A PYMNTS Company

EU To Decide Microsoft’s $7.5B ZeniMax Deal In March

By  |  February 1, 2021

EU antitrust regulators will decide by March 5 whether to clear Microsoft’s US$7.5 billion acquisition of ZeniMax Media, the US tech giant’s biggest gaming acquisition to better compete with Sony Corp’s PlayStation, reported Reuters.

Microsoft requested European Commission approval for the deal on January 29, a filing on the EU executive’s website showed.

The EU competition enforcer can clear the deal with or without concessions during its preliminary review, or it can open a full-scale investigation if it has serious concerns.

ZeniMax, parent company of Bethesda Softworks, has developed hits including Fallout and Doom. The gaming industry has recently soared, boosted by demand from users stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.