UK regulator approves Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard

In January 2022, we learned about the biggest deal in the gaming industry. Well, it was between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard. The deal was valued at $68.7 billion. Unfortunately, things were unfavorable at Microsoft’s end, and they didn’t go as planned. The deal faced several hurdles from the US, the UK, and the EU regulators who objected to this acquisition.

In the meantime, Microsoft was able to succeed in a court injunction in the US. Later on, the deal received approval from EU regulators. Since then, the only hurdle has been the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). According to some recent pieces of information, the problem has now been resolved. The CMA has given a green light to the deal.

The important part is that the CMA’s main complaint about the merger will be resolved since Microsoft would divest Ubisoft of the cloud gaming rights for Activision titles. It indicates that any current or future cloud gaming rights for Activision Blizzard titles couldn’t be licensed by Microsoft for the next fifteen years. According to CMA, such strategies will help grow competition, which will eventually benefit consumers and the economy.

The press release issued by CMA reads that ‘The CMA did discover a few minor remaining issues with the amended agreement, but Microsoft provided commitments that will ensure that the CMA can enforce the conditions of the sale of Activision’s rights to Ubisoft’. With this approval, Microsoft becomes the third-biggest gaming industry. Tencent and Sony are the first two big companies. Activision Blizzard will now be a part of Microsoft Gaming.