Britain Approves Microsoft’s Activision Purchase of $69 Billion

The United Kingdom's antitrust watchdog has approved Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the creators of Call of Duty. This development comes after a three-month extension granted in July to secure the UK approval. The approval allows Microsoft to conclude the acquisition deal by October 18.

UK Clears Microsoft's Biggest Gaming Deal

A few months back, Activision cut a deal with Ubisoft Entertainment to sell its streaming rights. However, it seems the previous deal lacked regulatory compliance, raising the need for an intervener.

Considering the challenges, Microsoft proposed remedies to meet the regulations, mitigating the concerns surrounding the previous transaction. Microsoft first announced the largest gaming deal in history in early 2022.

However, the firm couldn't close the deal as the Competition and Marketing Authority (CMA) blocked the $69 billion acquisition in April. This was due to Microsoft's dominance in the emerging cloud gaming market.

However, following some adjustments, the CMA has approved the acquisition. The agency now sees Microsoft in a new light, highlighting its commitment to streaming and describing it as a game-changer in the sector.

The CMA added that no other competition agency has delivered such an outcome, distinguishing Microsoft from the rest. According to the authority, the new deal will restrict Microsoft's dominance in the cloud gaming sector due to its continuous growth.

This will preserve services for UK cloud gaming consumers and competitive pricing. CMA's Chief Executive, Sarah Cardell, emphasized that Microsoft is firm in its stance and unswayed by political or corporate influence.

She stressed that Microsoft had the opportunity to reconfigure the deal during the initial investigation but insisted on measures that the CMA had deemed unworkable. In response, Microsoft expressed gratitude for the CMA's comprehensive review and decision.

It noted that it had cleared the final regulatory hurdle to complete the acquisition, which will benefit the global gaming industry.Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard welcomed the official approval, anticipating an exciting future as part of the Xbox Team under Microsoft's umbrella.

Microsoft Keeps Up with Positive Performance

The acquisition of Activision is one of Microsoft's many achievements, particularly between 2022 and 2023. A report from the company reveals the various awards it received within this period. According to the data, Microsoft's 2023 performance earned it up to seven awards on various aspects of its operations.

These awards include Best Company Perks & Benefits, Best Company Compensation, Best Leadership Teams 2023, and more. The previous year was also remarkable for Microsoft regarding its recognition, as it clinched eleven awards during that period.

These accolades included titles like Best CEO 2022, Best Company Culture 2022, Best Company Perks & Benefits, Best Company Compensation, Happiest Employees, and more. Furthermore, Microsoft ranked top in employee satisfaction.

With an impressive 76/100 or an A- grade in the overall culture score, based on a significant dataset of 51,817 ratings and feedback from 4,170 participants, Microsoft's employees are undeniably content with their work experience.

This score reflects the firm's positive sentiments, including Compensation, Team, and Office Culture.

The post Britain Approves Microsoft's Activision Purchase of $69 Billion appeared first on The Tech Report.