ATVI - European regulator approved ZeniMax deal without any Microsoft commitments

European antitrust regulators said they approved Microsoft's purchase of Bethesda Softworks parent ZeniMax last year without getting any specific commitments from Microsoft ( NASDAQ: MSFT ) to no keep content exclusive to the Xbox.

"The Commission cleared the Microsoft/ Zenimax transaction unconditionally as it concluded that the transaction would not raise competition concerns," the European Commission said in a statement to Seeking Alpha on Friday. "Microsoft did not offer any commitments to the Commission."

The European Commission comments come after the Federal Trade Commission on Thursday sued to block Microsoft's planned $69 billion acquisition of video game giant Activision ( NASDAQ: ATVI ). The FTC in its complaint noted Microsoft's record of acquiring and using gaming content to suppress rival console competition - including acquiring Zenimax - after which Microsoft made several titles Microsoft exclusives despite assurances to the contrary, including to the European antitrust regulator.

"Microsoft decided to make several of Bethesda's titles including Starfield and Redfall Microsoft exclusives despite assurances it had given to European antitrust authorities that it had no incentive to withhold games from rival consoles," the FTC said in its press release announcing the lawsuit on Thursday.

The European Commission on Friday said "the conclusion that there are no competition concerns did not rely on any statements made by Microsoft about the future distribution strategy concerning Zenimax’s games."

The news about the EC's statement about the Zenimax deal was  earlier reported by MLex.

Earlier, analysts debate Activision/Microsoft fate - deal or no deal.

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