Microsoft will present a last-minute defence of its $69bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard before EU

 

Microsoft will present a last-minute defence of its $69bn acquisition of games maker Activision Blizzard before EU and national antitrust officials on 21 February, the company said. It asked for the hearing after receiving a statement of objections from the European Commission warning about the deal's potential anti-competitive effects. Microsoft, which announced the acquisition in January 2022 to better compete with Tencent and Sony, has faced regulatory obstacles in Europe, the UK and the US. The company is expected to offer remedies after the hearing. The US Federal Trade Commission has sought to block the deal, while UK regulators have expressed concern that the acquisition would give Microsoft exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo consoles and Sony's PlayStation excluded. The EU will decide by 23 March whether to clear or block the deal.