Will Microsoft and Activision Blizzard finally get the green light? August 22, 2023 Britain’s competition watchdog faces a tough call on whether to wave through Microsoft and Activision Blizzard’s merger as the EU and the US have done, but a green light could be down the road, experts have suggested. Microsoft’s renewed $69bn acquisition offer for gaming giant Activision Blizzard has triggered a new probe by the Competition [...]
Microsoft offers new Activision Blizzard deal to UK competition watchdog August 22, 2023 Microsoft has put a fresh deal on the table for its $69bn (£55bn) acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard, triggering a new investigation by Britain’s competition watchdog. On Tuesday the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) confirmed it is blocking the original deal to protect consumer choice in cloud gaming. However, Microsoft has submitted a fresh [...]
Ranked: The best banks for customer service? Monzo and Starling steam ahead August 15, 2023 Which banks are the best for customer service? A new official ranking has been produced by the consumer regulator
Tribunal upholds £84m CMA fine for firm that hiked drug prices August 8, 2023 The companies behind a drug whose price was hiked from £20 to £248 per pack in just eight years will be fined a combined £84 million after a tribunal upheld the competition watchdog’s decision. The Competition Appeal Tribunal on Tuesday had endorsed “all the main elements” of the Competition and Markets Authority’s decision, the CMA [...]
Supermarket fuel margins more than double since Ukraine war July 22, 2023 Supermarkets have more than doubled their margins on fuel since the start of the war in Ukraine, new analysis suggests. The RAC said Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s were making an average of around 4.7p per litre on fuel sales when the Russian invasion began in February 2022. The motoring services company found this had [...]
Countdown on for Microsoft and Activision as they try to extend deal deadline July 18, 2023 Time is ticking for Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, which are reportedly in discussions to extend the deadline for their proposed multi-billion pound tie up. Originally set to be closed by today, the deal may now require more time as the two tech companies work to address regulatory concerns, according to sources close to Reuters. If [...]
Microsoft pens agreement to keep Call of Duty on Playstation after Activision mega-deal July 17, 2023 Microsoft has signed an agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a tweet. A deal to keep Call of Duty on Playstation could further ease concerns surrounding the acquisition’s impact on competition. Speaking on the agreement, Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a tweet, “Even after we cross the finish line [...]
UK announces in-depth probe of Adobe’s $20bn Figma deal July 13, 2023 Britain’s antitrust regulator on Thursday announced an in-depth probe of Adobe’s $20 billion bid for cloud-based designer platform Figma, after the Photoshop owner said it would not offer any remedies to ease the regulator’s concerns. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said late last month it had found the deal could lead to less choice [...]
CMA outlines next steps for Microsoft and Activision as firms work to clear deal July 12, 2023 Microsoft and Activsion would have to present a new revised deal to the UK’s competition authority if it is to reconsider the multi-billion pound takeover deal, the agency said today. “While the merging parties do not have the opportunity to submit new solutions once a final report has been issued, they can choose to restructure [...]
CMA agrees pause on Microsoft appeal after US court waves through Activision deal July 12, 2023 The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said it is willing to work with Microsoft over its planned acquisition of video game company Activision Blizzard, which could help end its legal battle with the firms over the deal. It comes after a US judge yesterday handed Microsoft a victory by saying it would not [...]