Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision deal faces in-depth UK probe

Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision deal faces in-depth UK probe

Microsoft Corp.’s planned $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc. will be sent for an in-depth review unless it offers remedies to address the UK watchdog’s competition concerns.

The Competition and Markets Authority said Thursday it was concerned about a substantial lessening of competition in the gaming consoles, multi-game subscription services and cloud gaming services markets.

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It gave Microsoft a September 8 deadline to offer acceptable remedies.

The combination with Activision -- which owns some of the most popular franchises including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Guitar Hero -- will make Microsoft the world’s third-largest gaming company and boost the XBox maker’s roster of titles for its Game Pass subscribers.

“We are concerned that Microsoft could use its control over popular games like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft post-merger to harm rivals, including recent and future rivals in multi-game subscription services and cloud gaming,” Sorcha O’Carroll, senior director of mergers at the CMA, said.

The British agency has taken a more forceful approach on recent deals, particularly by the biggest technology companies. Microsoft announced it was buying the Call of Duty maker in January in what was