After the recent threat of an EU antitrust warning, Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition once again appears to be in trouble. The gaming giant faces regulators worldwide, and there seems to be little hope of convincing them.
According to a new report from New York Times, Microsoft is now expecting the UK to oppose the merger.
New York Times stated:
“Microsoft’s legal team also expects the antitrust authority in Britain to oppose the transaction.”
The FTC has already stated that it does not intend to let the deal go through. According to the authority, Microsoft’s deal would allow the gaming giant an unfair advantage over competitors like Sony.
However, negotiations with European authorities like the CMA have favored Microsoft. CMA’s inquiry previously stated that 75% of the public supported Microsoft in the Activision Blizzard acquisition.
As such, Microsoft was confident that the gaming giant would be able to present a case before the UK, but this does not seem very likely from the latest report. Despite the problems, Microsoft still believes that the European Commission is open to remedies from the company.
If an authority like the European Commission ultimately accepts the acquisition, it would help Microsoft convince major opposition like the CMA, FTC, and the UK. Microsoft has already offered concessions like Call of Duty on Nintendo for ten years and a long-term deal with PlayStation to convince regulators.
These efforts have not been too successful, but the deal has been approved in countries like Serbia and Chile. Presently, the gaming giant is looking to close the deal by June 2023, but this seems more difficult with each new update on the acquisition.
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[Senior News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than 5 years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
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