The European Union’s regulators are expected to launch an in-depth investigation into Microsoft’s record-breaking acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the developer of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Overwatch.
The European Commission is expected to begin its investigation after Microsoft opted not to file remedies to the EU’s antitrust entities. The company had until midnight on Monday to file relevant paperwork but opted not to, according to Politico. The EC will now have until Nov. 8 to announce the next stage of its investigation into the deal.
Microsoft said in a statement that it was continuing to work with the EC to address “any valid market concerns.” The EC did not respond to requests for comment.
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The software company announced in January that it intended to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, making it one of the largest acquisitions in the gaming industry to date. Several countries responded by saying that the deal could harm industry competitiveness. There were specific concerns about whether the game developer would make Call of Duty, one of its most popular franchises, exclusive to the Xbox. Microsoft has maintained that it is committed to making the game available on Playstation and Xbox on the same day.
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The decision is being reviewed by the Federal Trade Commission in the United States, the Competition and Markets Authority in the United Kingdom, and regulatory agencies in New Zealand and Australia. Saudi Arabia and Brazil have already approved the deal.
The acquisition deal arrived amid unionization efforts by groups of employees and ongoing lawsuits related to allegations of sexual harassment within Activision Blizzard.
