Microsoft offers EU remedies seeking OK on Activision deal
2023.03.17 06:49
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard’s games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration
By Foo Yun Chee
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:) has offered remedies in an attempt to gain EU antitrust approval for its $69 billion acquisition of Activision, a European Commission filing showed on Friday.
The EU competition enforcer, which did not provide details in line with its policy, will now seek feedback from rivals and customers before making its decision by May 22.
Microsoft President Brad Smith has said the U.S. software company was prepared to offer rivals licensing deals to ease competition concerns but not to selling Activision’s lucrative “Call of Duty” franchise.
The company has in recent weeks signed agreements with three companies to bring “Call of Duty” to their platforms.
“We have stood behind our promise to bring Call of Duty to more gamers on more devices by entering into agreements to bring the game to the Nintendo console and cloud game streaming services offered by Nvidia (NASDAQ:), Boosteroid, and Ubitus,” a spokesperson said.
“We are now backing up that promise with binding commitments to the European Commission, which will ensure that this deal benefits gamers into the future.”
The company is likely to win EU clearance for the deal with such licensing deals and other behavioural remedies, sources have told Reuters while the jury is still out on whether the UK competition enforcer will do the same.
