Microsoft and CMA Negotiate Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK competition regulator, initially rejected the merger between Microsoft and Activision. When all seemed lost to the Xbox owner in the European country, both parties decided to sit down and talk to try to turn the situation around.

The CMA sees a certain risk in the negotiations given the yet-to-be-measured power of cloud-delivered games in the future, so it has blocked purchases in its region. The American company has appealed to the UK authorities and the dispute will be paused in favor of resolving the case.

Microsoft wants to know how the deal can be modified to satisfy regulators and pass regulatory approval. Read below the statement from Brad Smith, Chief Owner of Xbox:

Our statement regarding the mutual request with the CMA to stop our appeal in the UK: pic.twitter.com/8Aky2IJjxS

– Brad Smith (@BradSmi) July 11, 2023

After today’s court decision in the US, our focus now turns to the UK. While we do not agree with the CMA’s concerns, we are considering how to modify the transaction to address these concerns in a manner acceptable to the CMA. In order to prioritize work on these proposals, Microsoft and Activision have agreed with the CMA that it would be in the public interest to stop litigation in the UK and the parties have submitted a joint report to the Competition Appeal Tribunal for this purpose.

Microsoft Wins FTC Lawsuit, Closes to Acquiring Activision Blizzard

Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley dismissed the injunction blocking Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard in the United States on Tuesday (11) afternoon. Find out what happens from now on with the Xbox Factory’s potential positive outcome here!