EU Approves Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision
Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Gets EU Approval
The European Union (EU) Commission has completed its competition review of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In a statement released by the EU Commission, it was announced that the acquisition has been approved within the framework of EU rules, but is subject to full compliance with the commitments made by Microsoft.
Microsoft has made a 10-year comprehensive licensing commitment for the distribution of PC and console games via cloud streaming services to address the EU’s competition concerns. This means that consumers in Europe can use all Activision Blizzard games through any cloud service they want. The statement also noted that these commitments fully addressed the competition concerns raised by the Commission.
Microsoft announced its plan to acquire Activision Blizzard for approximately $69 billion in early 2021. The acquisition was supervised by the EU Commission, which evaluates mergers and acquisitions to identify anti-competitive situations. The EU Commission has the power to prevent mergers or acquisitions in such situations.
For the EU approval, Microsoft has pledged to provide European consumers with 10 years of free cloud gaming services for Activision’s games. The EU Commission’s approval marks a significant step towards the finalization of the acquisition, which is expected to be completed in the coming months.
Overall, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is set to create one of the world’s largest gaming companies. The acquisition combines Microsoft’s gaming hardware and software capabilities with Activision Blizzard’s game franchises, including popular titles such as Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. The acquisition is expected to have a significant impact on the gaming industry and set the stage for further consolidation in the sector.
