UK’s anti-trust watchdog to consider whether deal could harm competition
Microsoft’s $68.7 billion offer to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard faces a probe in the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced on Wednesday.
The UK’s competition and anti-trust watchdog said in a statement it is considering whether the merger would “result in a substantial lessening of competition” within any markets in the country.
It said the investigation will also consider “whether the deal could harm competition and lead to worse outcomes for consumers for example,through higher prices, lower quality, or reduced choice.”
The CMA has set the date of Sept. 1 as a deadline for its first phase of decision and invited relevant and third parties to comment on the deal between July 6-20.
Activision Blizzard has popular video game franchises such as Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, Warcraft and Candy Crush.