Microsoft’s $7.5 billion USD takeover of video game publisher ZeniMax is one step closer to completion, with the European Commission giving its tick of approval.
The computer giant announced last year it was acquiring ZeniMax, owner of Bethesda, which publishes titles including the Elder Scrolls and Fallout series.
In a statement clearing the deal, the European Commission said there were “no serious doubts as to its compatibility with the common market,” removing a major hurdle from its path.
“The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, given the combined entity’s limited market position upstream and the presence of strong downstream competitors in the distribution of video games.
“The transaction was examined under the normal merger review procedure,” the Commission said.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Bethesda is set to be a major boon for the Xbox platform; it is as yet unclear how the deal will affect the publication of Bethesda titles for Sony’s rival PlayStation, with Xbox chief Phil Spencer saying it would be taken on a “case-by-case basis”.
