The Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard acquisition is finally becoming a reality. After the approval of the UK, the agreement was completed. The Microsoft – Activision agreement, which has been ongoing since January last year, is finally coming true. With the final approval from the United Kingdom, Activision-Blizzard will be sold to Microsoft for $68.7 billion. So what will happen to popular games like Call of Duty?
Approval For The Acquisition Of Microsoft And Activision-Blizzard From The UK
After the USA and Europe, Microsoft has been waiting for a while to get the green light from the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). In the new statement from CMA, the $68.7 billion “game-changing” Activision-Blizzard acquisition was approved under certain conditions.
The CMA blocked the merger earlier this year over competition concerns in cloud gaming. However, Microsoft resolved these concerns by signing an agreement transferring the cloud rights of Activision-Blizzard games to Ubisoft. Microsoft will complete this agreement approximately 20 months after its attempt to acquire Activision-Blizzard. According to the approval previously received from institutions, Call of Duty games will be available for PlayStation for another 10 years.
“We now have all necessary regulatory approvals for the closure, and we look forward to bringing joy and connection to more gamers around the world,” Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement sent to employees. This deal represents Microsoft’s largest acquisition ever. It will also make the company the third largest gaming distributor. We’ll see over time what impact it will have on Xbox and Windows.