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☆ Microsoft closes $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard after lengthy regulatory review
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a blog post . Microsoft has closed its $69 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard , according to a regulatory filing by the company Friday. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will stay on as CEO through the end of the year. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who took the helm in 2014, is aiming to diversify the company's business beyond its core areas such as operating systems and productivity software. WATCH: Microsoft deal with Activision Blizzard set to clear final hurdle

Persons: Phil Spencer, Tony Hawk, It's, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, pushback, Victoria Graham, Activision Blizzard Organizations: Activision, Blizzard, Microsoft, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, European Commission, Markets, Economic, Activision Blizzard, Nintendo, Sony, Nvidia, San, U.S, Appeals, Circuit, Ubisoft, FTC Locations: U.S, San Francisco federal

☆ UK regulator aims for decision on Microsoft-Activision deal by Aug. 29
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, July 31 (Reuters) - Britain's antitrust regulator on Monday opened up its inquiry into Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal for comments as it aims for a final decision by Aug. 29 on a $69 billion takeover it had previously blocked in April. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also on Monday published Microsoft's arguments explaining why the deal should be re-evaluated, as the U.S. software giant battles to win UK approval to buy "Call of Duty" maker Activision. A court involved in the case had already published Microsoft's argument that the binding commitments accepted by the European Union shortly after Britain had blocked the deal had now changed the situation. Any persons wishing to comment on the new version of Microsoft's takeover should do so by Aug. 4, the CMA said in its statement. It is aiming to make a final decision on the deal by Aug. 29, the CMA said.

Persons: Sarah Young, Sam Tobin, Kate Holton Organizations: Activision, Markets Authority, European Union, CMA, Microsoft, Sony, NVIDIA, Boosteroid, Thomson Locations: U.S, European, Britain

☆ Microsoft-Activision deal back in hands of UK regulator after court pauses appeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, July 21 (Reuters) - Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal is back in the hands of Britain's antitrust regulator after an appeals court granted an adjournment, and the grounds for why the UK should reconsider its block on the U.S. software giant's takeover were published. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) set out on Friday Microsoft's arguments for the reconsideration, as the U.S. battles to win UK approval to buy "Call of Duty" maker Activision. Explaining why the deal should now be given the green light, Microsoft argued that the binding commitments accepted by the European Union shortly after Britain had blocked the deal changed matters, court documents published showed. The CMA said it understood that Microsoft considered the recent licensing deal it agreed with Sony constituted a further material change of circumstance or special reason. Britain's Competition Appeal Tribunal provisionally approved the adjournment on Monday subject to further submissions from the parties.

Persons: Candy, Sarah Young, Paul Sandle, Sam Tobin, Alistair Smout, Louise Heavens Organizations: Microsoft's Activision, Markets Authority, Activision, CMA, Microsoft, European Union, NVIDIA, Boosteroid, Sony, Thomson Locations: U.S, European, Britain

☆ The biggest takeaways from Microsoft's courtroom showdown with the FTC over Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +21 min

The impulse to expand Microsoft's gaming business on mobile devices at least in part inspired the Activision acquisition. The impulse to expand Microsoft's gaming business on mobile devices at least in part inspired the Activision acquisition. Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, wasn't happy with a Microsoft-generated list of Activision Blizzard games that would remain accessible on the PlayStation after the acquisition closes. Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, wasn't happy with a Microsoft-generated list of Activision Blizzard games that would remain accessible on the PlayStation after the acquisition closes. Activision Blizzard and Microsoft have agreed to terminate the deal if it's not done by July 18.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Phil Spencer, Spencer, James Weingarten, Weingarten, Jim Ryan, Sony, Ryan, Amy Hood, Bobby Kotick, Sarah Bond, Kotick, Amazon Weingarten, Bond, Tim Stuart, Nadella, Bernstein, Mark Moerdler, Hood, Stuart, it's, Jacqueline Scott Corley, she'll Organizations: Northern, Northern District of, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Sony, PlayStation, Mobile, Activision, Xbox, Zynga, Sega Sammy, Nintendo, Enix, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Management, Sony Group, Amazon, Microsoft's Xbox, Bernstein Research, Symantec, Sony PlayStation Locations: U.S, Northern District, Northern District of California, San Francisco, cybersecurity, United Kingdom, FarmVille, Asia, Japan, Tokyo

☆ Microsoft wins EU antitrust approval for Activision deal vetoed by UK
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. Microsoft has in recent months signed licensing deals with Nvidia (NVDA.O), Nintendo (7974.T), Ukraine's Boosteroid and Japan's Ubitus to bring Activision games to their platforms should the deal go through. "The European Commission has required Microsoft to license popular Activision Blizzard games automatically to competing cloud gaming services. CLOUD GAMING MARKET GROWTHVestager said the Commission had a different view from UK regulators of how the game streaming market, which accounted for just 1% of the total market last year, would develop. "Microsoft and Activision’s lawyers will also use the decision to provide greater ballast to their appeal of the CMA's decision."

