Image via Activision
The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has extended its investigation and inquiry into Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard over the complexity of the case.
In a report by Gl.biz, the CMA announced that it would be extending the investigation for up to eight weeks as it processes the evidence, responses from Sony and Microsoft, and the public opinions.
The final submission date for the report is now April 26 instead of March 1. The report will deem if the acquisition of Activision is negative for the industry or not. The CMA notes that they will push to complete the report as soon as possible and it may arrive before April 26.
In a statement, the CMA said: “In taking this decision, the inquiry group had regard to the scope and complexity of the investigation and the need to consider a large volume of evidence, as well as main party and third party submissions, the necessity to allow sufficient time to take full and proper account of comments that will be received in response to the Inquiry Group’s provisional findings in due course, and to reach a fully reasoned final decision in the statutory timeframe.”
The CMA has been investigating since July 2022, and both Microsoft and Sony have provided inputs on the situation.
The nearly $70 billion deal by Microsoft has come under fire in the United States as well, with the FTC suing to block the deal back in December.
Most concerns seem to center around Call of Duty, with Sony believing that Xbox having Call of Duty may ruin its competitive chances. Microsoft argued that Sony simply has too many exclusives to fail and that Call of Duty would continue releasing on PlayStation indefinitely.
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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.
