Microsoft, Activision Deal Review Extended By The European Commission

The European Commission, in a filing, has decided to extend its deadline for its decision on Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

The deadline has been extended by 10 days to April 25. This is the second time the European Commission has extended its deadline.

Microsoft has been facing scrutiny by the European Commission, as well as from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the US and the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) in the UK. The deal has been confirmed to have been approved in Brazil, Chile, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia.

Read more: Explainer: How Microsoft Is Addressing Antitrust Concerns Over Activision Deal

The CMA last month in its provisional conclusion concluded the deal could put Microsoft in an even stronger position in cloud gaming and could stifle competition in the growing market, which in turn could harm UK gamers who are unable to afford consoles. It could also weaken the rivalry between Xbox and PlayStation in the video game console market and the CMA says this could also harm UK gamers.

The FTC in December announced it was looking to sue to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard as it would give Microsoft the ability to suppress its competitors in gaming. The FTC pointed to Microsoft’s record of acquiring and using gaming content to suppress content from rival consoles, including its acquisition of the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax Media.