UK competitors regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has set a statutory deadline of March 1, 2023, to publish its ultimate report into the potential dangers of Microsoft’s buy of Activision Blizzard.

Earlier this 12 months, the CMA mentioned the proposed deal may hurt Microsoft’s rivals, including that its issues warranted an in-depth “Phase 2” investigation into the seismic $68.7 billion acquisition.

“Following our Phase 1 investigation, we’re involved that Microsoft may use its management over in style video games like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft post-merger to hurt rivals, together with latest and future rivals in multi-game subscription companies and cloud gaming,” mentioned Sorcha O’Carroll, senior director of mergers on the CMA, on the time.

The CMA then invited Microsoft and Activision Blizzard to submit proposals addressing its issues earlier than the Phase 2 investigation kicked off to permit a panel of unbiased specialists to “probe in additional depth the dangers recognized at Phase 1.”

Now, the CMA has confirmed {that a} report detailing the findings of its Phase 2 investigation shall be revealed no later than March 1, 2023, and has set a ultimate deadline of February 2023 for all events to submit their ultimate responses.

The CMA will reveal its provisional findings and potential treatments to Activision Blizzard and Microsoft in January 2023, permitting each corporations to “take into account potential treatments and response hearings.”

You can see the complete administrative timetable for the CMA’s ongoing Phase 2 investigation into the merger over on the UK authorities web site.