Microsoft closes deal to buy Activision Blizzard

Microsoft announced on October 13th that it has successfully acquired Activision Blizzard, marking a significant milestone for the corporation. With this purchase, Microsoft now holds full ownership of all internal studios and publisher intellectual property. The massive deal, with a staggering value of $68.7 billion, stands as the gaming industry's largest acquisition to date.

Following the completion of the deal, Activision Blizzard games will gradually become available on Game Pass. While eager gamers can anticipate the inclusion of these titles, it is important to note that certain recent releases, such as Diablo IV, will not be accessible via Game Pass until 2024.

The process of purchasing the game studio took 20 months due to inspections by numerous antitrust regulators - in particular, the American FTC and the British CMA. The CMA blocked the original deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard due to concerns that Microsoft would dominate the cloud gaming market. In this regard, Microsoft has decided to transfer the rights to cloud streaming of Activision Blizzard games to the French company Ubisoft Entertainment. So the CMA approved the deal only on October 13, 2023.

Activision Blizzard sent employees an email about the event. The company explained that the UK regulator, CMA, has given its approval to Blizzard deal with Microsoft. This means that they have obtained all the required approvals to finalize the transaction. The Blizzard team is excited about the prospect of reaching out to a wider audience and creating more enjoyable gaming experiences worldwide. They eagerly anticipate the future with Microsoft and the limitless possibilities it will offer to both employees and  players.

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