Microsoft Completes Record $75.4 Billion Activision Blizzard Acquisition
Microsoft finalizes its historic $75.4 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, making it the largest video game acquisition in history. The deal brings major franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft under the Microsoft Gaming division.
Microsoft completes its massive $75.4 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, officially making it the largest video game acquisition in history. The deal brings Activision Blizzard under the Microsoft Gaming business unit, placing it alongside Xbox Game Studios and ZeniMax Media. Through this purchase, Microsoft gains control of highly lucrative gaming franchises, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, and Candy Crush.
The merger process involves intense scrutiny from global anti-trust regulators before its completion. While bodies like the European Commission and China's SAMR grant early approval, the United States' FTC and the UK's CMA issue formal challenges to block the deal. Sony also voices strong opposition over fears that Microsoft will make the Call of Duty franchise exclusive to Xbox consoles.
To overcome these regulatory hurdles, Microsoft makes significant concessions to appease concerned parties. The company publicly commits to keeping Call of Duty on non-Xbox platforms through the year 2033, and offers to offload Activision Blizzard's cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft for a decade to satisfy the CMA. After courts deny the FTC's request to block the transaction and the CMA accepts the revised terms, the deal officially closes in October 2023.