Tag: activision blizzard microsoft

Why Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Deal Hinges on London Not Washington
Technology

Why Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Deal Hinges on London Not Washington

[ad_1] Microsoft Corp.'s $69 billion Activision Blizzard Inc. takeover faces a key decision in Britain as the nation's merger watchdog marks its arrival as a global regulator with findings that could set the trajectory to the mega deal finalizing — or falling apart. The Competition and Markets Authority is expected in the coming days to issue its provisional findings, signaling whether it aims to block the deal or clear it with specific remedies such as selloffs. The regulator already flagged concerns that the deal could cause competition issues in the consoles and subscriptions market, as well as the more nascent cloud gaming sector. Microsoft first announced the transaction last year, looking to add blockbuster games like Call of Duty to a business that already includes the Xbox...
US Filed Microsoft-Activision Suit to Head Off EU Settlement
Technology

US Filed Microsoft-Activision Suit to Head Off EU Settlement

[ad_1] The US Federal Trade Commission filed its lawsuit to block Microsoft Corp.’s $69 billion takeover of gaming company Activision Blizzard Inc. in December. The US Federal Trade Commission filed its lawsuit to block Microsoft Corp.'s $69 billion takeover of gaming company Activision Blizzard Inc. in December partly to get ahead of its European counterparts and dissuade them from accepting a settlement allowing the deal, according to people familiar with the investigations. The FTC filed a complaint challenging the merger on Dec. 8, hours after a call between US and European Union officials about their respective probes, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions were confidential. The EU officials indicated on the call they intended to begin ...