MICROSOFT has scheduled a meeting with Jeremy Hunt to talk about the future of Call of Duty in the UK.
The UK is the only country so far that has attempted to block the purchase of publisher Activision Blizzard by Microsoft.
The UK is the only region currently trying to block the purchase.
Activision Blizzard owns a number of major gaming franchises, such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and Candy Crush.
If Microsoft decides to go ahead with the acquisition despite the UK’s opposition, then Activision Blizzard games could be banned in the country.
This would mean that people in the UK would be unable to purchase or download any games from Activision’s series.
This outcome is obviously undesirable for all of the parties involved, and it is likely that a resolution will be reached before such extreme measures are taken.
According to a report by Bloomberg, Microsoft President Brad Smith has arranged a meeting with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt this week.
A statement from a representative for Microsoft says that Smith has “scheduled talk about the potential of AI and the need for thoughtful regulation of it.”
It also says that Smith will also hold private discussions on other issues, “including the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard as we remain committed to finding creative and constructive ways to address remaining regulatory concerns.”
Microsoft is preparing a strategy to counter the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) decision, as Microsoft intends to complete the purchase.
An open hearing for the appeal is scheduled for late July, and work on the rebuttal started as soon as the decision was announced.
On the day that the decision from the CMA was announced, Smith said it was the “darkest day” Microsoft has experienced in 40 years working in the UK.
The future of Call of Duty and Candy Crush in the UK still hangs in the balance, and discussions continue.
Written by Georgina Young on behalf of GLHF.
