BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU antitrust regulators will decide by March 5 whether they want to approve Microsoft’s acquisition of $ 7.5 billion of ZeniMax Media, the US technology giant’s largest gaming acquisition, to better compete with PlayStation Sony Corp.
Microsoft requested approval from the European Commission for the deal on Jan.
The EU competition authority can approve the deal with or without concessions during its preliminary review, or it can open a full investigation if it has serious concerns.
ZeniMax, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, has developed hits including Fallout and Doom. The gaming industry has boomed, fueled by demand from users trapped at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; edited by Jason Neely