The other day, sources of The New York Times reported that the British regulator may oppose the deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard — Microsoft itself allegedly expects this. However, the corporation later denied the rumors.
Microsoft, in a comment for the newspaper, said that lawyers had not reported problems in the UK. In addition, the corporation has “weighty arguments” that should help convince the regulator.
According to analyst Jennifer Rie from Bloomberg Intelligence, the verdict of the British authorities will be decisive for the deal. If they decide to block the purchase, it will be extremely difficult for Microsoft to defend it — UK courts rarely overturn decisions made by the regulator. The UK’s position on the deal will also be taken into account by the European Commission and the American FTC.