Microsoft just filed a notification with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission announcing that it "has completed its previously announced acquisition of Activision Blizzard." The completion of the deal is the final event in a journey of acquisitions between the two companies that began in January 2022, when Microsoft first announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, the largest acquisition in Microsoft history to date.
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The deal has since undergone a lengthy regulatory approval process around the world. In April 2023, the British Competition and Markets Authority announced that it would not approve the transaction, saying that it would give Microsoft too much control over the cloud gaming market. Microsoft proposed a different plan to the British CMA, which is to hand over the cloud gaming rights to all Activision Blizzard's current and future games to Ubisoft for 15 years. Hours earlier, the CMA had given final approval, allowing Microsoft to complete the deal.
In a statement on the XboxWire website, Microsoft chief Phil Spencer said:
For the millions of fans who love Activision, Blizzard, and King games, we want you to know that today is a great day to play games. You are the heart and soul of these franchises, and we are honored to have you as part of our community. Whether you play on Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, PC or mobile, you're welcome, and even if Xbox isn't the place to play your favorite games, you'll still be welcome. Because when everyone plays, we all win. We believe today’s changes will bring endless possibilities for more ways to play. Thank you for your continued support. We have many more surprises waiting for you in the coming months – I’m excited about the future and can’t wait to share them with you.
Microsoft will also "begin work to bring beloved franchises from Activision, Blizzard and King to GamePass and other platforms," he added, adding that the company will reveal "game schedules in the coming months."