The UK’s CMA says Microsoft’s $69B Activision Blizzard acquisition will require an in-depth review and gives Microsoft a September 8 deadline to offer remedies (Katharine Gemmell/Bloomberg)

Stephanie Bodoni / Bloomberg:
European Commission opens an in-depth investigation into Microsoft’s proposed $69B Activision Blizzard acquisition, setting a March 23 deadline for phase two  —  Microsoft Corp.’s proposed $69 billion takeover of games developer Activision Blizzard Inc. faces an in-depth European Union probe …

Samuel Stolton / Politico:
Sources: the EU is set to launch an in-depth probe into Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal after Microsoft opted not to file remedies to antitrust enforcers  —  The European Commission is set to launch an in-depth investigation into Microsoft’s record $69 billion splash …

Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
Filing: European Commission sets a provisional November 8 deadline to complete the review of Microsoft’s proposed $69B Activision Blizzard acquisition  —  EU antitrust regulators will decide by Nov. 8 whether to clear Microsoft Corp’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of “Call of Duty” …

Christopher Dring / GamesIndustry.biz:
The UK’s CMA details its concerns with Microsoft’s Activision acquisition, including withholding games from rivals; Microsoft argues Sony is the dominant player  —  The CMA expects the deal to impact PlayStation and game streaming  —  The Competition and Markets Authority has detailed …

Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch:
UK’s CMA gives a final order to Meta to sell Giphy, after a judge ordered the CMA to reassess the case in July  —  Bye-bye: Meta has again been ordered by the UK’s competition watchdog to sell animated GIF platform, Giphy.  And this time it’s final.  —  The decision follows a ‘stay …

Tom Warren / The Verge:
In filings with UK’s CMA as part of its Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft says it plans to build a new Xbox Mobile Platform and a store to sell games  —  Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal is key to the company’s mobile gaming efforts.  Microsoft is quietly building a mobile Xbox store …