Antitrust Regulators Block Microsoft-Activision Merger in UK and Beyond

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has temporarily banned Microsoft from acquiring an interest in Activision Blizzard, putting another dent in the almost year-long effort to acquire the popular game publisher. The CMA's decision comes weeks after it blocked the merger, citing concerns about its impact on UK consumers and the fast-growing cloud gaming market. While Microsoft and Activision Blizzard may soon get a reprieve from the European Commission, which reportedly plans to approve the merger next week, the CMA's ban remains in place.