Clifford Chance

Game over or Game on? Microsoft lodges appeal against CMA's Activision Decision, while European Commission clears the path with remedies

13 June 2023

The video gaming industry is expected to be worth USD 321 billion by 2026. The recent boom in the video game industry has drawn increased scrutiny by competition regulators, seeking to ensure a level playing field. Perhaps, the most notable competition development in this sector is Microsoft's intended acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Inc. The industry recently witnessed a flurry of dramatic developments as regulatory bodies made their moves in this high-stakes acquisition.

This briefing summarises the decision of the UK Competition and Markets Authority to block the proposed acquisition and compares the decision of the European Commission to greenlight the transaction, subject to remedies.

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