Microsoft's purchase of Activision set for in-depth European review - report
Rich Polk


Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) planned $69 billion purchase of videogame giant Activision (NASDAQ:ATVI) is expected to see an in-depth review by European antitrust regulators. Activision ticked down 0.6%.

Microsoft (MSFT) is expected to file with the European Commission at its headquarters in Brussels in the coming weeks, according to a Financial Times report, which cited regulators and others involved in the deal.

One competition attorney with knowledge of the ATVI/MSFT deal said it was "almost impossible" for Microsoft (MSFT) to offer a remedy to the European regulator that would prevent the deal from moving into an in-depth probe.
The FT report comes after UK's antitrust authority earlier this month said it planned an in-depth review of the Activision (ATVI) deal. Microsoft decided not to offer any remedies to the UK regulator because there was nothing that the authority would likely accept, the FT reported.
On Tuesday Dealreporter said that the deal is moving toward a filing with the European Commission, though the exact timing wasn't known. The antitrust regulator hasn't singled out major issues after a thorough prenotification.