Who is blocking the Microsoft Activision deal?

The planned Microsoft Activision acquisition has been provisionally blocked by the UK's antitrust watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) …

Who is against the Microsoft Activision deal?

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said it is opposed to Microsoft's planned purchase of games developer Activision Blizzard. The CMA said it had provisionally concluded it would result in higher prices, fewer choices and less innovation.

What happened to the Microsoft Activision deal?

March 21 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp (MSFT. O) on Monday won dismissal of a private consumer antitrust lawsuit over its $69 billion proposed purchase of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard Inc (ATVI.

Why is Activision deal being blocked?

Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition is being blocked by the FTC. The FTC deems that the Xbox maker's acquisition of Activision Blizzard would harm competition with rival game consoles and negatively impact consumers.

Will Microsoft Activision deal be approved?

Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is likely to be approved by EU regulators, Reuters reports. The software giant struck licensing deals with Nintendo and Nvidia recently, and Reuters says these deals are likely to satisfy lawmakers in Europe to help Microsoft clear its $68.7 billion deal.

US moves to block Microsoft takeover of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard – BBC News

Is the Xbox Activision deal finalized?

Apr. 28, 2022: Shareholders at Call of Duty and Overwatch 2 publisher Activision Blizzard voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to approve a $69 billion sale to tech giant Microsoft. The deal gives golden parachutes to top execs at Activision, including embattled CEO Bobby Kotick.

Who has approved the Activision deal?

The Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) has approved Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard after its review concluded that the deal was “unlikely to result in substantially restraining competition”.

Why is the FTC blocking Microsoft from buying Activision?

The FTC's argument against Microsoft is that by acquiring Activision Blizzard it would “substantially lessen competition” in the “relevant market,” per antitrust law as laid out in the Clayton Act.

Can Microsoft be blocked from buying Activision?

The planned Microsoft Activision acquisition has been provisionally blocked by the UK's antitrust watchdog, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) …

What happens if CMA blocks deal?

“The CMA's decision is key because if it chooses to block the deal, there is little recourse for the companies — UK courts rarely overturn a CMA merger decision,” Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Jennifer Rie said, adding that it is unlikely that the transaction will be cleared unconditionally.

Did Microsoft overpay for Activision?

Most people think that Microsoft overpaid with the $70 billion price tag on Activision Blizzard. Not necessarily. People tend to look at this as a consolidation deal, where Microsoft buying a company at a decline, which is not. The important point of the deal was to facilitate Category Acceleration.

Why does Microsoft want to buy Activision?

Buying Activision will give Microsoft ownership of many of the world's biggest games: not just Call of Duty, but others, including mobile behemoths like Candy Crush. All of those will be part of Microsoft and can be used to boost the offering of the Xbox.

How long will the Activision deal take?

Xbox has said that it is targeting a June 2023 closure date for its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

Does Microsoft own Blizzard yet?

August 24, 2022 - Xbox Launches Website Outlining Benefits of the Acquisition. To spell out the benefits of Xbox's acquisition of Activision Blizzard to the public, Microsoft launched a website that highlighted its “vision for gaming,” and the positives of what could become the biggest deal in video game history.

Why can't Microsoft just buy Activision?

The European Commission has objected to Microsoft's buyout of Activision Blizzard, setting another roadblock in the purchase. Following a lawsuit by gamers over monopolizing the gaming market, Microsoft has hit another roadblock in its attempt to buy Activision Blizzard (ABK) for nearly $70 billion.

Who is suing Microsoft?

Microsoft Corp was hit on Tuesday in US court with a private consumer lawsuit claiming the technology company's $69 billion bid to purchase “Call of Duty” maker Activision Blizzard Inc will unlawfully squelch competition in the video game industry.

Are the feds likely to challenge Microsoft Activision?

The Federal Trade Commission is likely to file an antitrust lawsuit to block Microsoft's $69 billion takeover of video game giant Activision Blizzard, maker of the hit games Call of Duty and Candy Crush, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.

What banks are involved in the Microsoft Activision deal?

Goldman Sachs will serve as the financial advisor to Microsoft, and Allen & Company will be Activision's financial advisors. Simpson Thacher will serve as legal advisor for Microsoft while Skadden will serve as legal advisor for Activision.

Who owns majority of Activision?

Activision Blizzard is not owned by a single individual or company. Its shares are owned by a large number of individual and institutional investors.

What will happen if Xbox buys Activision?

Activision Blizzard own the Call of Duty franchise, one of the biggest in gaming history. If Microsoft's acquisition deal closes, they will own the Call of Duty series, and be able to do whatever they want with it on their Xbox systems going forward. Microsoft could have bought other companies, but it already did.

Why did Activision sell to Xbox?

“Its vision for the transaction is simple: Xbox wants to grow its presence in mobile gaming, and three-quarters of Activision's gamers and more than a third of its revenues come from mobile offerings,” according to Microsoft.

Is Activision Blizzard a good stock to buy?

Activision Blizzard Stock Forecast FAQ

Is Activision Blizzard Stock a good buy in 2023, according to Wall Street analysts? The consensus among 13 Wall Street analysts covering (NASDAQ: ATVI) stock is to Strong Buy ATVI stock.

What is the probability of Activision deal closing?

Activision shares are priced now at 20 times earnings. The market is pricing in roughly a 35% to 40% probability of the deal closing.

Will Microsoft Activision close?

Microsoft's attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard has a termination date of July 18th, 2023. However, the FTC's in-house trial is set for August 2nd, 2023. At this time, the FTC is yet to officially file an injunction to prevent the $68.7 billion from happening.