Microsoft Activision Blizzard deal has been approved in Brazil – the second country to give the Xbox maker the green light despite concerns by companies like Sony and Google. What’s more is that the acquisition has been approved with no restrictions because the regulatory authority, CADE, does not think it’ll negatively impact the console market as a whole. However, CADE did acknowledge that potential Call of Duty exclusivity in the future could encourage customers to jump ship from PlayStation to Xbox.
Microsoft Activision deal has yet to be approved in Europe and USA
With Saudi Arabia and Brazil out of the way, Microsoft is eyeing a seal of approval in both Europe and the USA, two of the most significant markets. In the USA, the FTC has expressed its reservations but the deal is expected to go ahead regardless. Microsoft is facing the most scrutiny in Europe, where authorities aren’t expected to make a decision until the end of this year or early next year.
For its part, Sony flew out SIE CEO Jim Ryan to EU headquarters in Brussels to persuade regulators to reconsider the deal. Meanwhile, Microsoft continues to insist that Sony and Nintendo will remain the biggest gaming companies even after the acquisition.
