A document released by the European Commission on Friday showed that Microsoft offered money in a bid to secure EU antitrust approval for its $69 billion acquisition of Activision.
The bloc’s competition regulator, which did not detail its commitment to its measures, will seek feedback from competitors and customers before making its decision by May 22.
Microsoft President Brad Smith said the software company is willing to offer licensing deals to competitors to ease competition concerns, but does not want to sell the lucrative Call of Duty franchise to Activision.
In recent weeks, the company has signed agreements with three companies to bring Call of Duty to their platforms.
“We’ve delivered on our promise to bring Call of Duty to more players on more devices by entering into agreements to bring the game to Nintendo’s console and cloud game streaming services from Nvidia, Boosteroid and Ubitus,” a company spokesperson said.
“We are now backing this pledge up with binding commitments to the European Commission, which will ensure that this deal benefits the players well into the future.”
Sources told Reuters the company is likely to get EU clearance for the deal with those licensing obligations and other conduct challenges, while the jury is still out on whether the UK competition watchdog will do the same.
Reuters – This information and data publication is the intellectual property of Reuters. Its use or name is expressly prohibited without the prior permission of Reuters. All rights reserved.
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.