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Microsoft announced the biggest gaming deal in history in 2022, but the $69 billion deal was blocked by the UK competition regulator

Britain set to clear fresh Microsoft-Activision deal

Microsoft's restructured $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard "opens the door" to the biggest ever gaming deal being cleared, Britain's antitrust regulator said today.

Business • 22 Sep 23

Omar Abbosh will succeed Andy Bird, who is retiring after about three years as Pearson CEO

Pearson names Microsoft executive Abbosh as its new CEO

British education group Pearson said today it has appointed Microsoft executive Omar Abbosh as its new CEO effective early 2024.

Business • 20 Sep 23

Microsoft is still trying to get UK approval for its $69 billion deal for Activision Blizzard

UK minister rejects Microsoft criticism of deal ruling

British business minister Kemi Badenoch said today she did not agree with Microsoft President Brad Smith that the Competition and Market Authority's initial decision to block its purchase of videogame maker Activision was bad for Britain.

Business • 19 Sep 23

OpenAI said it plans to grow a team over the next year in Ireland

AI firm OpenAI to open new office in Dublin

ChatGPT developer OpenAI said today it is opening a new office in Dublin.

Business • 14 Sep 23

Microsoft last month offered to sell its cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft Entertainment after the UK's Competition and Markets Authority blocked the biggest gaming deal in history

EU regulators seek views on Microsoft remedies for CMA

EU competition regulators are asking Microsoft's rivals and customers whether they are affected by the US tech giant's proposals to gain UK approval for its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, sources close to the matter said.

Business • 12 Sep 23

The Starfield game being played at the Xbox booth at the Gamescom conference in Cologne last month

Microsoft gambles big on 'Starfield' video game

"Starfield", one of the most-anticipated video games in years, launches worldwide tomorrow with the hype - and production standards - of a Hollywood blockbuster.

Business • 05 Sep 23

Microsoft is trying to avoid a possible EU competition fine

Microsoft to unbundle Teams from Office

Microsoft said today it would unbundle its chat and video app Teams from its Office product and make it easier for competing products to work with its software, but rivals said it may need to do more to stave off a possible EU antitrust fine.

Business • 31 Aug 23

The UK regulator is the only major one to still object to the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal

Microsoft, Activision to sell streaming rights for deal

Microsoft said today that its acquisition target Activision Blizzard would sell its non-European streaming rights to Ubisoft Entertainment as part of a restructured transaction to get it past British regulators.

Business • 22 Aug 23

Apple last month became the first company in the world to reach a market value of $3 trillion

Apple, Microsoft world's top 2 companies by market cap

Tech giants Apple and Microsoft remained the top two global companies by market capitalisation at the end of July after riding this year's rally in technology shares.

Business • 01 Aug 23

The CMA called for anyone wishing to comment on the new version of Microsoft's takeover of Activision Blizzard to do so by August 4

UK regulator seeks input on Microsoft-Activision deal

The UK competition regulator has today called for public responses on whether Microsoft's $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard, maker of video game "Call of Duty", should be cleared ahead of a final decision by August 29.

Business • 31 Jul 23

EU competition regulators are to investigate Microsoft's tying of its chat and video app Teams with its Office product

EU regulators to investigate Microsoft over Teams

EU competition regulators have opened an investigation into Microsoft's tying of its chat and video app Teams with its Office product, saying that this could be anti-competitive.

Business • 27 Jul 23

The company's costs rose sharply in its latest quarter as Microsoft built new data centres to support AI

Microsoft charges ahead with spending for AI demand

Microsoft has laid out an aggressive spending plan to meet demand for its new artificial intelligence services after surpassing Wall Street estimates for fiscal fourth-quarter revenue and profit.

Business • 26 Jul 23

The top AI firms have pledged to thoroughly test systems before releasing them and share information about how to reduce risks and invest in cybersecurity

AI firms pledge to watermark AI content for safety

Top AI companies including OpenAI, Alphabet and Meta Platforms have made voluntary commitments to the White House to implement measures such as watermarking AI-generated content to help make the technology safer, the Biden administration said.

