EU approves Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but US and UK regulators remain opposed

According to news on May 25, Microsoft has appealed against the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) decision to block its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Microsoft announced that it will acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022. The total price of the transaction is as high as US$68.7 billion. If successfully completed, it will become the largest transaction in Microsoft's history and the largest in the video game field to date. transaction. However, regulators including the European Commission, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the US Federal Trade Commission have launched investigations due to the size of the deal and concerns over its potential impact on the gaming industry.

CMA conducted an investigation into Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard in February this year and expressed disappointment that Microsoft did not address its concerns. The CMA blocked the deal on April 26 over concerns it would stifle competition in the fast-growing cloud gaming market. Microsoft expressed disappointment and decided to appeal.

According to the editor’s understanding, shortly after the CMA rejected Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the EU approved the deal on May 16, although the deal may not be approved in some cases. This could harm competition, especially in the fast-growing cloud gaming services market, but the concessions Microsoft has made are enough to alleviate antitrust concerns.

Shortly after, China also unconditionally approved the deal. However, Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard still faces opposition from antitrust regulators in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Attempting to block the deal is the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which claims it will adversely affect competition in the gaming industry. Microsoft is concerned about this objection.

Although Microsoft has hired Daniel Beard, a top expert who specializes in fighting EU antitrust litigation, to try to overturn the CMA's ruling, it still needs to wait for the outcome of the appeal.

Regulators in various countries have paid widespread attention to Microsoft's acquisition plan, highlighting concerns about the influence of technology giants in key industries. The dispute between Microsoft and regulators will continue to develop, and the final outcome will have an important impact on the entire gaming industry.

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