Microsoft will reportedly complete its acquisition of Activision Blizzard next week. Xbox is eyeing Friday, October 13 as the potential closing date for the $68.7 billion deal, a source told The Verge. On the other hand, the future of the agreement depends on the final decision to be made by the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).Microsoft wants to complete the acquisition on October 13
The CMA announced last month that it had temporarily allowed the agreement following changes to the terms. It then initiated a consultation process during which it would make its final decision. That decision is expected to come out in Microsoft’s favor next week, leaving it free to complete the deal and acquire Activision Blizzard.
The CMA first blocked the acquisition in April over concerns about its impact on the nascent cloud gaming market. Microsoft sought to restructure the proposed acquisition by agreeing to sell cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft, prompting the CMA to launch a new merger investigation. This move appears to have been enough to satisfy the CMA, which issued a new interim decision in September and stated that it was now satisfied with the terms of the agreement. While the CMA is generally happy with the change, it wants to confirm that the cloud agreement between Microsoft and Ubisoft is solid. In short, the CMA wants to make sure that Microsoft’s agreement with Ubisoft will not be terminated after giving approval.
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