EU defends split with UK on Microsoft, Activision Blizzard bid

Brussels: The EU anti-trust chief on Thursday defended the bloc’s decision to approve Microsoft’s $69-billion takeover bid for US video game giant Activision Blizzard despite the UK’s block on it.

But competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager admitted the split with Britain “raises questions”.

Xbox-owner Microsoft launched a bid for Activision Blizzard early last year, seeking to establish the world’s third biggest gaming firm by revenue after China’s Tencent and Japan’s PlayStation maker Sony.

Activision Blizzard’s hit titles include “Call of Duty”, “Candy Crush” and “World of Warcraft” and the move soon triggered competition concerns, and in Microsoft’s home US market federal authorities have gone to court to try to halt the dal.