In the latest updates regarding the Microsoft acquisition of Activision, the company has now officially filed its case with the European Commission.
On Friday, the European competition watchdog confirmed that it has set a provisional deadline of November 8 to clear the nearly $70 billion deal or choose to enter a second and more detailed investigation phase.
The European Commission will analyze the deal over the coming weeks in what is called a ‘phase I’ review.
The main concerns of the European Commission are if the merger would significantly reduce competition in the market, a concern that Sony has also voiced regarding the deal.
The Commission may choose to enter a second phase of investigation should it still have concerns regarding the deal. Regulators are currently expecting the EU to perform a lengthy probe.
The acquisition has come under scrutiny by regulators worldwide who fear that the gaming industry may have less competition within it if a deal like this goes through. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that it had officially entered a second phase of its own investigation.
Earlier this month, Xbox head Phil Spencer said that Microsoft was committed to ensuring that Call of Duty would remain on PlayStation for “several more years” beyond the current deal.
The current deal between Sony and Activision is believed to cover Modern Warfare 2, Warzone 2, and a new Black Ops game from Treyarch that may not come until 2024.
However, Microsoft is still remaining confident that the deal will go through.
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Zainah Yousef
Zainah Yousef is the author of The Fallen Age Saga and specializes in gaming, social media advice, and reviews. She's been writing all her life and she probably won't stop anytime soon.
