EU to rule on Microsoft’s $ 7.5 billion ZeniMax deal by March 5

MANAGEMENT PHOTO: A person walks past a Microsoft store in New York City, New York, USA on January 25, 2021. REUTERS / Carlo Allegri

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – EU antitrust regulators will decide by March 5 whether Microsoft will remove the $ 7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax Media, the US technology giant’s biggest game acquisition to better compete with Sony Corp’s PlayStation.

Microsoft has requested the approval of the European Commission for the agreement on January 29, a submission on the EU executive website showed.

The EU Competition Competitor may cancel the agreement with or without concessions during its preliminary review, or it may submit a full-scale inquiry if it has serious concerns.

ZeniMax, parent company of Bethesda Softworks, has developed hits including Fallout and Doom. The gaming industry soared, supplemented by demand from users sitting at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; edited by Jason Neely

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