UK VERSES MICROSOFT'S DEAL TO BUY ACTIVATION BLIZZARD

 

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Microsoft has made a new bid to buy Activision Blizzard, marking the biggest deal of its kind in the gaming industry. The original $69bn deal was blocked by UK regulators, but Microsoft's president Brad Smith said the new offer was "substantially different" and should be approved. 

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) will review the deal but said it is not a green light. The deal would end a tumultuous 18 months for Microsoft, and it aims to boost demand for its Xbox console and gaming subscription business. Under the revised terms, Microsoft will transfer the rights to stream Activision games from the cloud to Ubisoft, a video games publisher, for 15 years. 

The CMA will make a decision on Microsoft's revised bid by 18 October, and without its approval, the deal cannot go ahead globally. The deal has been approved in 40 countries, including the European Union and China. Read more...