☆ EU decision clearing $69 billion Microsoft, Activision deal expected May 15, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Activision games "Call of Duty" are pictured in a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Carlo AllegriBRUSSELS, May 10 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators are set to approve Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) $69 billion acquisition of Activision (ATVI.O) next week, with May 15 as the likeliest date, people familiar with the matter said. The European Commission's imminent clearance comes nearly three weeks after the UK competition authority blocked the deal, the biggest-ever deal in gaming, over concerns it would hinder competition in cloud gaming. U.S. distributor Valve Corp, owner of the world's largest video game distribution platform, Steam, declined a contract saying it trusts Microsoft. (This story has been corrected to say that Valve does not have a licensing deal with Microsoft in paragraph 4)Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU decision clearing $69 bln Microsoft, Activision deal expected May 15, sources say
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, May 10 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators are set to approve Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) $69 billion acquisition of Activision (ATVI.O) next week, with May 15 as the likeliest date, people familiar with the matter said. The European Commission's imminent clearance comes nearly three weeks after the UK competition authority blocked the deal, the biggest-ever deal in gaming, over concerns it would hinder competition in cloud gaming. The Commission, which has set a May 22 deadline for its decision, declined to comment. Japan approved the takeover in March while the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is also seeking to block it. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Microsoft signs 10-year deal with Spain's Nware after UK blocks Activision bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The agreement marks the latest effort by Microsoft to ease fears its purchase of Activision would hinder competition in cloud gaming, which was the reason cited by the Competition and Markets Authority to veto the biggest deal in gaming. In its decision on Wednesday, the CMA said Microsoft had an estimated 60%-70% of global cloud gaming services as well as competitive advantages including owning Xbox, PC operating system Windows and cloud provider Azure. The Activision deal is the biggest involving technology companies the regulator has blocked. Microsoft shares were slightly lower in U.S. premarket trading, while those of Activision ticked up 0.2%. Reporting by Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra ELuriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Cloud, not consoles, blocks Microsoft's Activision view in UK
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - For all the thunder about Xbox versus PlayStation, it was the nascent cloud market that led to Britain's surprise decision to block Microsoft's record Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) takeover. That only answered the CMA's console concerns, leaving cloud gaming as the only remaining - and apparently lower - hurdle. Defining cloud gaming is not simple. The CMA disagreed, saying that cloud was the most rapidly growing sector in gaming, while consoles were a mature market. It said Microsoft already accounted for 60-70% of global cloud gaming services and had other trump cards: Xbox, the leading PC operating system Windows and cloud provider Azure.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft's $69 bln Activision deal over cloud gaming concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The country's antitrust regulator said on Wednesday that Microsoft's commitment to offer access to Activision's multi-billion dollar "Call of Duty" franchise to leading cloud gaming platforms would not effectively remedy its concerns. The gaming company also reported quarterly results on Wednesday, a day earlier than scheduled, beating quarterly bookings estimates although that seemed to do little to allay investor concerns about Britain's move. Europe will decide on the Activision deal by May 22. The CMA said the cloud gaming market was forecast to be worth 11 billion pounds ($13.7 billion) globally by 2026. The CMA said Microsoft had an estimated 60%-70% of global cloud gaming services as well as competitive advantages including owning Xbox, PC operating system Windows and cloud provider Azure.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft $69 bln Activision deal over cloud gaming concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The country's antitrust regulator said on Wednesday that Microsoft's commitment to offer access to Activision's multi-billion dollar "Call of Duty" franchise to leading cloud gaming platforms would not effectively remedy its concerns. Microsoft announced its Activision bid in January 2022 to boost its firepower in a video gaming market led by Tencent (0700.HK) and Sony (6758.T). Europe will decide on the Activision deal by May 22. The CMA said the cloud gaming market was forecast to be worth 11 billion pounds ($13.7 billion) globally by 2026. The CMA said Microsoft had an estimated 60%-70% of global cloud gaming services as well as competitive advantages including owning Xbox, PC operating system Windows and cloud provider Azure.