Business • 21 Jul 23

The two US companies had originally agreed to close the deal by July 18

Activision, Microsoft extend deadline to close deal

Activision Blizzard has extended the deadline for the close of its $69 billion takeover by Microsoft to October 18 as the companies work to secure approval from the United Kingdom's antitrust authority.

Business • 19 Jul 23

Microsoft signed a pact to keep "Call of Duty" on Sony's PlayStation console last week

Microsoft in talks to extend Activision deal contract

Microsoft is in talks about an extension of its acquisition contract with video game maker Activision Blizzard, which is set to expire today, so the parties can overcome the remaining regulatory hurdles to their $69 billion deal.

Business • 18 Jul 23

Nvidia shares are up well over 200% this year

Investors brace for earnings from 'Magnificent Seven'

The massive growth and technology names that have dominated the US stock market in 2023 are set to report earnings in coming weeks, potentially determining the path for this year's equity rally.

Business • 17 Jul 23

After July 18, Microsoft or Activision Blizzard will be free to walk away unless they negotiate an extension.

US asks appeals court to pause Microsoft deal

The US Federal Trade Commission has asked an appeals court to temporarily stop Microsoft from closing its $69 billion purchase of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard, just days after a federal judge rejected a similar request.

Business • 14 Jul 23

The UK Competition and Markets Authority became the first regulator to block the $69 billion deal in April, drawing fury from Microsoft and Activision Blizzard

UK's CMA open to new Microsoft-Activision investigation

Britain's competition regulator said today a restructured deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard could satisfy its concerns, subject to a new investigation.

Business • 12 Jul 23

A US judge ruled today that Microsoft may proceed with its planned $69 billion deal for videogame maker Activision Blizzard

US judge rules Microsoft-Activision deal can go ahead

A US judge ruled today that Microsoft may go forward with its planned acquisition of videogame maker Activision Blizzard, turning aside competition enforcers' request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop the $69 billion deal.

Business • 11 Jul 23

Microsoft's bid to buy the "Call of Duty" videogame maker was approved by the European Union in May, but British competition authorities blocked the takeover in April

Crunch time in FTC fight against Microsoft deal

Lawyers for the US Federal Trade Commission and Microsoft, which is seeking to buy Activision Blizzard, trade their final blows and make their final points today before a judge who has been asked to tap the brakes on the proposed $69 billion transaction.

Business • 29 Jun 23

Microsoft is seen as a leader in the adoption of AI technology in the software industry

Microsoft notches valuation of nearly $2.6 trillion

Microsoft shares rose to a new record high yesterday as market optimism about the prospects of artificial intelligence (AI) has helped buoy the technology giant to a record market capitalization of $2.59 trillion.

Business • 16 Jun 23

Microsoft is appealing against the Competition and Markets Authority's decision to veto the deal for Activision Blizzard

Activision intervenes in Microsoft challenge to UK move

"Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard has been given permission to intervene in Microsoft's legal battle with Britain's anti-trust regulator over its decision to block the $69 billion takeover.

Business • 09 Jun 23

Microsoft President Brad Smith was at the techUK Tech Policy Leadership conference in London today

Microsoft looks for solutions to UK block on Activision

Microsoft's president met Britain's finance minister for talks today and said he would try to work with regulators to seek UK approval for its $69 billion purchase of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard.

Business • 06 Jun 23

Microsoft was accused of gathering data from children aged under 13 who signed up to its Xbox gaming system

US fines Microsoft $20m over child data violations

Microsoft will pay $20 million (€18.7m) to settle US charges that it collected personal information from children without their parents' consent.

US • 06 Jun 23

The company added it would dispute the proposed fine after receiving a final order.

Microsoft prepares for potential €400m fine from DPC

Microsoft has said it expects to take a charge of about $425m (€396m) for a potential fine from the Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) over alleged privacy breaches at its unit LinkedIn.

Business • 01 Jun 23