Microsoft Corp. has opted not to file remedies to European Commission regulators prior to the antitrust investigation into the $69 billion acquisition of the gaming giant Activision-Blizzard Inc., according to a report published today by Politico.

Microsoft had been told it had up to the stroke of midnight today to submit any documents to the European Union’s competition regulator, but it seems the company put nothing on the table. Politico spoke to two people familiar with the matter.

The mega-acquisition has faced scrutiny all along. The U.K.’s antitrust regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority, launched its own probe in July this year. British regulators said they’re looking into the possibility of the acquisition leading to higher prices, less consumer choice, and whether it will hurt market competition in the gaming market.

Activision-Blizzard is one of the biggest gaming companies in the world, behind the immensely popular “Call of Duty” title. The company brought in $8.8 billion in revenue in 2021. Microsoft hopes this buyout will help it beat other gaming giants such as Sony Corp. and China-based Tencent Holdings Ltd. This acquisition is not the only move Microsoft has made in the gaming market. The company got the green light from the E.U. in 2021 to buy ZeniMax Media Inc. for $7.5 billion.

Regarding this new acquisition, the E.U. will finish its preliminary investigation by Nov. 8. Microsoft has said it is happy to work with the E.U. to address “any valid marketplace concerns.” It seems that Sony does have a concern related to “Call of Duty.” “Sony, as the industry leader, says it is worried about ‘Call of Duty,’ but we’ve said we are committed to making the same game available on the same day on both Xbox and PlayStation,” Microsoft said in a statement.

This is the most money Microsoft has paid for a company by a long way. The deal has faced scrutiny beyond Europe. It’s also being investigated by regulators in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea. In Brazil and Saudi Arabia, regulators have already approved the deal.

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