CMA: Deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard will negatively affect on the British video game market

The British antitrust regulator CMA has published an opinion about the deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard.  Despite the fact that the CMA has not yet made a final decision, the preliminary conclusion is disappointing: the regulator believes that the deal between the companies will harm the British video game market.

The CMA sent list of complaints to both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. Among other things, the regulator invited companies to revise the terms of the deal and make some compromises. CMA also provided its vision of resolving the situation: the regulator believes that companies should take the Call of Duty series out of the brackets of their agreement.

Microsoft said they are ready to cooperate with the regulator, but the company is not yet ready to abandon Call of Duty.  Apparently, Microsoft considers the condition of guarantees to release a series of shooters on the platforms of competitors as a rather elegant compromise.