Microsoft Successfully Acquires Activision Blizzard for $69 Billion

Microsoft finally completed its $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard after a long fight with the global regulators who attempted to scrap the deal.

Plans of Microsoft and Activision Blizzard

On October 13, the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced that it had approved the deal after reviewing the reconstructed plan with Microsoft not having cloud gaming rights. For a while, many were losing hope with the acquisition due to its long process. The uncertainty left many question marks with some of Activision's biggest game titles.

"With the sale of Activision's cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft, we've made sure Microsoft can't have a stranglehold over this important and rapidly developing market," CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell stated.

With the new deal already in place, Microsoft bared its plans to bring Activision Blizzard games to Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft CEO Phil Spencer assured that the company will share more details in the following months. For now, the company has already started its work.

Xbox Welcomes Activision, Blizzard, and King Games

Today is indeed a good day to play for gamers. Microsoft will be adding more than nine game studios from Blizzard alone to the Xbox Game Studios. However, fans would have to wait for a little more since Activision has already confirmed that Modern Warfare 3 and Diablo IV won't be coming yet to Xbox Game Pass this 2023.

On the other hand, more than 11 mobile studios from King were brought from the acquisition. This includes popular mobile games such as Candy Crush, Farm Heroes, Bubble Witch 3, and more. More than 8,500 Activision employees will now be joining Microsoft.

"Together, we'll create new worlds and stories, bring your favorite games to more places so more players can join in, and we'll engage with and delight players in new, innovative ways in the places they love to play including mobile, cloud streaming and more," Spencer shared.