Microsoft announced its plan to acquire Activision Blizzard for approximately $69 billion in January 2022. However, the completion of the agreement has been expected for a long time. According to The Verge, the date for the completion of the agreement may now be very close.
According to the news, a source with knowledge of Microsoft’s plans claimed that the 20-month process to acquire Activision Blizzard, the producer of Call of Duty, has ended, and that Friday, October 13 is targeted as the completion date of the agreement to be announced to the world.
However, this date will allegedly depend on the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which blocked Microsoft’s deal earlier this year.
Microsoft recently restructured the deal to transfer cloud gaming rights for existing and new Activision Blizzard games to Ubisoft, and the Xbox maker received preliminary approval from the CMA late last month as a result.
The CMA is expected to make its final decision next week and, barring any surprise last-minute changes, will allow Microsoft to complete the deal.
Microsoft and Activision recently extended the agreement period until October 18. But if Microsoft can close the deal next week, the 20-month regulatory approval and wrangling process in Europe and the US will end slightly earlier than expected.