It looks like the soap opera involving Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Sony and US and UK regulators is about to end. This comes after a US judge rejected two requests to prevent Microsoft from taking control of game publisher Activision Blizzard, whose purchase deal was closed earlier this year but remains unrealized.
Microsoft’s Phil Spencer said the tech giant had agreed to a “binding agreement” to keep Call of Duty on Sony’s gaming platform, thus giving gamers more choice.
Spencer signaled the outcome this Sunday (16), ending a prolonged battle between the two companies since Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard, in early 2022. Microsoft confirmed to the BBC that there is a 10-year agreement with Sony, similar to what was done with Nintendo.
Biggest game purchase
Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion purchase of Activision is the biggest of its kind in gaming industry history, but the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been trying to block the transaction. However, the decision of a US judge to reject yet another request from the FTC, last Thursday (13), to temporarily stop the deal, means that the merger can be completed by this Tuesday (18).
This comes after the deal was approved by the European Union, while an offer to block the UK merger is currently under appeal. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which initially blocked the acquisition, has now said it will spend six weeks reviewing Microsoft’s “detailed and complex” submissions.
The CMA has had until Aug. 29 to formulate a decision, although it has said it intends to do its duty as soon as possible, preferably before that date.
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