Microsoft Officially Acquires Activision Blizzard After Receiving UK Regulator Approval

Almost 2 years after their initial announcement, Microsoft has finally acquired Activision Blizzard.

This news comes shortly after receiving approval from the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which was the last major regulator still opposing the acquisition. The CMA stated that they reached a new deal with Microsoft where they would hand over Activision Blizzard’s cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft, thus preventing Microsoft from “locking up competition in cloud gaming”.

“We’ve cleared the new deal for Microsoft to buy Activision without cloud gaming rights. In August, Microsoft made a concession that would see Ubisoft, instead of Microsoft, buy Activision’s cloud gaming rights. This new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gamers.”

The deal will set Microsoft back about  $68.7 billion, the biggest company buyout in videogame industry history. It will also place numerous popular gaming franchises under Microsoft’s control, including Overwatch, Spyro the Dragon, Crash Bandicoot, Call Of Duty, Candy Crush, and more.

Regarding the successful acquisition, Xbox head Phil Spencer had this to say:

“As one team, we’ll learn, innovate, and continue to deliver on our promise to bring the joy and community of gaming to more people, We’ll do this in a culture that strives to empower everyone to do their best work, where all people are welcome, and is centered on our ongoing commitment of Gaming for Everyone. We are intentional about inclusion in everything we do at Xbox – from our team to the products we make and the stories we tell, to the way our players interact and engage as a wider gaming community.

“Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms,” Spencer said today. “We’ll share more about when you can expect to play in the coming months. We know you’re excited – and we are too.

If you recall, Microsoft promised that they would bring Call Of Duty to Nintendo platforms if this deal went through, although it still remains to be seen whether this will come to pass. Stay tuned for more updates as they come.

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