Microsoft’s massive purchase of $68.7 to acquire Activision-Blizzard may be gaming’s largest but its still subject to regulatory scrutiny. Regulators from the UK and the EU may want to look further into this acquisition and its impact on competition on relevant markets. Microsoft makes Windows and Xbox game consoles and is also a game publisher as Microsoft Games Studio while Activision-Blizzard, holds a large library of IPs and titles including some of the most popular gaming franchise e.g. Call of Duty.
Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority hints at a second-phase investigation to further look into possible concerns of “substantial lessening of competition”. That’s just for the UK alone, the EU is also looking to investigate the acquisition further as well. Sony is the primary opposition of this acquisition and has been invoked by regulators numerous times. Sony fears that Microsoft could deny popular franchises in appearing on Sony’s Playstation platform.