EU's Call of Duty: Probe Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal
BNN Bloomberg
The European Union has launched an investigation into Microsoft's planned takeover of video game giant Activision Blizzard, fearing the US$69 billion deal would distort fair competition to popular titles like Call of Duty.
Microsoft, maker of the Xbox gaming system, first announced the agreement to buy the California-based game publisher in January, but it still awaits scrutiny by antitrust regulators in the U.S., Europe and elsewhere. If it goes through, the all-cash deal would be the largest in the history of the tech industry.
Members of the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc's executive arm, said in a statement Tuesday that "the point is to ensure that the gaming ecosystem remains vibrant to the benefit of users in a sector that is evolving at a fast pace."
"We must ensure that opportunities remain for future and existing distributors of PC and console video games, as well as for rival suppliers of PC operating systems," the commissioners said. They have until March 23, 2023, to decide whether to approve the deal.
