Will Microsoft be allowed to take over Activision Blizzard? The matter is still unresolved. Now a US judge has temporarily halted the deal.
The planned takeover, which was announced around a year and a half ago, is expected to cost Microsoft around 69 billion US dollars. In return, Microsoft would be able to expand its own portfolio with various well-known brands such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush – but this is exactly where the problem lies.
Competition watchdogs fear that the deal will give Microsoft too much market power and that the takeover could have a negative impact on the gaming industry in the long term. For example, by the fact that certain brands are only published on their own platforms. PlayStation players would get nothing accordingly.
The EU Commission approved the deal. In other regions of the world, however, there is a veto. There are major concerns in the United States, among others. The US Trade Commission FTC has now been able to obtain an injunction against the takeover in court. The judge ruled that the deal should not be completed until the FTC’s review is final.
A hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for June 22-23. Microsoft remains optimistic. “We welcome the opportunity to present our case in court,” Microsoft manager Brad Smith is quoted as saying by US media. “We believe that accelerating the legal process in the US will ultimately lead to more choice and competition in the marketplace.”
What: CNBC
