Microsoft is preparing to conclude its Activision Blizzard agreement, with a pending decision from a UK regulator anticipated soon.
Microsoft is gearing up for the grand finale of its colossal $68.7 billion acquisition quest, aimed at bringing Activision Blizzard into its fold. The inside scoop, whispered by a trusted source, suggests that Microsoft has its sights set on Friday, October 13th, to unveil the long-anticipated closing of the deal. It’s like the grand unveiling of a meticulously crafted masterpiece that has been in the making for a whopping 20 months.
But hold your horses; before the champagne corks can pop, there’s one formidable hurdle left to leap over—the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). These gatekeepers had previously slammed the door on Microsoft’s ambitions, leading to a major rethink and restructuring of the deal. The plot twist: Microsoft decided to pass on the cloud gaming rights for both existing and future Activision Blizzard games to Ubisoft.
The result? A nod of preliminary approval from the CMA, granted in the eleventh hour of the last month, adding a touch of suspense to the whole affair. The CMA, with a deadline that ominously looms until today, has been diligently collecting opinions on whether Microsoft should be allowed to proceed with this monumental merger. It’s almost like waiting for a critical plot twist in a suspenseful thriller.
So, dear readers, brace yourselves for the big reveal: A final decision from the CMA is expected to drop next week. Unless there’s an unexpected twist or a last-minute curveball thrown into the mix, Microsoft should be all set to clink glasses and seal the deal on its gaming empire. Stay tuned for what promises to be a blockbuster announcement.
In the world of high-stakes corporate chess, Microsoft and Activision have just pushed the deadline for their deal to October 18th. But if the stars align in Microsoft’s favor next week, it could mark the climax of a jaw-dropping 20-month saga of regulatory hoops and cross-continental battles that has kept gamers and investors alike on the edge of their seats.
Cue the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which earlier this year slammed the brakes on Microsoft’s dream acquisition, citing cloud-related concerns. Talk about a spanner in the works! It was a plot twist that unfolded just weeks before the European Union gave its blessing to the merger, albeit with some crucial concessions wrangled out of Microsoft on the cloudy front. So, while Europe was swaying in favor, across the Atlantic, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was gearing up for an all-out brawl.
The FTC had thrown down the gauntlet, attempting to block Microsoft’s audacious move to snag Activision Blizzard in its gaming empire. It was a showdown that played out in the legal arena, featuring an intense five-day bout of evidence and testimony known as FTC v. Microsoft. In a surprising turn of events, the FTC was unable to secure a preliminary injunction to halt the merger, leaving everyone in suspense.
Now, here’s where it gets even more riveting: The FTC isn’t throwing in the towel just yet. They’re sharpening their swords for an appeal with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, with a nail-biting decision looming on the horizon, expected in early December. And that’s not all. The FTC has a sequel planned—a revival of its own administrative case against Microsoft’s proposed union with Activision Blizzard. It’s a showdown that will kick off 21 days after the Ninth Circuit delivers its verdict, and this time, the battleground is virtual.
The FTC’s game plan? To potentially undo Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, assuming, of course, that it sails through as planned. But let’s be clear, this would be an uphill battle of epic proportions, a plot twist that could redefine corporate power plays in the tech and gaming industry. So, dear readers, stay tuned for what promises to be a nail-biting climax to a saga that has left no shortage of suspense and intrigue.