☆ Microsoft's EU remedies target only cloud streaming rivals, sources says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 20 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp's (MSFT.O) remedies to address European Union antitrust concerns over its $69 billion acquisition of Activision (ATVI.O) focus only on cloud gaming services, with no mention of rival Sony (6758.T), people familiar with the matter said on Monday. The U.S. software giant has been trying to allay the Commission's concerns that the deal may reduce competition for console and personal computers, PC operating systems and cloud game streaming services. However, the absence of a Sony solution suggests the Commission no longer has concerns about competition in the console market. The sources said Microsoft has offered 10-year licensing deals for cloud gaming services, citing Nvidia, Ukraine-based cloud gaming provider Boosteroid and Japan's Ubitus as examples. Microsoft's EU offer is narrower than that to the UK competition agency, which includes licensing deals to cloud gaming services and a 10-year deal with parity on content and quality for Activision's Call of Duty franchise to critic and PlayStation owner Sony.

☆ Microsoft offers EU remedies seeking OK on Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 17 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) has offered remedies in an attempt to gain EU antitrust approval for its $69 billion acquisition of Activision (ATVI.O), a European Commission filing showed on Friday. The EU competition enforcer, which did not provide details in line with its policy, will now seek feedback from rivals and customers before making its decision by May 22. Microsoft President Brad Smith has said the U.S. software company was prepared to offer rivals licensing deals to ease competition concerns but not to selling Activision's lucrative "Call of Duty" franchise. The company has in recent weeks signed agreements with three companies to bring "Call of Duty" to their platforms. "We are now backing up that promise with binding commitments to the European Commission, which will ensure that this deal benefits gamers into the future."

☆ Microsoft signs Japanese licensing agreement amid Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 15 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) signed a 10-year licensing deal to bring Activision's (ATVI.O) Call of Duty franchise to Japanese cloud gaming provider Ubitus on Wednesday, the latest move by the company to address regulatory worries about its bid for the games maker. While Xbox maker Microsoft is likely to secure EU antitrust approval for acquiring Activision with such licensing deals and other behavioural remedies, it is facing headwinds in the United States and Britain. "Microsoft and Ubitus, a leading cloud gaming provider, have signed a 10-year partnership to stream Xbox PC Games as well as Activision Blizzard titles after the acquisition closes," the chief executive of Microsoft's gaming division, Phil Spencer, said in a tweet. The company agreed a similar deal with cloud gaming provider Boosteroid a day earlier, on top of agreements with Nvidia (NVDA.O), Nintendo (7974.T) and U.S. distributor Valve Corp, owner of the world's largest video game distribution platform, Steam. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Microsoft Signs Third ‘Call of Duty’ Deal as It Seeks Approval to Buy Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

An image released by Activision Blizzard shows a scene from ‘Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare.’BRUSSELS— Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith said the company reached a deal with cloud gaming company Boosteroid on distributing “Call of Duty” videogames and expects more agreements to follow as the software giant pushes to convince regulators to approve its planned $75 billion acquisition of the videogame franchise’s owner, Activision Blizzard Inc.Microsoft said Boosteroid is the largest independent cloud-streaming company, with about four million users globally, including in the European Union, the U.K. and the U.S. The 10-year agreement would allow its customers to stream Activision games including ‘‘Call of Duty” if the acquisition goes through, Microsoft said. It is the third such pact Microsoft has signed. It previously reached similar deals with console maker Nintendo Co. and chip maker Nvidia Corp.

☆ Microsoft inks licensing deal with cloud gaming provider Boosteroid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, March 14 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) on Tuesday signed a 10-year licensing deal to bring Activision's (ATVI.O) Call of Duty franchise to cloud gaming provider Boosteroid's platform, a move partly aimed at allaying competition concerns over its Activision acquisition. Ukraine-based Boosteroid's access to Call of Duty is conditional on regulatory approval for the Activision deal. The agreement will also bring Microsoft's Xbox PC games to Boosteroid's cloud gaming platform. That's why Xbox is committed to give everyone more ways to play their favorite games, across devices," said Phil Spencer, chief executive of Microsoft's gaming division. EU antitrust regulators are expected to approve Microsoft's takeover of Activision conditional on such licensing deals, people familiar with the matter have told Reuters.

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