Activision news and trends

UK Antitrust Watchdog Scrutinizes Microsoft-Activision Deal
ANTITRUST // July 06, 2022

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the U.K.’s antitrust watchdog, is looking into Microsoft’s deal to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, Reuters reported Wednesday (July 6), looking at whether this would cut competition in the country. The deal, which was announced in January and...

As Scrutiny of Activision Bid Intensifies, Microsoft Offers App ‘Principles’
Regulation // February 09, 2022

Better to get out in front of an issue and meet it head-on than try to play catch-up later. Microsoft, via a blog post Wednesday (Feb. 9), offered a set of new guidelines for app stores. It may be the case that the guidelines are...

FTC May Show New M&A Approach in Microsoft Case
Regulation // February 01, 2022

Microsoft’s $70 billion bid for Activision may be reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in what will become its first test to show its new approach to mergers since the joint consultation with the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division (DOJ) to review the merger guidelines,...

Microsoft Latest M&A May Put It in Regulatory Spotlight
Big Tech // January 31, 2022

Microsoft’s $70 billion bid for Activision may be the trigger that puts Microsoft on regulators’ radar, together with Google, Amazon, Facebook and Apple, something the company has avoided for a long time.   Microsoft was in the regulatory spotlight in the early 2000s when the...

Quick Reads
FTC Aims to Block $69B Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Deal

December 08, 2022
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is moving to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.  The agency said in a Thursday (Dec. 8) press release that the Xbox maker’s purchase of the video game developer’s franchises would harm competition in both gaming consoles and subscription services.  The $69 billion deal would enable Microsoft to limit its […]

UK Antitrust Watchdog Scrutinizes Microsoft-Activision Deal

July 06, 2022
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the U.K.’s antitrust watchdog, is looking into Microsoft’s deal to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, Reuters reported Wednesday (July 6), looking at whether...

Microsoft to Buy Activision Blizzard for $75B, CEO Expected to Step Down

January 18, 2022
Microsoft has agreed to purchase Activision Blizzard for $75 billion in an all-cash deal, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Tuesday (Jan. 18). Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is expected to...