From the report submitted by MLEX at the preliminary hearing between Microsoft and theFTC extensionwhich had been set up to find agreement and not go to trial, the House of Redmond seemed determined to carry onActivision Blizzard acquisition In the event that it receives positive opinions from the European Commission and the Capital Markets Authority (Competition and Markets Authority, English Antitrust Authority).
It looks like Microsoft will offer the FTC the same concessions it has made to other antitrust regulators that it is willing to face Federal court In the event of additional opposition, it is strong in the case of the two IFAs, which at this point are granted as very likely (we will see what concessions are made).
From what has been learned, even if there are concrete proposals in this area at the moment, the FTC will be willing to negotiate, as it is always open to a peaceful resolution of issues.
In short, Microsoft seems really sure of its potential and still thinks it can close Transaction Within the specified times, so much so that we agreed with the FTC on a faster schedule for document capture and review.
As mentioned earlier, the outlook from the UK and European antitrust authorities is very positive. If there is another challenge from the FTC, the deal will proceed and the dispute will be resolved in court.
Now we just have to wait for the CMA’s decision, which will arrive by the end of January, and then the European Commission’s decision, which should follow soon.
