Regulators to Decide Fate of Microsoft's Bid for Activision Blizzard

Microsoft has submitted a new proposal to U.K. regulators for its takeover bid of Activision Blizzard after its initial proposal was rejected. Microsoft's vice-chairman and president, Brad Smith, stated that they have taken the concerns of regulators seriously and have worked to address them. The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority will now investigate the new proposal, with a decision deadline of October 18. Under the new deal, Microsoft will not acquire cloud rights for existing Activision PC and console games, or for new games released by Activision for the next 15 years. French gaming publisher Ubisoft will acquire those rights before Microsoft's acquisition of Activision. Smith believes that this transaction can advance competition and address regulatory concerns. Ultimately, it will be up to the regulators to decide whether the path is clear for the takeover.