UK’s CMA to hear more views on Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal

Competition and Markets Authority gives tech giant hope after it blocked acquisition of Call of Duty maker

The UK competition watchdog has said it will decide whether to clear or block Microsoft's $69bn (54bn) takeover of the video game developer Activision Blizzard by 29 August, as it gave fresh hope for the transaction by opening a new consultation on it.

The Competition and Markets Authority, which had originally said in April it would block the deal to take over the owner of hit titles such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft and Candy Crush, is seeking public contributions on whether it should clear it after a new submission from Microsoft.