Activision Blizzard Remains "Confident" Even After UK's Latest Statement

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)'s latest report warns that the Microsoft-Activision acquisition might not be the match made in heaven that it's made out to be. Despite the CMA's provisional report suggesting serious concessions--such as selling off the Call of Duty business--could be necessary to get the deal done, Activision Blizzard is still remaining positive.

In a statement to Rock Paper Shotgun, an Activision spokesperson said that the company hopes it can "help the CMA better understand our industry" and that the deal would "promote an environment where people can be confident they are getting great choices and fair deals."

CEO Bobby Kotick also sent an internal email to employees following the CMA report. "We are also confident that the law--and the facts – are on our side," Kotick wrote. "In this case, our combined companies will bring more competition to an already crowded field of world-class gaming competitors, including Sony, Tencent, NetEase, Apple, Amazon, and Facebook." In short, the acquisition could help both Activision Blizzard and Microsoft reach new heights and drive competition between other major companies in the tech and gaming industries. Or, at least, that's what he proposes.

The CMA's report digs into the possible outcomes a Microsoft-Activision acquisition could have on cloud and console gaming, including inflating Microsoft's position in the cloud gaming space and weakening the rivalry between PlayStation and Xbox. It notes that Microsoft's position in cloud gaming is especially concerning for those who "cannot afford expensive consoles." On the other hand, Microsoft promised that Call of Duty would remain available on other platforms, including PlayStation, for at least a decade.

"We are committed to offering effective and easily enforceable solutions that address the CMA's concerns," said Rima Alaily, Microsoft Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. "Our commitment to grant long term 100% equal access to Call of Duty to Sony, Nintendo, Steam and others preserves the deal’s benefits to gamers and developers and increases competition in the market."

This isn't the first time a significant person in a governing body expressed doubts about the deal. Just last year, the World Bank President criticized the buyout by questioning if it really was the "best allocation of capital" as opposed to investing in developing countries. The CMA press release presents "provisional" information, aka non-definitive information, so we'll need to wait for the final report in April to have a better sense of where things may be headed.