European Commission opens an in-depth investigation into Microsoft’s proposed $69B Activision Blizzard acquisition, setting a March 23 deadline for phase two (Stephanie Bodoni/Bloomberg)

Katharine Gemmell / Bloomberg:
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  —  Microsoft Corp.’s planned $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc. will be sent for an in-depth review unless …

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” …

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 …

Josh Sisco / Politico:
Sources: the FTC is likely to file an antitrust lawsuit to block Microsoft’s $69B Activision Blizzard deal; FTC staff are skeptical of the companies’ arguments  —  The Federal Trade Commission is likely to file an antitrust lawsuit to block Microsoft’s $69 billion takeover …

Stephanie Bodoni / Bloomberg:
The UK’s ICO could fine TikTok £27M after provisionally finding that the company breached data protection rules around children’s data  —  ByteDance Ltd.’s TikTok faces a possible fine of 27 million pounds ($28.9 million) after the UK’s privacy watchdog provisionally found the company …

Shannon Liao / Washington Post:
The NLRB says Activision Blizzard withheld raises from QA testers over their union activity; Activision is negotiating with Raven testers who voted to unionize  —  The National Labor Relations Board has investigated and found that video game titan Activision Blizzard withheld raises …