

As the inquiry resumes, the CMA’s findings could have significant implications for the tech industry, particularly in shaping the future of cloud gaming and mobile browsing competitiveness in the UK.

Source: GamesIndustry.biz