The CMA has remained an outlier in Microsoft's ongoing bid to buy Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard, being one of the only bodies to oppose the deal.as its reason for blocking the acquisition, stating Microsoft's ownership of Activision Blizzard risked"stifling competition in this growing market".
The CMA has now said that its discussions with Microsoft are still in the"early stages", and the decision which was set out in its final report earlier this year"still stands". However, it is open to a new investigation should the deal be restructured. In a statement shared with Eurogamer, a CMA spokesperson said that"whilst merging parties don't have the opportunity to put forward new remedies once a final report has been issued, they can choose to restructure a deal". This could lead to a"new merger investigation" into the deal taking place.
"Microsoft and Activision have indicated that they are considering how the transaction might be modified, and the CMA is prepared to engage with them on this basis," the statement continued. "These discussions remain at an early stage and the nature and timing of next steps will be determined in due course. While both parties have requested a pause in Microsoft's appeal to allow these discussions to take place, the CMA decision set out in its final report still stands."