Microsoft Gets UK Greenlight For Activision Blizzard Deal

After what feels to be a prolonged battle with the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is now well on the way in the kingdom. A revised deal for the procurement of the latter has reportedly cleared, allowing the former to put to a close what it has dramatically described as its “darkest day in its four decades operating in the UK”.

It’s not an overstatement to say that both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have gone through hoops and bounds in order to make their deal go through. Even after the acquisition received the go-ahead, first from the EU and then in the US after a judge in the latter set aside an injunction by the FTC, the UK’s CMA still remained bullish, determined even, to see that it wouldn’t go through.

We are encouraged by this positive development in the CMA’s review process. We presented solutions that we believe fully address the CMA’s remaining concerns related to cloud game streaming, and we will continue to work toward earning approval to close prior to the October 18…

— Brad Smith (@BradSmi) September 22, 2023

Then, in an effort to pacify and placate the UK’s CMA, Microsoft changed its acquisition deal slightly, saying that it would transfer the cloud gaming rights for Activision Blizzard games over to the French video game studio, Ubisoft. Much to everyone’s surprise, the British regulatory body actually saw the appeal of that change, stating in a recent press release that it only saw limited “residual concerns”, but the Redmond-based company said that it has already put forward safeguards to ensure that the terms of Activision’s rights are enforceable by the CMA.

All having been said and done, it is somewhat a relief to see that the whole Microsoft and Activision Blizzard ordeal will be getting closure, especially after a very long legal battle that spanned across several regions.

(Source: Gov.UK, Techspot, Guardian, BBC)

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