每日英語跟讀 Ep.K628: Microsoft's Ambitious Acquisition Faces Regulatory Hurdles in the UK
Microsoft's prolonged attempt to acquire the maker of Call of Duty, Activision Blizzard, is approaching a crucial point, as the UK's competition regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), concludes its public consultation on the matter. The CMA will review feedback from the public, submitted over the past week, along with Microsoft's revised proposal to determine whether they will reverse their decision to block the technology giant's takeover bid. The proposed merger has encountered challenges worldwide, with regulators expressing concerns about potential monopolistic power in the gaming market and its impact on consumer choice.
微軟在收購《決勝時刻》系列遊戲開發商動視暴雪的長期努力即將迎來關鍵時刻，因為英國的競爭與市場管理局（CMA）結束了對此事的公開諮詢。CMA 將審查過去一周內公眾提交的意見，以及微軟的修訂提案，以決定是否會撤銷他們阻止這家科技巨頭收購的決定。這項合併計畫的提案在全球各地都有遇到挑戰，監管機構對於在遊戲市場潛在的壟斷力量以及對消費者選擇的影響表示關切。
To address these concerns, Microsoft has entered into 10-year agreements with Sony and Nintendo, ensuring that Call of Duty will be available on PlayStation and Nintendo consoles. Additionally, Microsoft committed to making all Activision Blizzard games accessible on other cloud gaming platforms for the next decade. However, the CMA remains wary of the potential threat the merger poses to the fast-growing cloud gaming market, where games are streamed rather than downloaded.
為了應對這些擔憂，微軟與索尼和任天堂簽訂了為期 10 年的協議，確保《決勝時刻》將在 PlayStation 和任天堂的遊戲主機上玩得到。此外，微軟還承諾在未來十年內讓所有動視暴雪的遊戲在其他雲端遊戲平台上可用。然而，CMA 仍對這項合併計劃可能對快速增長的雲端遊戲市場造成威脅保持警惕，雲端遊玩是一種無需下載，直接以串流來播放遊戲的方式。
George Osborn, director of policy communications at Taso Advisory, suggests that the UK regulator is aiming to establish a robust regulatory environment for the technology sector, intending to position the UK as a tech superpower. He observes that the regulator's decision to block the merger aligns with the stance taken by both the US and the EU, pushing Microsoft back to the negotiating table. Despite gaining approval in the EU and China, the approval in the UK remains a significant milestone for Microsoft to complete the acquisition.
Taso 諮詢公司的公關策略傳播總監喬治·奧斯本認為，英國監管機構的目標是為科技行業建立強大的監管環境，以使英國成為科技超級大國。他觀察到監管機構阻止此次合併計劃與美國和歐盟採取的立場一致，迫使微軟重新回到談判桌。儘管在歐盟和中國獲得了批准，但在英國獲得批准仍然是微軟收購有待完成的一個重要里程碑。
The UK's gaming industry, generating nearly half of all entertainment sector revenue according to 2022 figures by the Entertainment Retailers Association, is a critical factor fueling Microsoft's interest in the deal. Notably, the lucrative mobile game Candy Crush is one of the key attractions for Microsoft in this acquisition. While the CMA has reiterated its stance on blocking the deal over concerns in the cloud gaming market, it also states that it will independently evaluate any restructuring efforts by Microsoft to address these concerns or claims regarding substantial changes in circumstances before reaching a final decision. The regulator is expected to deliver its verdict by 29 August.
根據 2022 年由娛樂零售商協會發布的數據，英國的遊戲產業收入幾乎佔據了娛樂行業總收入的一半，這是引發微軟對這項交易產生興趣的一個關鍵因素。值得注意的是，在這次收購中，對微軟具有吸引力的一個主要因素是盈利豐厚的手遊《Candy Crush》。儘管 CMA 重申其阻止合併計劃的立場是基於對雲端遊戲市場的擔憂，但監管機構同時表示，在做出最終判決前，仍會獨立評估微軟為解決這些擔憂或對相關情況做出重大實質變更聲明的任何重組行動。監管機構預定將在 8 月 29 日前做出裁決。
Reference article: https://news.sky.com/story/microsofts-determined-to-buy-the-maker-of-call-of-duty-but-will-the-uk-allow-it-12933327