UK and EU Regulators Clash over Microsoft’s Move to Gaming

Microsoft's $102 billion ($US69bn. £55bn) acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard has been given the green light by the European Union, despite resistance from its UK counterpart. 

This move would bring together two gaming powerhouses - Microsoft, makers of the Xbox console, and Activision Blizzard, creators of popular games such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush Saga. The result elevates Microsoft to being the third largest game publisher in the world after Tencent and Sony.

Although the deal was blocked by the Competition and Markets Authority in the UK due to concerns about cloud gaming, Microsoft's concessions were deemed acceptable by the EU Regulator.  This approval paves the way for Microsoft to proceed with its appeal against the UK's decision. 

Meanwhile, in the U.S.,  the FTC is  still fighting to block the deal. And in Australia the ACCC [Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)] said it is still "engaging with overseas regulators" as it carries out its own review.

- CyberBeat