Microsoft’s $68.7 Billion Takeover of Activision Cleared by European Commission, With Conditions
variety.comNaman Ramachandran Weeks after the U.K.’s Competition & Markets Authority blocked Microsoft’s proposed $68.7 billion deal to buy video games giant Activision Blizzard, the European Commission (EC) has granted approval under the EU Merger Regulation.
However, the approval, which arrived after an EC investigation, comes with conditions that require Microsoft to fully comply with specific commitments that address the competition concerns raised.
The preliminary investigation conducted by the EC revealed that Microsoft’s acquisition could potentially harm competition in two key areas: the distribution of console and PC video games, including multi-game subscription services and cloud game streaming services, as well as the supply of PC operating systems.
It determined that Microsoft would not have the ability to harm rival consoles or multi-game subscription services. However, it concluded that Microsoft’s position in the distribution of games through cloud game streaming services would likely lead to a reduction in competition.
Read more on variety.com