Next week, Microsoft hopes to finalize its $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
According to a source familiar with Microsoft’s plans, the company hopes to finalize the agreement on Friday, October 13.
The deadline is subject to the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority’s approval, which earlier this year prevented the deal’s closure. Microsoft gave Ubisoft the right to stream “all current and future” Activision Blizzard games for a period of 15 years in order to satisfy the CMA.
Activision Blizzard and Microsoft agreed to a 90-day extension of the review period, which ended yesterday. A decision is anticipated next week before the deal is officially closed. On October 18, this agreement will be over.
The FTC issued an administration complaint earlier this week in an effort to continue its fight against the deal’s completion. According to the agency, the agreement would give Microsoft the power to stifle rivals to its Xbox gaming consoles as well as its subscription and cloud gaming businesses. This comes after a federal judge rejected the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction to stop Microsoft from purchasing Activision Blizzard before the deadline of July 18.
In January 2022, Microsoft made clear that it would be purchasing Activision Blizzard.