Microsoft Facing Threat Of EU Antitrust Warning Over Activision Acquisition

Expert Verified By

EU Antitrust Warning Inbound!

Despite Microsoft’s numerous efforts, the Activision Blizzard acquisition continues to be an uphill battle for the gaming giant. Microsoft has resorted to measures such as committing to a 10-year deal for Call of Duty on Nintendo consoles, but regulators appear to be still skeptical about the deal.

A new report from Reuters claims that the European Commission is working on a charge sheet called a statement of objections to voice concerns over the buyout. 

While Microsoft was expected to present its case to the EU regulators to avoid a statement of charge, the European Commission has decided to resort to the charge sheet before any negotiations.

Microsoft president Brad smith on the Activision Acquisition Blizzard Candy Crush Call of DutyIt is claimed that this move could add to the growing list of challenges Microsoft faces. The gaming giant’s recent acquisition has seen concern from Google and Nvidia recently. Meanwhile, Sony continues to be the biggest rival to Microsoft.

The FTC has also filed a lawsuit against the acquisition, but Microsoft insists that the company will face the challenge head-on. The EU’s latest decision will likely increase the difficulty of the massive purchase, but Microsoft appears to be confident about the company’s position on the matter.

Should the deal go through, Microsoft will bring Activision games like Call of Duty to Game Pass, providing easy access to millions of gamers around the world. On the other hand, Activision has claimed that games like Call of Duty will not come to a subscription service if the merger fails. 

 

Microsoft stated,

“We’re continuing to work with the European Commission to address any marketplace concerns.”

While many regulators oppose the deal, the Activision Blizzard acquisition has been approved in Chile and Serbia. Other countries like Brazil and Saudia Arabia are also in favor of the merger.

Multiple regulators are expected to announce their decisions in the coming months, and the next few months should prove to be crucial to the fate of the $68.7 acquisition. For now, Microsoft maintains its stance to bring games to more people worldwide. 

Read Next: Atomic Heart To Include 60 FPS Support For Next-Gen Consoles

Was our article helpful? 👨‍💻

Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋

How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔

Gear Up For Latest News

Get exclusive gaming & tech news before it drops. Sign up today!

Join Our Community

Still having issues? Join the Tech4Gamers Forum for expert help and community support!

Latest News

Join Our Community

104,000FansLike
32,122FollowersFollow

Trending

Epic Games Accuses Valve of “Illegal” Methods Over Steam Microtransactions and Fees

Epic Game's CEO accuess Valve, stating that the company still employs excessive commissions and pricing structures that he claims are illegal.

Bethesda Veteran Says Starfield Would’ve Been A Hit If It Was Developed By Some Other Studio

Skyrim lead says if a new, smaller studio developed Starfield, it would've been a hit, because the expectations from Bethesda were too high.

Modders Unlock Multi-Frame Generation Alongside FSR 4, Results Shown On The RX 7900

Modders have now managed to enable FSR 4 and Multi Frame Gen on the 4-year-old RX 7900 and showcased it by running Cyberpunk 2077.

Ex-Rockstar Dev Praises Crimson Desert: “I’m Impressed With The Game”

A former Rockstar developer has reacted to Crimson Desert's latest gameplay, sharing nothing but positive words for the RPG.

Resident Evil Requiem Will Be Less Scary Than RE7, But Still An Improvement Over Village

Resident Evil Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi says that Capcom has toned down the horror in the game since players found RE7 too scary.