Microsoft’s revised offer to buy Activision Blizzard, the maker of Call of Duty, is set for approval in the UK.
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said that the new deal addresses concerns it had raised about the original deal, which included the cloud gaming rights owned by Activision Blizzard.
Under the new deal, Microsoft will not buy the cloud gaming rights, which should help to preserve competition in the cloud gaming market. The CMA is expected to issue a final decision on the deal in early October.
If the deal is approved, it would be the largest gaming acquisition in history. It would give Microsoft control over some of the most popular video game franchises in the world, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch.
The deal has been met with some opposition from rivals, such as Sony, which is concerned that Microsoft could use its control of popular franchises to give itself an unfair advantage in the gaming market. However, Microsoft has pledged to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation consoles, even after the acquisition is complete.
The CMA’s decision to approve the deal is a significant victory for Microsoft. It comes after the company was forced to abandon its attempt to buy LinkedIn in 2016 due to concerns about competition.
The approval of the Activision Blizzard deal is likely to have a major impact on the gaming industry. Microsoft will now have control over some of the most popular video game franchises in the world, and it will be able to use these franchises to promote its own gaming platforms and services.
It is too early to say exactly how the deal will impact consumers. However, it is possible that Microsoft could use its control of popular franchises to raise prices or to make it more difficult for gamers to access the games they want to play.
Only time will tell how the deal will play out. However, it is clear that Microsoft is making a significant investment in the gaming space, and that could have a major impact on how games are developed and distributed in the future.
Some experts believe that the deal could lead to higher quality games and more innovation in the gaming industry. Others are concerned that Microsoft could use its control of popular franchises to stifle competition and give itself an unfair advantage.
It will be interesting to see how the deal impacts the gaming industry in the years to come.
