Bobby Kotick Expects 'Accelerated' Appeals Process in the UK Following 'Flawed' Microsoft Deal Block
Bobby Kotick Expects 'Accelerated' Appeals Process in the UK Following 'Flawed' Microsoft Deal Block - News
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Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick in an interview with CNBC says he expected an "accelerated" appeals process after the UK regulator, Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), blocked Microsoft’s $67.8 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard over concerns with cloud gaming.
Microsoft and Activision Blizzard quickly announced it would appeal the decision by the CMA, which will be reviews by the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) of the UK. The goal from CAT is to complete "straightforward" cases in under nine months, however, Kotick thinks they will be able to fast track its case.
"When you look at the facts and you look at what the opportunities are for the UK, this was a transaction that was only going to enhance opportunities for competition, for our players, for employees, and it was just a flawed ruling in every respect," said Kotick via a transcription by VideoGamesChronicle. "And what it demonstrated to us is that these regulators, they don't really understand our business."
He added, "It was so flawed in every way that it is actually going to create a lessening of competition, which is the opposite of what their mission is, and so we think the appeals tribunal will see that and rule in our favor."
Kotick thinks Activision Blizzard and "Microsoft and our barristers, who are exceptionally experienced at judicial review, think that there’s a way to accelerate the process, and that the conclusions were so flawed, that we should be able to get an accelerated result."
The Activision Blizzard CEO was unable to give a timetable as they have yet to file their appeals briefing.
"I can't tell you what the timing will be yet, because we haven’t filed our appeals briefing, but we'll get a lot more detail over the course of the next week and really better understand what the timing will be," Kotick said.
A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can contact the author on Twitter @TrunksWD.
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Source: VGChartz
