The UK’s competition authority has blocked Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of gaming company Activision Blizzard
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Microsoft Activision Blizzard deal “prevented” by CMA. The purchase of CoD and Diablo maker Activision Blizzard by Microsoft is “prevented” by the UK CMA, citing concerns around Game Pass, competition, and more.
This is a final decision by the UK competition authority.
In theory, Microsoft could ignore this decision, but that would mean Microsoft and Activision/Blizzard can no longer operate their businesses in the UK. So that’s not going to happen, the UK is a big enough market that a multinational can’t just ignore it, so the deal is officially blocked.
So forgive my ignorance, but why does the UK gov have a say in this?
By the same logic, Microsoft must get approvals from China, Japan, Korea, India, Germany, Saudi, etc? And if even one of those regions says no, it will be a no go because these are bigger markets than UK?
they can still do it, they just lose the uk market, uk, sony, consoles… monopoly licenscing issues. Sounds like a good thing, but what do i know lol. Competion works for the consumers.
Call of duty … is / was a prob
Freaked out about COD being exclusive to xbox …
and microsoft taking over UK etc…
I read bits here and there, what do i know / shrug
There are also division within blizzard.,. i havent read the latest but if the general big merge falls through, pretty sure there are plenty of side deals that would work…
/shrug
Microsoft probably give Blizzard the Lionhead treatment
(take over the studio, run it for a few years then lay off all the staff and put the IP under one of their existing studios then potentially ruin it like they did with halo)
I think it’s a good thing that it’s blocked. Both Sony and Microsoft have been buying out studios left and right. Giant multinationals buying up all gaming studios until you get these monopolies is really bad for the consumer.
Steam is already too powerful on PC, and Microsoft Game pass was getting too powerful too. I buy my games on GoG where I can.
Like the UK competition authority pointed out, in cloud gaming Microsoft already has a ton of control over the market.
Microsoft basically controls the whole cloud gaming ecosystem, they own many of the game developers, they own the cloud gaming service, they own the physical servers, and they own the operating system.
Look, I’m from the UK and I’m as disappointed by this decision as anyone who used to love Blizzard should be.
As far as I am concerned, Microsoft would rescue the company from the maliciously indifferent hands of Bobby Kotick and maybe cultivate some creativity again from Blizzard.
But sadly, if the appeal fails, this is not going to happen. I am ashamed that my country has chosen to do this.
This decision was meant to protect people like you from facing “reduced innovation and less choice for UK gamers over the years to come”. And we can’t really say if Microsoft would be a savior for AB. Can you elaborate why you think it would be?
You should be more ashamed that the UK doesn’t block more buyouts.
Sony Japan bought major UK game developer studios. Psygnosis, Firesprite, Evolution Studios, etc.
Japan’s Softbank bought out UK’s most important tech company, ARM.
The UK offshore wind industry, a massive potential for the UK, is being bought out by Japan.
Worry about that instead. Those are all companies that the UK taxpayer invested in, money that is now going to Tokyo instead.
Europe does a horrible job at protecting its industries from takeovers. The US, China and Japan are running on all cylinders when it comes to technology, and they are extremely aggressive when it comes to protecting their tech industry. Europe on the other hand, is in the tech stone age.
So be glad the UK competition authority is awake at the wheel this time, because Europe’s politicians are not.
“I just bought this for a huge price. Now I’m going to change it into something else.” What cope. If Microsoft didn’t like Blizzard the way it is then Microsoft wouldn’t want to buy Blizzard.
Something tells me China is a bigger market, yet remember what happened there with NetEase? Yes, that one implementing, if memory serves, features the HS community have wanted for years, like tournaments, deck trackers etc?
Well, yes, more or less.
The same way the USA can extort taxes from foreign citizens and residents with things like FATCA etc, perhaps? Besides, you’d be surprised how intertwined modern world can be.
And do you think the ones behind it (CDPR) are the ‘good guys’ of the industry? Hate to break it for you, but no, not anymore. The Witcher 3 was more or less the ‘end of an era’ for them, and they apparently couldn’t handle the sudden financial success of it, among other things.
Are they?
Heh… Used to be quite the opposite a short while ago (can you name many actors capable of doing their own nuclear power plants, for instance?), but enter that deindustrialisation.
Yeah, this is definitely the biggest issue plaguing the country at the moment.
No more surprising than vassals not revolting against their suzerain, upon which they depend heavily, if you ask me.
