Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Acquisition Faces New Scrutiny From UK Competition Commission
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced that it is launching an investigation into Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The CMA said that it has “reasonable grounds for suspecting that it is or may be the case that arrangements are in progress or in contemplation which, if carried into effect, will result in the creation of a relevant merger situation”.
The CMA has stated that it will examine the potential impact of the merger on competition in the UK video game industry, as well as on customers and suppliers of video game hardware and software. The investigation is expected to take several months.
It’s important to note that this announcement doesn’t necessarily mean that the acquisition won’t go through. The CMA could still approve the deal with or without conditions, or it could ultimately decide to block the merger altogether. We’ll have to wait and see what the outcome of the investigation is.