Tag: microsoft activision

Microsoft’s Potential Acquisition of Activision Blizzard: What This Means for Gamers
19Jul By adminNo Comments
Technology

Microsoft’s Potential Acquisition of Activision Blizzard: What This Means for Gamers

[ad_1] The sun finally came out for Microsoft. On 11 July, Judge Jacqueline Corley ruled in favor of the Redmond, Washington-based company in its dispute against the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over the purchase of Activision Blizzard, one of the world's largest video game developers. An appeal by the FTC to temporarily halt the deal was denied by an appellate court late last week.With these decisions, the tech giant is now one step closer to closing the $69 billion acquisition deal, which was first announced back in January 2022. The court's decision removes the hurdle of the FTC, however, across the pond, Microsoft still faces pushback from regulators in the United Kingdom who argue that the deal could stifle competition in the cloud gaming market. And Microsoft is re...
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What challenges does Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision deal face?
14Jul By adminNo Comments
Technology

What challenges does Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision deal face?

[ad_1] The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Thursday asked an appeals court to temporarily stop Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard, hours after a federal judge rejected a similar request.The deal is facing varying responses around the world from regulators. WHAT IS THE ACTIVISION DEAL?Microsoft announced the Activision bid in January last year to boost its firepower in the booming videogaming market, take on leaders Tencent and Sony, and lay the base for its investment in metaverse and digital spaces which are made more lifelike by the use of virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR). To quell antitrust concerns Microsoft, which owns Xbox, in February said it is ready to offer rivals licensing deals but it would not to sell Activision's lucr...
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Microsoft’s $69 Bn Activision Deal May Get New UK Probe
13Jul By adminNo Comments
Technology

Microsoft’s $69 Bn Activision Deal May Get New UK Probe

[ad_1] Britain's antitrust watchdog said that a new merger investigation into Microsoft Corp.'s $69 billion Activision Blizzard Inc. deal may be needed if the duo restructure their deal in a bid to reverse a UK veto.After a US court approved the largest-ever gaming deal, all parties decided to put on hold an appeal trial against the CMA's decision to block it. That pause gives the firms a chance to suggest potential fixes aimed at easing UK concerns that the takeover would stymie competition. “Merging parties don't have the opportunity to put forward new remedies once a final report has been issued, they can choose to restructure a deal, which can lead to a new merger investigation,” a spokesperson from the Competition and Markets Authority said in a statement Wednesday. Sending the dea...
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Microsoft can move ahead with record $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, judge rules
12Jul By adminNo Comments
Technology

Microsoft can move ahead with record $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, judge rules

[ad_1] A federal judge has handed Microsoft a major victory by declining to block its looming $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard. Regulators sought to ax the deal saying it will hurt competition.U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley said in a ruling that the merger deserved scrutiny, noting it could be the largest in the history of the tech industry. But federal regulators were unable to show how it would cause serious harm and wouldn't likely prevail if they took it to a full trial, she wrote. The Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust laws, “has not raised serious questions regarding whether the proposed merger is likely to substantially lessen competition” between video game consoles or in the growing markets for monthly game subscription...
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Microsoft Says Even Rival Sony Had No Concern Over Activision Deal
24Jun By adminNo Comments
Technology

Microsoft Says Even Rival Sony Had No Concern Over Activision Deal

[ad_1] Microsoft Corp. began its court fight with the Federal Trade Commission over the $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc. by saying that even an executive at rival Sony Corp. had acknowledged the deal wasn't “an exclusivity play” to hurt the PlayStation gaming console.The FTC wants to block the transaction while its legal challenge is pending, and the two sides are arguing the case at a five-day court hearing that began Thursday in San Francisco. Microsoft, maker of the Xbox console, is defending the blockbuster deal, which would catapult it to the No. 3 position in the global games market after Tencent Holdings Ltd. and Sony. During opening statements, Microsoft attorney Beth Wilkinson sought to counter the FTC's claim that the deal would hurt competition by reading the ...
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Explainer-What next for Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision deal after UK ban?
29Apr By adminNo Comments
Technology

Explainer-What next for Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision deal after UK ban?

