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Ukraine Becomes 7th Country to Approve Microsoft's Activision Blizzard Acquisition

The Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, the regulator in Ukraine, announced it has approved Microsoft’s $67.8 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

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XiNatsuDragnel153d ago

So Britian might not get Microsoft??? I don't know what happens here.

Profchaos152d ago

That can't simply withdraw services from the UK it's not just the Xbox division but cloud services and all windows products If I hazard a guess I'd say 85 percent of companies that operate with over 10 employees use Azure in some way.

Basically if they want Activision they need approval globally pulling all services from the UK is impossible due to how much is invested into data centres and subscription services along with windows and server sales

Petebloodyonion152d ago

If the decision still stands in the UK they would probably create a shell company that operates aside from Microsoft and abide by certain rules like not putting a game like COD on Gamepass /PS+ in UK.

RauLeCreuset152d ago

What are you basing that prediction on?

Extermin8or3_152d ago

They can't even do that. King is headquartered in the uk lol it was a British company before it became oart of activision.

giovonni152d ago (Edited 152d ago )

That is another option that was tossed around. First, they have to go through the appeal process. To be honest, after looking at the facts to this, to block this due to cloud gaming when it’s not a major player, and it’s future is uncertain, and based upon speculative motions, then for Microsoft to offer remedies to give not only cloud based companies but also consoles access to the library makes no sense to block it based on cloud gaming when it doesn’t have a true sound future. And for @RauleCreuset the prediction is base on executive passed information review this at 8:20 https://youtu.be/ZxFbYsUVZ9... So outside of a fan boyish reaction. in business this block doesn’t make sense. How can you punish a company for being more prepared than the rest? The UK is blocking a company before they can even compete. Further More there are already companies that tried to break into the sector and couldn’t do it Sony and Google are two of those and it didn’t work .

RauLeCreuset152d ago (Edited 152d ago )

@giovonni

The video said Pachter suggested they may be able to do that to get the CMA to approve the deal, in the event they're successful on appeal and the process essentially restarts. Pete was suggesting doing that, not in the context of trying to gain approval, but in the context of if the decision still stands.

That said, thank you for that, and going so far as to time mark it for me. I do like the video. I watched from the beginning. I stopped at 9:00, but I'm going to finish it now.

Update: Finished. I like how they handled that. I'm not familiar with anything else they've done, but the impression I got was that they had been very vocal that the deal would pass and were perhaps publicly rooting for it to pass. They immediately owned up to being wrong AND put some thought into the shortcomings of their own thought processes or perspectives that led them to get it wrong. They were in agreement with the CMA by the end.

shinoff2183152d ago (Edited 152d ago )

I don't think cod on gamepass or ps plus is the issue.

Giovanni, there's more tonthis then what's being released. We can't really say much and have been arguing emotion for the most part. Didn't I hear the cma released a 400 page document to the public. That'll have more answers sure

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 152d ago
neutralgamer1992152d ago

Phil. Spencer said Microsoft and Xbox are not competing with Sony and Nintendo but instead they are competing with Amazon and Google.because google and Amazon are trying to reach 7 billion gamers

Not my words

For those of you saying, Microsoft can survive without UK market don’t realize the fact that EU and FTC both haven’t approved this deal either. CMA isn’t going to reverse its own decision so this is Microsoft fighting to save the 3 billion they have to pay activision even if this deal doesn’t go through

Xbox owns 24 studios plus many 2nd party developers partnerships

Plantation owns 20 studios with many other partners

How about both just manage what they have and provide support and resources. Ms haven’t proven the fact they can manage talent

Babadook7152d ago (Edited 152d ago )

I’m guessing that all contracts are null & void if CMA truly blocks it.

Rynxie152d ago

Oh yes, the most corrupt country in the world approves a monopoly. Should I be surprised? Okay 🙀

SullysCigar152d ago

Hey now, stop that. Nothing corrupt about the Ukraine and it's certainly not a country you can buy out. It's not like they're going to do whatever the US says to keep the money flowing in. This is totally legit. They will have weighed up the pros and cons, like unbiased professionals, because this is an important issue for their country right now. Top of the agenda, probably. This matters and MS should probably just pop the corks. Again.

/ MASSIVE SARCASM

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 152d ago
RaidenBlack153d ago (Edited 153d ago )

Microsoft - "Hey... Hey guys?"
< Gunshots echo >
Ukraine - "umm, uh yeah?"
< Bombs explode, bombers fly overhead >
Microsoft - "Can we buy this game company? Would be really cool! "
< Tank rolls by >
Microsoft - "We really need some good shooter games on the game pass. "
Ukraine - "uhh, yea sure why not ... "

RpgSama152d ago

Yeah, I do not think they put a lot of thought in this decision, considering we are talking about games and they have a war over there. They were like, "yeah, whatever"

crazyCoconuts152d ago

Microsoft hands over 10,000 buggy HoloLens devices to military as part of agreement...

Unknown_Gamer5794152d ago

They’re busy living CoD right now, so yeah, I’m not surprised they just passed this to get it off the agenda so they can focus on the much more important task at hand.

onisama152d ago

Every big compitition to XBOX in cloud gaming defended the deal (Nvidea & Boosteroid) after UK blocking it, CMA just didnt want to say: oh we only care about sony and what benefit them the most

Outside_ofthe_Box152d ago

Those guys will go the way of Stadia eventually.

Extermin8or3_152d ago

Actually like 6 major stakeholders opposed the deal in the cma report. Just all bar Sony wanted to remain anonymous.

shinoff2183152d ago

Thank you. No one seems to want to point this out. It's just damn you Sony. Damn you Sony everywhere. These guys are losing their minds. They don't lose anything by this deal going through.

In the last few years I cannot play any future games from studios I really enjoy, obsidian, inxile, bethsada unless I buy an Xbox. I'm going to closer to starfield , just hope I come across a good deal

shinoff2183152d ago

The cma don't have anything to do with sony orchy. Take the tin foil hat off

Vithar152d ago

Ukraine has bigger problems than ABK acquisition, sadly

Flakegriffin152d ago (Edited 152d ago )

Next weeks article: “Zimbabwe approved the buyout for Activision.”

XbladeTeddy152d ago (Edited 152d ago )

I'm betting on Russia approving next.

edit: actually no it's an American company so they will veto the vote.

SullysCigar152d ago

Followed by: "Djibouti tells UK: Pass ABK deal or we will withhold future trade deals"