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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Technology
Alex Hern

TechScape: Why Microsoft’s mega-merger with Activision Blizzard is stalling

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022.
The UK’s competition regulator has blocked Microsoft’s attempted $68.7bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Photograph: Dado Ruvić/Reuters

“Oh my god. Wow.” Phone calls with law professors about regulatory actions don’t normally start with unprompted expressions of amazement, but regulatory actions don’t normally come like this. Anne Witt, professor of law and member of the EDHEC Augmented Law Institute, had been expecting to have a very different conversation when we spoke last Wednesday.

But then, just minutes before we were due to talk, the UK’s competition regulator blocked Microsoft’s attempted $68.7bn acquisition of megadeveloper Activision Blizzard, the sprawling corporation behind games including Candy Crush Saga, World of Warcraft, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and, most importantly, Call of Duty.

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