The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a new Phase 1 investigation into a restructured Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard, with a final decision deadline set for October 18.
The revised proposal grants Ubisoft the rights to manage cloud gaming access for all current and future Activision Blizzard titles for a 15-year period, excluding the European Economic Area.
Microsoft’s divestment of cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft is designed to address the CMA’s specific concerns regarding long-term market competition and regulatory oversight.
The inclusion of Ubisoft as an independent third-party administrator serves as a strategic compromise intended to resolve the regulatory friction that previously blocked the merger.
Industry analysis suggests the deal is now likely to proceed, as the structural changes effectively mitigate the primary hurdles that previously isolated the UK regulator from international consensus.
This case highlights a growing trend of increased regulatory scrutiny regarding cloud gaming competition and the use of third-party intermediaries to facilitate large-scale industry mergers.
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