Microsoft poised to close massive Activision Blizzard acquisition next week
Is the mega deal on the brink of reality?
Microsoft is looking to close its $68.7 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard next week.
A souce familair with Microsoft's plans told The Verge the company hopes to close the deal on Friday, October 13.
The date is dependant on the approval of UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, which blocked the closure of the deal earlier this year. To appease the CMA, Microsoft transferred its cloud streaming rights for "all current and future" Activision Blizzard games to Ubisoft for a term of 15 years.
The review process from the CMA expired yesterday, and a decision is expected next week ahead of the 90-day extension agreement signed between Activision Blizzard and Microsoft to clse the deal. This agreement expires on October 18.
Earlier this week, the FTC renewed its fight to stop the deal from going through by issuing an administration complaint. The agency alleges that the deal would enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its subscription and cloud-gaming business. This comes after a federal judge denied the FTC's preliminary injunction against Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard ahead of a July 18 deadline.
Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022.