According to Dealreporter and reported by Seeking Alpha, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will rule on Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard at the end of November.
The $68.7 billion deal, announced at the start of the year, is still being scrutinized by major anti-trust authorities around the world, so it cannot yet be called complete. The response of the Federal Trade Commission, a U.S. government agency known for its enthusiasm for protecting competition and consumers, is especially anticipated.
According to the source, the FTC would still have several reservations about the merger, which would be exacerbated by Microsoft's direct competitors, Sony and Google, who would be strongly opposed to the deal.
The FTC staff would also consider other issues, such as the two companies massive amounts of customer data, the potential impact on the labor market, and, last but not least, the complaint Activision received in 2021 for alleged mistreatment and discrimination against female employees.
According to Dealreporter, the FTC staff will hand the ball over to the Bureau of Competition in a matter of weeks, and then to the five Commissioners, who are expected to make a final decision in late November.
What about the rest of the world? The European Commission will rule on November 8 (but does not rule out a delay), while the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), concerned about the deal's impact on PlayStation's strength, has set a March 1, 2023 deadline.
What do you think about this acquisition? Let us know in the comments!
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