Merger of Microsoft with Activision Blizzard se makes it much more difficult it is unlikely that the nearly $70 billion acquisition will be approved in the coming months. At least block UK regulator. He confirmed today that he has launched a very detailed investigation that may not end until next year.
“The CMA has referred the potential acquisition of Activision Blizzard to Microsoft for a detailed investigation because information currently available indicates or may indicate that the merger could result in a material distortion of competition in the UK market or markets“ it is listed on the CMA website.
The CMA must issue a verdict (approve or block the acquisition). until March 1, 2023. Microsoft itself has set itself the goal of completing the acquisition by the end of the current fiscal year, that is, by June next year. But lately there have been representatives of the Xbox positive mood and hinted that he would complete the whole process early, allegedly wanting to do everything before the end of this year to bring the players a present under the tree.
According to unofficial information, he is going to follow the path of SMA. European Unionas it is a large and complex transaction. This is confirmed by a source from Brussels of the Financial Times server, who previously cited a report on a detailed investigation in the UK. The question remains how the Federal Trade Commission will behave.Americans can also wait until next year, given what’s happening in Europe.
Smaller markets in the UK and US are expected to await the verdict. This no longer applies to Saudi Arabia. Local authorities approved the acquisition late last month. In America again Acquisition approval supported by Communications Workers of Americalargest trade union organization in the US.
Either way, Microsoft needs to get all markets to agree. It’s no secret that the most important word belongs to the American FTC, the British CMA and the European Union.
SONY WANTS TO ENSURE CALL OF DUTY WILL BE RELEASED ON PLAYSTATION
Many months have been written about Sony’s fears that Call of Duty will continue to be released on the PlayStation console. Jim Ryan claims that this tag cannot be replaced and considers it a blockbuster, while Microsoft’s Phil Spencer said that Activision Blizzard Doesn’t Create Anything Unique. He later allayed concerns by saying that on the day of release, Call of Duty would be available on the PlayStation like it was on other platforms, and it would be the same version.
But Sony does not like this proposal. According to Ryan, Microsoft only intends to keep Call of Duty on the PlayStation for three years after the current deal between Activision and Sony ends. Ryan called the proposal inadequate in many ways, stating that it did not take into account the impact on PlayStation players.
WHY IS MICROSOFT BUYING ACTIVISION BLIZZARD?
One would expect Microsoft to buy Activision Blizzard for that kind of money because of Call of Duty’s golden pig, or because of the popularity of Diablo and World of Warcraft. But the American corporation sees potential not only in these well-known and important brands that it can subscribe to. Xbox Game Pass. They value the expertise of mobile game developers Activision Blizzard.
“As much as we love consoles, we understand that this is not the only way people play games,” Spencer stated. “The largest and fastest growing segment of gaming today is mobile platforms. To reach billions of players, no matter where they are or what device they are playing on, we need to make a choice. When you give players choices about how they play games, they become more accessible and result in larger, more vibrant gaming communities. Choice is just as important for game developers. Developers benefit from a variety of distribution models and business models for their games. Choice opens up opportunities for innovation and allows the industry to grow.”
COMPETITION META POINTS
Purchase supported by Meta. The owner of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp has filed documents with the Brazilian antitrust authority. Acquisition of Microsoft Activision Blizzard, according to Mark Zuckerberg’s company will in no way lead to market fragmentation.
Video game market according to Meta offers many options for new publishers. He cites Amazon Luna or Netflix Games as examples. In addition, cloud gaming and digital marketplace services have broken down the barriers between platforms so that anyone with a simple internet connection can play their favorite games without being tied to a single device.
Source :Indian TV
