On April 26, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced the results of Microsoft’s review of Activision Blizzard’s acquisition policy. It concluded that it would not approve the acquisition.
Last January, Microsoft announced a policy to acquire Activision Blizzard for a total of $ 68.7 billion (about 9.18 trillion yen, current rate). After that, it was reviewed by regulatory authorities in each country and region to see if there was a risk of violating antitrust laws (anti-monopoly laws), and several authorities, including Japan, have already approved it. On the other hand, examinations are continuing in major markets in Europe and the United States, and the results of examinations in the United Kingdom, which is one of them, were reported this time.
Prior to this announcement, the CMA stated that it had no concerns about the competitive environment in the home video game console market, and had been reviewing the impact on the cloud gaming market as a remaining area. And this time, the CMA points out that if Microsoft acquires Activision Blizzard, it will lead to Microsoft building a strong position in the cloud gaming market, which will hinder competition. This is because, unlike the home video game console market, Microsoft’s exclusive use of Activision Blizzard’s titles on its own cloud gaming service was found to be commercially profitable.
Microsoft has so far signed contracts with companies that provide cloud gaming services such as NVIDIA and Ubitus, one after another to provide Activision Blizzard titles and Microsoft titles, including the “Call of Duty” series. This was thought to be a response to the concerns of authorities such as the CMA, but the CMA concluded that such contracts would not lead to a recovery in the competitive environment.
Microsoft Vice Chairman and President Brad Smith said the CMA’s decision rejected practical measures to address competitive concerns and stifled innovation and investment in the UK. and commented. He said he will continue to work on the deal and plans to appeal.
Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick also issued a statement.announcement. He said the CMA’s decision was not what the company wanted. It said it was still far from a final decision on the deal and was already in the process of filing an appeal with Microsoft.
In other major markets, while some reports suggest that the EU’s European Commission is expected to approve acquisitions, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has decided to block Microsoft’s acquisitions. is in the process of filing a lawsuit against
2023-04-26 12:50:28
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