Microsoft's $69 bn Activision takeover deal gets boost from UK regulators

The narrowing of the probe echoes a similar step at European Union level where the bloc is said to be only focusing on cloud gaming services.

By Katharine Gemmell
Microsoft Corp.’s chances of winning antitrust approval for its $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard Inc. got a boost after UK regulators narrowed the scope of their probe to focus solely on cloud gaming.
 

The Competition and Markets Authority said it changed its mind after weighing “a significant amount” of new evidence that Microsoft would be unlikely to profit from restricting access to blockbuster franchise Call of Duty on rival consoles such as Sony Corp.’s PlayStation. 

Pressure has been mounting on Microsoft as it battles multiple fronts at home and in Europe to convince watchdogs to clear