The European Commission has also been closely examining the planned takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft over the past few months. According to a recent Politico report, the EU issued a formal antitrust warning this week.
In recent months, competition watchdogs in the US and Europe have been dealing with Microsoft’s $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard.
After it had already been assumed that the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the European Commission would also take a close look at the planned takeover and the associated effects on free competition, it now seems to be up to Microsoft in Europe to be able to assuage these fears.
The European Commission issued a formal antitrust warning to Microsoft this week, according to a recent Politico report. Three sources familiar with the situation are said to have confirmed this to Politico.
Takeover a threat to free competition?
The move came after the EU launched an in-depth investigation in November last year. In a detailed letter on the antitrust warning that Microsoft, according to Politico, was sent on Tuesday this week, the EU antitrust authorities are said to have gone into detail about the reasons why they believe the acquisition of Activision Blizzard could endanger free competition in the video game market.
Since an official statement from the European Commission on Politico’s report is still pending, it is unclear whether and in what form the EU may have formulated requirements that Microsoft must meet in order for the takeover to be given the green light. Although Microsoft made a brief statement, it also refrained from giving specific details about the possible antitrust warning by the EU.
Instead, the Redmond-based software giant only pointed out that everything should be done “to move the deal forward”. “We are listening carefully to the concerns of the European Commission and are confident that we can address them,” Microsoft said succinctly.
More news on the topic:
Not only in Europe, but also in the USA, the planned takeover of Activision Blizzard is still on shaky ground. At the end of 2022, the FTC announced the largest deal in video game history with a corresponding lawsuit wanting to prevent. The competent US courts are currently deliberating whether this will be granted.
Those: Politician
More news about Activision Blizzard, Microsoft.
Discuss this news on the PlayStation Forum
Links to Amazon, Media Markt, Saturn and some other retailers are usually affiliate links. If you make a purchase, we receive a small commission that we can use to finance the free-to-use site. You have no disadvantages.
