Microsoft completes Activision Blizzard acquisition

Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard on Friday. Previously, the British market authority CMA approved the deal, allowing the companies to proceed with the acquisition without further obstacles.

The completion of the deal, which includes $69 billion, has been confirmed by Microsoft The New York Times. The Verge previously reported that the companies wanted to move the closing from October 18 to October 13, but that they were still waiting for the green light from the CMA. This morning the market regulator finally approved the takeover.

In January 2022, the deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard was announced. It is the largest acquisition that has ever taken place in the gaming sector. Not everyone was happy with the takeover. Microsoft’s competitors, including Sony, fear that the company will have too large a monopoly. Many market authorities were also concerned about the deal. Those concerns have now been allayed or reduced after Microsoft agreed to sell its cloud gaming streaming rights to Ubisoft. However, lawsuits from the American FTC against the takeover are still ongoing. These can continue even after the takeover has been completed.