Microsoft plans to complete the $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard next week. A source familiar with Microsoft's plans revealed that the company plans to complete the acquisition on Friday, October 13, announcing to the world that the 20-month process of acquiring "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard is over.
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But that date will still depend on Britain's Competition and Markets Authority, the regulator that blocked the Microsoft deal earlier this year. Microsoft recently adjusted the deal structure to transfer cloud gaming rights for Activision Blizzard's existing and new games to Ubisoft, and the Xbox maker received preliminary approval from the CMA at the end of last month.
The deadline for the CMA to gather opinions on whether to agree to Microsoft going ahead with the merger expires today. The CMA's final decision is expected next week, and if there aren't any unexpected last-minute changes, Microsoft should be able to complete the deal.
Microsoft and Activision recently extended the deal deadline to October 18, but if Microsoft can complete the deal next week, the 20-month process of regulatory approval and competition in Europe and the United States will end early.
Microsoft made important cloud concessions after Ofcom blocked the deal in the UK earlier this year over cloud issues, just weeks after the EU approved the deal. The regulatory battle in Europe began months after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) initially sued to block Activision Blizzard's acquisition in the United States last year. The FTC subsequently failed to obtain a preliminary injunction to prevent Microsoft from completing its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
The FTC is still appealing the outcome of the hearing to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and is expected to rule in early December. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission also plans to reopen an administrative case against Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The administrative case will begin 21 days after the Ninth Circuit rules on the FTC's appeal, and the hearing will be held remotely. If Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal closes on time, the FTC could try to undo it, but it would face an unprecedentedly tough fight.