LONDON — British antitrust regulators on Friday prolonged their deadline to problem a remaining order blocking Microsoft’s $69 billion plan to purchase online game maker Activision Blizzard, permitting them to contemplate the U.S. tech large’s “detailed and complex submission” pleading its case.

The Competition and Markets Authority had rejected the deal - the most important in tech historical past - over fears it could stifle competitors for well-liked sport titles like Call of Duty within the fast-growing cloud gaming market.

But the U.Okay. watchdog seems to have softened its place after a choose thwarted U.S. regulators’ efforts to dam the deal.

The authority says it has pushed its authentic deadline again six weeks to Aug. 29 so it might undergo Microsoft’s response, which particulars “material changes in circumstance and special reasons” why regulators shouldn’t problem an order to reject the deal.

The watchdog’s resolution could possibly be signal for Microsoft and Activision as they battle to shut the settlement signed almost 18 months in the past.

Microsoft had appealed the U.Okay. rejection to a tribunal that was because of hear the case on July 28. But either side mentioned this week that they collectively requested to place that listening to on maintain whereas Microsoft works on revamping the deal to appease regulators.

That announcement got here proper after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission misplaced its courtroom try and cease the deal, handing Microsoft an enormous victory. The FTC has appealed.

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