Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard approved by European regulators

Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard approved by European regulators

Microsoft's US$69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been approved by European regulators, after the company made concessions to address antitrust concerns.

The European Commission said that Microsoft had agreed to allow European consumers to play Activision titles on any cloud gaming service for 10 years. The company also agreed not to downgrade the quality or content of its games made available on rival streaming platforms.

These commitments were enough to satisfy the European Commission, which said that they "fully address the competition concerns identified by the Commission and represent a significant improvement for cloud game streaming compared to the current situation."

The Microsoft deal, which would make the company the third largest game publisher in the world after Tencent and Sony, is still being challenged in the United States and the UK.

In a statement, Microsoft said that its commitment on game streaming would go beyond the European Union.

"The European Commission has required Microsoft to license popular Activision Blizzard games automatically to competing cloud gaming services," said Microsoft President Brad Smith. "This will apply globally and will empower millions of consumers worldwide to play these games on any device they choose."

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick called the requirements "stringent" and pledged to expand investments in EU workers.

"Our talented teams in Sweden, Spain, Germany, Romania, Poland and many other European countries have the skills, ambition, and government support needed to compete effectively on a global scale," Kotick said in a statement. "We expect these teams to grow and prosper given their governments' firm but pragmatic approach to gaming."

The approval of the deal by the European Commission is a major victory for Microsoft, and it is likely to increase pressure on regulators in the United States and the UK to approve the deal as well.