UK watchdog halts legal battle with Microsoft over £55bn Activision takeover
The IndependentFor free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The UK’s competitions watchdog has said it is willing to work with Microsoft over its planned acquisition of video game company Activision Blizzard, which could halt an impending legal battle. We stand ready to consider any proposals from Microsoft to restructure the transaction in a way that would address the concerns set out in our final report Competition and Markets Authority The regulator insisted that such a deal would give Microsoft an unfair advantage in the cloud computer game market. While we ultimately disagree with the CMA’s concerns, we are considering how the transaction might be modified in order to address those concerns in a way that is acceptable to the CMA Microsoft A CMA spokesperson said: “We stand ready to consider any proposals from Microsoft to restructure the transaction in a way that would address the concerns set out in our final report. “In order to be able to prioritise work on these proposals, Microsoft and Activision have agreed with the CMA that a stay of litigation in the UK would be in the public interest and all parties have made a joint submission to the Competition Appeal Tribunal to this effect.” Microsoft said in a statement: “While we ultimately disagree with the CMA’s concerns, we are considering how the transaction might be modified in order to address those concerns in a way that is acceptable to the CMA.” A five-day court hearing in San Francisco ended late last month.