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Ukraine approves Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Regulators said the European Commission's cloud gaming competition concerns are not relevant to the country

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Ukraine joins the list of countries that have approved Microsoft's proposal to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion.

The country's Antimonopoly Committee announced yesterday, per Google Translate, that it authorized the deal, noting that it had few concerns regarding cloud gaming competition.

In the statement, the governing body said, "Microsoft Corporation and Activision Blizzard, Inc. do not carry out economic activity in the field of cloud gaming services in Ukraine."

"So the concerns expressed by the [European Commission] and the reasons for the prohibition of concentration in Great Britain are not relevant for assessing its impact on the dynamics of competition in Ukraine. Taking into account the above-mentioned factors, the Committee allowed the specified concentration."

The decision comes a week after South Africa also approved the merger of the companies.

The news comes a day after the UK's Competition and Markets Authority blocked Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard over concerns that the deal would "alter the future" of the cloud gaming market.

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Jeffrey Rousseau avatar
Jeffrey Rousseau: Jeffrey joined GamesIndustry.biz in March 2021. Based in Florida, his work focused on the intersectionality of games and media. He enjoys reading, podcasts, staying informed, and learning how people are tackling issues.
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