Microsoft fights to save Activision merger, says Sony protest is “self-serving”

UK regulators have referred Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard to a Phase 2 investigation. The UK Competition & Markets Authority released the full text of its referral decision. Microsoft provided Ars with the executive summary of its latest response to the CMA’s Phase 1 analysis. Sony has argued that Microsoft could pull Call of Duty from PlayStation, saying Microsoft’s offer to keep the game series on PlayStation for at least another three years beyond the current agreement is inadequate. Microsoft: Sony is not vulnerable to a hypothetical foreclosure strategy, and the Referral Decision incorrectly relies on self-serving statements by Sony which significantly exaggerate the importance of Call of Duty to it and neglects to account for Sony’s clear ability to competitively respond. ‘There were over 280 exclusive first- and third-party titles on . . .