[ad_1] Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on Wednesday blocked Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of 'Call of Duty' maker Activision Blizzard over concerns it would hinder cloud gaming.The ruling was a shock after the regulator had already resolved its concerns about the consoles market, a sector dominated by Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox, which dwarfs cloud gaming. IS THE DEAL DEAD? Not necessarily. Microsoft said it remained fully committed and would appeal.The regulator's decision reflected a flawed understanding of the market, it said.HOW DOES THE APPEAL PROCESS WORK?Microsoft can appeal to Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), an independent judicial body, which will only examine the CMA's decision-making process, not the merits of the merger.Micros...
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Activision’s CEO Calls UK Decision to Block $69 Billion Microsoft Deal ‘Irrational’
28Apr By adminNo Comments
Technology

Activision’s CEO Calls UK Decision to Block $69 Billion Microsoft Deal ‘Irrational’

[ad_1] Activision Blizzard Inc. Chief Executive Officer Bobby Kotick called UK regulators' decision to block Microsoft Corp.'s $69 billion acquisition of his company “irrational” and predicted the deal will ultimately win approval.In a Bloomberg Television interview, Kotick didn't say whether the companies would extend their purchase agreement beyond a July deadline. The pair are preparing their response to the UK decision, he said, adding, “I think the appeals process will work in our favor.” On Wednesday, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority decided the deal would give Microsoft an unfair leg up in cloud gaming, which involves streaming video games from data centers to a broad range of devices. Microsoft wouldn't have enough incentive to put Activision games like Call of Duty, O...
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Microsoft-Activision deal: Key things to know
27Apr By adminNo Comments
Technology

Microsoft-Activision deal: Key things to know

[ad_1] Microsoft on Wednesday faced its biggest challenge yet in its effort to buy US video game powerhouse Activision Blizzard, with the decision by the UK to block the deal.The transaction, which was expected to be finalized this year, would beef up Microsoft's muscle in the booming gaming market while playing to its strengths in software and cloud computing. Here are key things to know about the blockbuster transaction: - Video game titans -Buying Activision, the maker of "Call of Duty" and "Candy Crush", would make Microsoft the third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony.China-based Tencent is the biggest player in terms of revenue, dominating the Asian market and investing in game studios across the world.The firm owns Riot Games, maker of battle royale hit "L...
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Microsoft’s licensing offer likely to satisfy EU on Activision, sources say
3Mar By adminNo Comments
Technology

Microsoft’s licensing offer likely to satisfy EU on Activision, sources say

[ad_1] Microsoft's offer of licensing deals to rivals is likely to address EU antitrust concerns over its $69 billion acquisition of Activision, three people familiar with the matter said, helping it to clear a major hurdle. Microsoft announced the Activision bid in January last year, its biggest ever, to take on leaders Tencent and Sony, in the booming videogaming market and to venture in the metaverse which is virtual online worlds where people can work, play and socialise. The European Commission, which is scheduled to decide on the deal by April 25, is not expected to demand that Microsoft sell assets to win its approval, the people said. Activision shares spiked up 1.8% in pre-market trading after the Reuters' story was published. Microsoft President Brad Smith last month ...
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Microsoft Wins Nvidia Support for Embattled Activision Deal
22Feb By adminNo Comments
Technology

Microsoft Wins Nvidia Support for Embattled Activision Deal

[ad_1] Microsoft Corp. announced an agreement to bring its games to Nvidia Corp.'s GeForce Now service, part of efforts to show that the industry will remain competitive if it's allowed to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc. in a $69 billion deal. Microsoft President Brad Smith disclosed the Nvidia accord after meeting with European Union officials in Brussels on Tuesday. The partnership “resolves Nvidia's concerns” about the merger, the companies said in a joint statement. “Nvidia therefore is offering its full support for regulatory approval of the acquisition,” they said. The software giant is fighting to save the embattled deal, which faces regulatory hurdles at home and abroad. While Europe reviews the transaction, the US Federal Trade Commission has already sued to block it. ...
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