The British regulator considered the transaction of Microsoft with Activision interfering with the competition
[ad_1]
Today, February 8, UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) statedthat the deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard violates antitrust laws and hinders competition. According to the regulator, this deal could lead to “higher prices, less choice or less innovation for British gamers” and also reduce “important competition between the Xbox and PlayStation” – game consoles from Microsoft and Sony, respectively.
About the upcoming purchase of Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion by Microsoft announced in January last year. Activision Blizzard is one of the most famous video game developers with titles such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush in its portfolio. After that, the antitrust investigation of the transaction was launched by many regulators, including those in the US and the EU. CMA started checking transactions in July 2022.
The CMA said it now sees a number of options, including terminating the deal entirely, splitting Activision Blizzard into two parts, Activision and Blizzard, and selling Call of Duty. It’s one of Activision Blizzard’s most popular games, with $30 billion in revenue since launch. Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have until the end of February to respond to CMA proposals. In April, the regulator will announce its final decision.
[ad_2]
Source link
