It was to be expected: if the announcement of the takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft caused a real seismic shock, it is still far from being set in stone.
Like what happened last year with Microsoft's takeover of Bethesda, this extraordinary $68,7 billion deal will have to go through the ballot of a US federal authority. .
Make way for the flood of justice
PlayStation fans can be reassured that the truly historic takeover orchestrated by Microsoft will be the subject of an investigation by the competent American antitrust authorities. According to our colleagues at Bloomberg, it is the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that will take care of the case.
This will have to analyze the video game portfolio of Activision and cross-check it with that of Microsoft, in order to determine whether such a merger could cause a situation of quasi-monopoly, or at the very least of unfair competition. The Commission had also dealt with the Microsoft-Bethesda case last year and had ruled in favor of the takeover. Still according to Bloomberg, the federal authority has however decided in the meantime to toughen up the tone on similar cases.
Microsoft and Activision Blizzard therefore only have to cross their fingers so that the investigation leads to a favorable judgment by the Commission. Even if this is the case, the same process will have to be followed, especially in Europe, as was still the case for the takeover of Bethesda.
An investigation to follow very closely, and a case far from being in the pocket, in short. Remember that Microsoft and Activision Blizzard estimate, if all goes well, that the takeover will be fully completed in the summer of 2023.
