The UK’s Competitors and Markets Authority has responded to the European Fee’s assertion approving Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard.
Whereas each the CMA and the Fee agree that the deal may have a chilling impact on innovation within the cloud gaming sphere, they got here to totally different conclusions. The CMA rejected the deal whereas the Fee agreed with it pending some concessions from Microsoft.
You possibly can learn the assertion from the CMA right here:
Our response to the European Fee’s announcement immediately on Microsoft/Activision
The UK, US and European competitors authorities are unanimous that this merger would hurt competitors in cloud gaming. The CMA concluded that cloud gaming must proceed as a free, aggressive market to drive innovation and selection on this quickly evolving sector.
Microsoft’s proposals, accepted by the European Fee immediately, would permit Microsoft to set the phrases and situations for this marketplace for the following 10 years.
They might substitute a free, open and aggressive market with one topic to ongoing regulation of the video games Microsoft sells, the platforms to which it sells them, and the situations of sale.
This is likely one of the causes the CMA’s impartial panel group rejected Microsoft’s proposals and prevented this deal. Whereas we recognise and respect that the European Fee is entitled to take a special view, the CMA stands by its resolution.
The UK has made their place clear of their earlier assertion a couple of weeks in the past.
