ATVI - Microsoft likely to receive EU warning over planned Activision deal - report

• Microsoft ( NASDAQ: MSFT ) is expected to receive an European Union antitrust warning over its planned $69 billion acquisition of video game maker Activision ( NASDAQ: ATVI ).
• The European Commission is preparing a charge sheet called a statement of objections in regards to the megadeal which is expected to be sent to Microsoft ( MSFT ) in the coming weeks, according to a Reuters report , which cited people familiar.
• "We're continuing to work with the European Commission to address any marketplace concerns," Microsoft told Reuters in a statement. "Our goal is to bring more games to more people, and this deal will further that goal."
• Microsoft ( MSFT ) is expected to send potential remedies to the EC to try to appease the regulator, though the authority isn't expected to be amenable to the concessions until it sounds out its charge sheet, according to Reuters.
• The European Commission has an April 11 deadline to finish its review of the Activision deal. The EC declined to comment to Reuters. The EC in November said it was opening an in-depth investigation into the transaction citing fears that the deal may "significantly reduce competition."
• The potential EU warning comes after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission last month sued to block the deal - the biggest regulatory threat to Microsoft in 20 years - saying the deal would let Microsoft suppress competition for its Xbox videogame consoles and its subscription gaming business. The FTC has set a hearing on its attempt to block the Activision ( ATVI ) deal before an administrative law judge in August.
• Earlier this month the UK antitrust watchdog's review of he the transactio n was extended to late April from early March.
• On Thursday Bloomberg reported that Google ( GOOGL ) and Nvidia ( NVDA ) have joined Sony ( SONY ) in ex pressing concerns about the $69 billion deal.

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