Microsoft To Reportedly Receive an EU Antitrust Warning Over Its Activision Deal

The challenges surrounding Microsoft's bid for Activision Blizzard may escalate as the European Union reportedly prepares to issue an antitrust warning to the company.

As reported by Reuters which cites sources familiar with the matter, the European Commission is preparing a statement of objections to the deal, which will allegedly be sent to Microsoft in the coming weeks. 

The EU antitrust regulator, which has set an April 11 deadline to publish its final decision on Microsoft's proposed Activision Blizzard acquisition, has declined to comment on the situation, while a Microsoft representative stated that the company is "continuing to work with the European Commission to address any marketplace concerns."

"Our goal is to bring more games to more people, and this deal will further that goal," they added.

The EU challenge joins a formal objection from the US Federal Trade Commission, which last month, sued Microsoft in an attempt to block the acquisition.

Microsoft is expected to make concessions in order to secure the approval of its $69 billion deal with Activision Blizzard. One such concession that has been previously reported is a 10-year contract with PlayStation ensuring the continued availability of the Call of Duty franchise on the platform.

As of now, regulators in Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Serbia, and Chile have given the green light to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Meanwhile, the UK Competition and Markets Authority is still conducting the second phase of its investigation. The regulator recently extended its deadline for completing this process to April 26.

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