The Competition and Markets Authority for UK has stated that it believes that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard would adversely affect the industry.
In a summary that explains why the regulatory body has decided to potentially start a second phase of its inquiry, the CMA has stated that it believes that this merger could “significantly weaken” PlayStation.
“The CMA is concerned that having full control over this powerful catalogue, especially in light of Microsoft’s already strong position in gaming consoles, operating systems, and cloud infrastructure, could result in Microsoft harming consumers by impairing Sony’s – Microsoft’s closest gaming rival – ability to compete,” states the CMA in its summary.
The summary by the CMA also mentions the fact that after completing its acquisition of Bethesda, Microsoft announced that The Elder Scrolls 6 and Starfield would both be exclusive to Xbox consoles.
Microsoft recently revealed that its acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been moving at good pace. Microsoft president spoke to Belgian business publication L’Echo, stating that the acquisition is moving at a fast enough speed for its size. Considering the merger’s pace, it is likely that it will be completed by 2023.