British regulator softens stance on Microsoft-Activision deal competition concerns

The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority connected Friday said it has narrowed the scope of its probe into Microsoft's takeover of games steadfast Activision, successful a large reprieve for the U.S. tech elephantine arsenic it pursues an enlargement of its video crippled business.

In February, the CMA published provisional findings from its probe into the takeover, stating astatine the clip that the transaction whitethorn effect successful higher prices, less choices and little innovation. Among its concerns, the regulator flagged that the woody would origin a important lessening of contention successful the console gaming market.

Since then, the regulator has received a "significant amount" of feedback from assorted manufacture participants connected the deal. With this caller evidence, the CMA present says it nary longer believes the transaction volition hamper contention successful console games.

"Having considered the further grounds provided, we person present provisionally concluded that the merger volition not effect successful a important lessening of contention successful console gaming services due to the fact that the outgo to Microsoft of withholding Call of Duty from PlayStation would outweigh immoderate gains from taking specified action," Martin Coleman, seat of the autarkic sheet of experts conducting the CMA investigation, said successful a connection Friday.

"Our provisional presumption that this woody raises concerns successful the unreality gaming marketplace is not affected by today's announcement. Our probe remains connected people for completion by the extremity of April."

The CMA's Friday comments suggest that Microsoft appears to person gotten 1 of its staunchest regulatory critics partially onside.

This is simply a breaking quality communicative and volition beryllium updated shortly.