Microsoft‘s proposed acquisition of “Call of Duty” creator Activision Blizzard, valued at $69 billion, is facing potential challenges from the European Union regarding antitrust violations. According to sources familiar with the matter, the European Commission is preparing to issue a formal warning in the form of a statement of objections outlining their concerns about the deal. This statement is expected to be sent to Microsoft in the near future.
The European Union’s antitrust regulatory body has set an April 11 deadline for its decision regarding Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The EU antitrust watchdog has declined to comment on the matter.
“We continue working with the European Commission to address any marketplace concerns. Our goal is to bring more games to more people, and this deal will further that goal.”-Microsoft said.
In January 2020, Microsoft announced its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a move aimed at boosting its competitiveness against industry leaders Tencent and Sony in the gaming market. However, U.S. and UK regulators have raised concerns about the deal, with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission taking legal action to block the acquisition.
In November, sources familiar with the matter reported that Microsoft was likely to propose remedies to EU regulators in order to prevent a formal statement of charges and expedite the regulatory process regarding its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
the EU competition enforcer is not likely to consider such remedies without first issuing a charge sheet. However, informal discussions regarding potential concessions are ongoing, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Recently, Microsoft reached a 10-year agreement with Nintendo to make “Call of Duty” available on Nintendo consoles and has also indicated that it is open to similar agreements with Sony, which has been critical of the acquisition.
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