Sponsored By

Despite a deeper probe by UK regulators, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expects to successfully acquire Activision Blizzard when all is said and done.

Justin Carter, Contributing Editor

September 22, 2022

1 Min Read
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella during an Xbox livestream event.

The United Kingdom's sudden regulatory interest in Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard isn't fazing CEO Satya Nadella. Speaking to Bloomberg, Nadella expressed faith that the in-progress acquisition will gain approval. "Any acquisition of this size will go through scrutiny, but we feel very, very confident that we’ll come out,” said Nadella.

Nadella's comments come a week after the UK's regulatory board, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), announced that it would be conducting a deeper probe into the deal. The investigation, according to a person in Brussels speaking to Financial Times, will reportedly involve multiple investigators. 

Earlier in the month, Microsoft reportedly had the option of submitting a proposal that met the CMA's concerns, but opted not to. Among the CMA's worries was that Microsoft was hurting competition by buying Activision Blizzard, whose franchises Call of Duty and Overwatch are releasing new installments later this year. 

Xbox head Phil Spencer has been the mouthpiece for Xbox as it waits for approval from regulators all over the world. Spencer has frequently said that Xbox wouldn't lock off Call of Duty or Overwatch going forward, but the topic has remained a point of contention for the CMA and notably Sony

Regarding Sony, Nadella was quick to point out that the PlayStation maker has also been partaking in acquisitions in recent years, including Returnal maker Housemarque and Destiny 2 developer Bungie. "If this is about competition, let us have competition," argued Nadella.

Nadella isn't wrong in saying that PlayStation has been acquiring studios. But unlike Microsoft with Activision now and Bethesda in 2021, PlayStation didn't buy two large-scale publishers back-to-back. 

About the Author(s)

Justin Carter

Contributing Editor, GameDeveloper.com

A Kansas City, MO native, Justin Carter has written for numerous sites including IGN, Polygon, and SyFy Wire. In addition to Game Developer, his writing can be found at io9 over on Gizmodo. Don't ask him about how much gum he's had, because the answer will be more than he's willing to admit.

Daily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inbox

You May Also Like