EU and UK reportedly plan to object to Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition

Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard is continuing to be investigated by regulators around the world. Over here in Europe, the investigation has reportedly reached a critical point, with the European Union set to issue a formal antitrust warning to Microsoft. 

According to sources speaking with Politico, the EU outlined its objections to the deal with Microsoft last week. The specific details are still unknown, but it is highly likely that the list of objections includes concerns around cloud services, as well as the future of big IP, like Call of Duty, on rival platforms.

In a separate report, the New York Times claims that Microsoft is bracing itself for objections from the UK's Competitions & Markets Authority too. Microsoft's legal team apparently anticipates that the CMA will oppose the acquisition, just as the FTC did over in the US. Microsoft has so far been willing to fight for the merits of this acquisition in court.

There is no deadline in place for the FTC's case against the acquisition. Decisions on what to do about the deal expect to be made in the UK and EU by the end of Q1 or in early Q2. Microsoft initially hoped to have the acquisition approved by mid-2023, but the timeline may have shifted due to regulator pushback.

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