Sony’s gaming chief, Jim Ryan, held a meeting with Margrethe Vestager, the EU antitrust chief, to discuss Microsoft’s monumental $69 billion bid for Activision Blizzard, the creators of Call of Duty. This meeting took place amidst the European Commission’s preparations to issue a warning to Microsoft regarding the potential anti-competitive consequences of this acquisition, which is set to be the largest in gaming industry history.
Microsoft is seeking Activision’s assistance to improve its competition against Tencent and Sony, with the latter expressing doubts about the deal and even advocating for regulatory intervention. The details of Ryan and Vestager’s discussion remain undisclosed, and the European Commission is yet to respond to requests for comments.
The US Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit to prevent the deal, while UK regulators have also expressed concerns, citing implications for Nintendo consoles and Sony’s PlayStation. Microsoft, on the other hand, argues that the deal would benefit gamers and gaming companies alike and has even offered a legally binding consent decree with the FTC to ensure that Call of Duty games are accessible to rivals such as Sony for a decade. The final ruling on the deal will be decided by Michael Chappell, the FTC administrative law judge, following hearings in August 2023.
Currently, the deal is under scrutiny by the European Union, which is expected to make a decision on whether to approve or block it by March 23.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
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