Pushing Buttons: Why the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger is a fight over the future of games
In this week's newsletter: A UK regulator blocked a $70bn acquisition last week not because of any threat now, but over worries about a future monopoly
As is now tradition, an enormous piece of gaming news landed right after last week's Pushing Buttons went out to readers: Microsoft's huge $70bn purchase of Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush owner Activision Blizzard, a deal that has been in the works since January last year, was unexpectedly blocked by a UK regulator.
This might not seem interesting to anyone except those involved with the business of video games, or people with an inexplicable interest in the actions of regulatory authorities in Britain, but wait! It is quite interesting, because the response from these two giant companies has been entertainingly petty.
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