‘Call Of Duty’ Maker Activision To Be Bought By Microsoft For $69 Billion

This deal clears the way for the biggest deal in gaming history.

The UK competition watchdog has cleared Microsoft’s $69 billion deal to buy ‘Call of Duty’ developer Activision Blizzard. According to the BBC, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that Microsoft – the maker of the Xbox gaming console – could go ahead with the takeover after agreeing to buy Activision without cloud gaming rights. Now, this deal marks the culmination of a near-two-year fight to secure the biggest deal in gaming history.

Microsoft announced the biggest gaming deal in early 2022, but the $69 billion acquisition was blocked in April by Britain’s competition regulator, the BBC reported. The CMA was concerned that the US computing giant would gain too much control of the new cloud gaming market. However, changes in the deal have since been made. 

Last month the UK watchdog said a revised deal that included selling cloud gaming rights outside Europe to Activision Blizzard’s French rival Ubisoft had addressed its concern, indicating the tie-up would be approved. 

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Now, the new deal, according to The Independent, will stop Microsoft from having a “stronghold” over the UK cloud gaming market, the CMA said. It added that it would preserve competitive prices for gamers and make sure consumers get more choices. 

However, the CMA also criticised Microsoft for “dragging out” proceedings during its investigation into the merger. CMA chief executive, Sarah Cardell, said, “Businesses and their advisors should be in no doubt that the tactics employed by Microsoft are no way to engage with the CMA.”

“Microsoft had the chance to restructure during our initial investigation but instead continued to insist on a package of measures that we told them simply wouldn’t work. Dragging out proceedings in this way only wastes time and money,” Ms Cardell added. 

The president of Microsoft, Brad Smith said that the group is “grateful” for the decision to approve the acquisition which he believes will “benefit players and the gaming industry worldwide”.