Bobby Kotick Shares Activision Acquisition Date, European Union Doesn't Care
The merger process between Activision Blizzard and Microsoft is picking up steam. We learned the date for the deal finalization. The merger is accompanied by more objections from officials. The European Commission has taken a clear stance on the matter.
Activision Blizzard is getting closer to its merger with Microsoft, announced since the beginning of the year. The CEO, Bobby Kotick, said that the merger with the Redmond giant should take place by the end of June next year. It seems that company representatives are not too concerned about the ongoing antitrust investigations.
Unrest at the European Commission
In connection with the merger, a new announcement was issued by the European Commission. We read in it that in concern about potential restrictions on the free market, an in-depth investigation has been launched. EU officials have expressed concern about the availability of some popular Blizzard games, which are now offered on multiple platforms (such as Call of Duty beyond Xbox). The Commission does not rule out that the merger will serve Microsoft not only to capture a large share of the gaming market, but also to increase sales of its consoles at Sony's expense. The Commission is expected to complete this phase of its investigation by March 23, 2023.
A different point of view
Microsoft insists on its position that the absorption of the U.S. game publisher will not lead to reduced access to the company's popular games on other platforms. In addition, some observers perceive that the quality of games from Activision Blizzard may increase, as the cash injection from Microsoft will enable it to spread its wings. It is no secret that the company has been facing various difficulties for some time (mostly image-related).
Continuing red-tape battles
The confusion surrounding Activision Blizzard seems to be endless. The Redmond giant's attempt to buy out the company, due to concerns about monopolization of the market, has been met with official resistance from the beginning, as we have already reported. However, it seems that the heads of both companies are not worried about the implementation of the plan. Time will tell whether they will actually succeed.
