If you've not been keeping up, the FTC — the United States' antitrust regulator — is currently in a major legal battle with Microsoft regarding its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. This has dredged up all kinds of stories, not least of which the ridiculous budget of Sony's biggest games, Microsoft's plans to purchase Square Enix, and much more. Now, another complication has been thrown into the mix; Canada has declared its disapproval of the merger as well.
As reported by Game Developer, the Canada Competition Bureau has reacted to a memorandum from Microsoft that stated "every single worldwide regulator" — excluding the FTC and the UK's CMA — approve of the acquisition. The "factual inaccuracies" of this statement have been called out by the CCB's lawyer, Jonathan Bitran.
According to Bitran, the CCB made its concerns about the deal known back in May. Although it hasn't taken matters as far as the UK and the USA, its disapproval of the merger is another blow to Microsoft and Activision, and will likely cause yet more headaches for the two firms.
The CCB's thoughts on the matter echo those of the other regulators, saying the deal is "likely to result in a substantial prevention and/or lessening of competition with respect to gaming consoles and multigame subscription services."
We're still a long way from this situation resolving. What are your thoughts on this development? Discuss in the comments section below.
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