LONDON: Microsoft filed an appeal today, May 25, of Britain's decision to block its USD 69 billion takeovers of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard, a company official said.
The agreement was rejected in April by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the antitrust watchdog in Britain, on the grounds that it may harm competition in the young cloud gaming market.
On Wednesday, the deadline for filing, Microsoft submitted its anticipated appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT), which hears appeals against CMA decisions. A CAT representative declined to comment.
Microsoft's director of communications, Robin Koch, stated, "We can confirm we have filed our appeal.
Both companies were incensed by the CMA's shocking decision to prohibit the largest-ever gaming merger; Microsoft said it had damaged confidence in Britain as a location for tech industries.
The merger was allowed earlier this month by the EU's competition authorities after they agreed to Microsoft's proposed remedies, which were largely similar to those it put forth in the UK.
Microsoft has also appealed the decision by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to halt the transaction on the grounds that it will stifle competition.
The CMA decision's merits are assessed by the CAT. Microsoft is not permitted to present any new remedies in the appeal.
Microsoft Overview: Microsoft is a multinational technology company that has played a significant role in shaping the modern digital landscape. Founded by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in 1975, Microsoft has become one of the world's largest and most influential corporations. The company is known for its wide range of software products, including the Windows operating system, Microsoft Office suite, and cloud computing services such as Azure.
Over the years, Microsoft has continuously evolved and diversified its offerings. It has expanded into hardware with devices like the Xbox gaming console and Surface tablets, and it has embraced the growing importance of the internet with services like Bing search engine, Outlook email, and the Edge web browser.
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