Microsoft’s Activision Buyout Deal Faces Probe From UK Antitrust Regulator

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’s Activision Buyout Deal Faces Probe From *** Antitrust Regulator

Britain’s antitrust watchdog said on Wednesday it had started an investigation into

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$68.7 billion (roughly Rs. 5,431,35 crore) deal to buy Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had until September 1 to make its phase 1 decision on whether the deal between the US technology company and video-game maker Activision would reduce competition in the ***.

The phase 1 investigation by the CMA will either lead to the deal being cleared or will move to a more in-depth phase 2 probe.

Both

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and Activision did not immediately respond to Reuters’ requests for comments.

In the biggest gaming industry deal in history,

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in January said it was buying Activision Blizzard. According to Refinitiv data, the

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-Activision deal would be the largest all-cash acquisition on record. The Redmond-based software giant said that when the transaction closes, it will become the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony.

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and completion of regulatory review and Activision Blizzard’s shareholder approval,

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said. The deal is expected to close in the fiscal year 2023. Until this transaction closes, Activision Blizzard and

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Gaming will continue to operate independently.

Demand for video games has surged during the pandemic, as stuck-at-home consumers play more games to keep themselves entertained. Activision’s library of games such as Call of Duty and Overwatch also gives

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’s Xbox gaming platform an edge over Sony’s PlayStation, which has for years enjoyed a steadier stream of exclusive games.

Back in April, Activision Blizzard said that nearly 1,100 US-based temporary and contingent quality assurance workers of some divisions will be converted to full-time employees, starting July 1. The company said it will raise the minimum hourly wages for these employees – from the Activision Publishing and Blizzard divisions – to $20 (roughly Rs. 1,520) or more and also offer them access to full company benefits, increasing Activision Publishing division’s total full-time staff by 25 percent.

© Thomson Reuters 2022

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activision blizzard cma *** regulator competition call of duty

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