The EU has reportedly issued a proper warning to Microsoft over the Activision Blizzard deal

Microsoft is seemingly going through extra regulatory opposition to its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. According to Politico, the European Union has issued a proper antitrust warning towards Microsoft concerning the $68.7 billion deal.

Politico didn’t share actual particulars in regards to the contents of the warning, however the publication says that in a “statement of objections,” EU officers “laid out the reasons why the deal could threaten fair competition on the video game market.”

In a press release to The Verge, Microsoft spokesperson David Cuddy stated, “We are committed to solutions and finding a path forward for this deal. We are listening carefully to the [European Commission’s] concerns and are confident we can address them.” The EU didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

The European Commission opened an “in-depth investigation” into the Activision Blizzard deal in November following an preliminary evaluate that began in September. “We must ensure that opportunities remain for future and existing distributors of PC and console video games, as well as for rival suppliers of PC operating systems,” Margrethe Vestager, the Commission’s government VP in command of competitors coverage, stated in a press release in regards to the November probe.

The Federal Trade Commission is suing Microsoft to try to block the deal, and Microsoft has since responded to the suit. And Sony and Microsoft have been in an ongoing spat over the way forward for the Call of Duty franchise, which is among the largest in gaming. Sony has advised regulators that it’s fearful about Call of Duty underneath Microsoft’s possession, however the Xbox maker has dedicated to creating the franchise natively available on PlayStation. It has additionally reached a 10-year take care of Nintendo to bring Call of Duty games to Nintendo consoles if the Activision Blizzard deal goes via.

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