Microsoft will defend its $68.7B acquisition of Activision Blizzard before EU regulators during a hearing on Feb. 21.
The tech giant will be given a chance to present arguments in favor of the deal in front of the European Commission.
- The non-public hearing comes a week after the commission issued a Statement of Objections, also called a "antitrust warning," over the deal, saying it could hinder competition.
- During the hearing, Microsoft will be allowed to respond to those objections, which haven't been released to the public.
- It's also possible that its rival Sony, which has been the major opponent of the deal, could be invited, resulting in a "courtroom-style clash" between the companies.
- Sony is concerned that Microsoft would make Activision's "Call of Duty" franchise exclusive to its own Xbox console and gaming services.
- The acquisition, which is Microsoft's largest, is also currently facing antitrust scrutiny from U.S. and U.K. regulators over its potential to harm competitors in the gaming industry.
