The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into Microsoft’s planned buyout of video game giant Activision Blizzard.
The British regulator said it will explore whether the transaction could lead to a reduction of competition in the UK market.
Microsoft first revealed its plans to acquire the creator of “Call of Duty” in a $68.7 billion deal earlier this year. The deal would be the BigTech firm’s largest acquisition ever.
The Santa Monica, California-based company is one of the largest video game companies in the world, and publishes the Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Candy Crush franchises.
The size of the buy-out exceeds Microsoft’s $26 billion takeover of LinkedIn in 2016 and the $67 billion Dell paid in 2015 to purchase storage giant EMC.
Microsoft said the deal will see it become the third largest video game company by revenue worldwide, after Sony and Chinese technology giant Tencent.
The CMA’s deadline for the first phase decision is 1 September.
Microsoft has made other major video game-related acquisitions in recent years.
The BigTech first announced plans to acquire ZeniMax Media, the parent company of game developer Bethesda Softworks, for $7.5 billion in cash in September 2020.
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