Register

    U.K. watchdog says Microsoft’s Activision deal hurts gamers

    By SHOOTUpdated:No Comments1256 Views
    The Activision Blizzard Booth during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, June 13, 2013. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
    LONDON (AP) --

    Microsoft's stalled $68.7 billion deal to buy video game company Activision Blizzard has hit a fresh hurdle in the United Kingdom, where the antitrust watchdog said Wednesday that it will stifle competition and hurt gamers.

    Britain's Competition and Markets Authority said its in-depth investigation found that the deal could strengthen Microsoft's position in the growing cloud gaming market, "harming U.K. gamers who cannot afford expensive consoles."

    The blockbuster deal also could hurt British gamers by "weakening the important rivalry" between Microsoft's Xbox console and Sony's rival PlayStation machines, the watchdog said in a provisional report.

    The all-cash deal, which is set to be the largest in the history of the tech industry, is facing opposition from Sony and pushback from regulators in the U.S. and Europe because it would give Microsoft control of popular game franchises such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush.

    Microsoft's deputy general counsel, Rima Alaily, said the company is "committed to offering effectiveandeasilyenforceable solutionsthat address the CMA's concerns."

    The U.K. antitrust investigation is now set to drag on for a few more months. The regulator said it will now seek feedback, including possible options to address its competition concerns, from interested parties for its final report due April 26.

    The move dashes Microsoft's hopes that a speedy favorable outcome could help it resolve a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.

    The FTC has sought to block the deal, arguing that the merger could violate antitrust laws by suppressing competitors to the Xbox game console and its growing game subscription business.

    Microsoft told the FTC's administrative judge in January that it was working to resolve the U.K. investigation, as well as a separate probe in the European Union, and hoped to bring back proposed remedies to U.S. regulators.

    The Activision Blizzard deal is one of several regulatory hassles for Microsoft in Europe, amid expanded scrutiny for Big Tech companies on both sides of the Atlantic over worries that they have become too dominant.

    REGISTRATION REQUIRED to access this page.

    Already registered? LOGIN
    Don't have an account? REGISTER

    Registration is FREE and FAST.

    The limited access duration has come to an end. (Access was allowed until: 2023-02-10)
    Tags:Activision BlizzardantitrustBritain's Competition and Markets AuthorityMicrosoft



    Kennedy Center head warns staff of cuts and “skeletal” staffing during renovation closure

    Wednesday, February 11, 2026
    A woman walks outside The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center For The Performing Arts, Monday, Feb. 2, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

    As the Trump administration prepares to close the Kennedy Center for a two-year renovation, the head of Washington's performing arts center has warned its staff about impending cuts that will leave "skeletal teams."

    In a Tuesday memo obtained by The Associated Press, Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell told staff that "departments will obviously function on a much smaller scale with some units totally reduced or on hold until we begin preparations to reopen in 2028," promising "permanent or temporary adjustments for most everyone."

    A Kennedy Center spokesperson declined comment Wednesday.

    Over the next few months, he wrote, department heads would be "evaluating the needs and making the decisions as to what these skeletal teams left in place during the facility and closure and construction phase will look like." Grenell said leadership would "provide as much clarity and advance notice as possible."

    The Kennedy Center is slated to close in early July. Few details about what the renovations will look like have been released since President Donald Trump announced his plan at the beginning of February. Neither Trump nor Grenell have provided evidence to support claims about the building being in disrepair, and last October, Trump had pledged it would remain open during renovations.

    It's unclear exactly how many employees the center currently has, but a 2025 tax filing said nearly 2,500 people were employed during the 2023 calendar year. A request for comment sent to Kennedy Center Arts Workers United, which represents artists and arts professionals affiliated with the center — wasn't immediately returned.

    Leading performers and groups have left or canceled appearances since Trump ousted the center's leadership a year ago... Read More

    MySHOOT Profiles


    Add A Comment