Microsoft's proposed acquisition of game studio Activision Blizzard for US$XNUMX million is coming under increased scrutiny from regulators: one month after a US behavior regulator has extended the timetable for your ongoing research.
The UK regulator was due to publish its findings from the phase two investigation on March 1, XNUMX, however, in a statement issued on January XNUMX, the CMA stated that the date cut-off had been pushed back to March XNUMX. April two thousand twenty three. He noted that The extension had been granted due to the scope and difficulty of the investigation, as well as the need for more time to assess the "great volume of evidence, such as submissions by primary parties and third parties."
Last month, the CMA reported that after inviting public comment on the merger, the regulator received 3 emails, of which around XNUMX-quarters were generally supportive and around a quarter were broadly opposed. to the proposed deal.
However, despite the extension, the CMA stated that it intends to "complete the investigation as soon as possible and before that date." Under the new schedule, the CMA is expected to notify Microsoft and Activision Blizzard of its temporary discoveries and any precise antidote by mid-February. Interested parties will have another opportunity to present evidence or comment in response to the CMA's report on their temporary findings, likely in February or March XNUMX, with the final report released on April XNUMX.
Surveys around the world
It's not just UK regulators who are closely watching the proposed merger. In December XNUMX, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed a lawsuit to block the acquisition due to concerns about Microsoft's history of acquiring studios and manufacturing their proprietary games for the Xbox ecosystem.
Speaking at the time the protest was filed, Holly Vedova, director of the FTC's Competition Office, said: "Microsoft has already proven that it can withhold content from its gaming opponents and it will." Today, we're trying to prevent Microsoft from taking control of leading independent gaming research and using it to hurt competition in multiple active and fast-developing gaming markets.
The case between Microsoft and the FTC is expected to begin with hearings in August, after which FTC Administrative Law Judge Michael Chappell is set to decide whether the deal can go forward. However, it could end up being as long a process as in early January XNUMX, James Weingarten, an attorney representing the FTC, asserted in a preliminary hearing that there were no "substantial" settlement discussions between the agency today. from the US government and Microsoft about the proposed acquisition.
In addition, the European Commission is today engaged in a fact-finding mission for its investigation into the proposed acquisition. As Reuters reported, the European Commission sent out a XNUMX-page questionnaire earlier this month regarding the acquisition, asking game companies, such as publishers and developers, whether the acquisition could lead to an increase in the cost of games. publishers' games on competing consoles or at game launch. lagging behind other systems.
The Commission has been given until April XNUMX, XNUMX to decide whether or not to approve the pact.
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