The European Commission reportedly “opened a full-scale investigation” into the deal on Tuesday, November 8 to address these concerns and whether or not the deal would be bad for competition. Companies like Sony, one of Microsoft’s main rivals, have been very outspoken on this particular point. Showcasing its lack of support for the deal to go through. Mainly with regards to Call Of Duty being potentially blocked from PlayStation with future releases. Microsoft however has been consistent in its stance that the deal would lead to no such thing. Insisting that it wants future Call Of Duty titles to remain on both Xbox and PlayStation platforms. Regardless, the European Commission shows concern that if the deal is approved, it may “significantly reduce competition on the markets for the distribution of console and PC video games.” To that end, Microsoft said it would try to assuage these fears. Stating it would work with regulators to address any valid concerns.
The EU investigation into the Microsoft Activision deal could last for months
With this new investigation underway, it’s safe to say that the deal can’t currently move forward. The European Commision could certainly wrap up its investigation quickly and approve the deal. But it could just as easily block it. The commission says it will reach a decision by March 23 of next year. Which means it’s possible Microsoft’s bid to buy Activision Blizzard could be tied up for the next few months. Microsoft first announced its plans to buy Activision Blizzard in January of 2022. Making for its largest potential studio/publisher buyout ever. Following the already mega-sized deal it made when it purchased ZeniMax Media, which owns DOOM, Elder Scrolls, and Fallout maker Bethesda. Activision Blizzard, by comparison, owns some of the video game industry’s most globally recognizable properties. Including Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft.
