Microsoft to close its $69bn acquisition of Activision next week
Microsoft is inching closer to wrapping up its whopping $68.7 billion acquisition of gaming powerhouse Activision Blizzard, with a tentative closing date set for Friday, October 13. The deal, which has been cooking for 20 months, faced roadblocks from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). However, Microsoft recently rejigged the deal to hand over cloud gaming rights for current and new Activision Blizzard games to Ubisoft, winning preliminary approval from the CMA.
CMA's final decision is expected next week
The CMA's deadline for collecting opinions on whether to greenlight the merger ends today. We can expect a final decision from the regulatory body next week, and unless there are any unexpected last-minute hiccups, Microsoft should be good to go with the acquisition. The deal was initially stopped by the CMA earlier this year, but Microsoft's restructuring moves seem to have appeased the regulator's concerns.
Deal deadline extended to October 18th
Microsoft and Activision Blizzard had recently pushed their deal deadline to October 18. But if Microsoft can seal the deal by next week, it'll wrap up a long journey of regulatory approvals and tussles across Europe and the US ahead of schedule. Snagging Activision Blizzard, the brains behind hit franchises like Call of Duty, is set to give Microsoft's gaming portfolio a major boost.
Impact on Microsoft's gaming ecosystem
The Activision Blizzard acquisition is bound to shake up Microsoft's gaming ecosystem. With crowd-pleasers like Call of Duty in its corner, Microsoft could solidify its standing in the gaming world and amp up its Xbox platform. Plus, handing over cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft might spark new collabs and partnerships down the line, further broadening Microsoft's footprint in the gaming market.
