Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard has cleared its final hurdle after the European Union approved the deal.
The European Commission, the EU’s antitrust regulator, said on Wednesday that it had approved the deal after finding that it would not harm competition in the video game market.
The deal, which was announced in January 2022, will make Microsoft the third-largest gaming company in the world, behind Sony and Tencent. It will give Microsoft control of some of the most popular video game franchises in the world, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush.
The EU’s approval of the deal is a major victory for Microsoft. The company had faced opposition from some regulators, who had argued that the deal would give Microsoft too much control over the video game market.
However, the EU said that it had found that the deal would not harm competition because Microsoft would still face competition from other major players in the market, such as Sony and Nintendo.
The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2023.
What does the deal mean for gamers?
The deal is likely to have a significant impact on gamers. Microsoft has said that it plans to make all of Activision Blizzard’s games available on Xbox Game Pass, its subscription gaming service. This could make it more affordable for gamers to access Activision Blizzard’s games.
Microsoft has also said that it plans to invest in new gaming technologies, such as cloud gaming and artificial intelligence. This could lead to new and innovative gaming experiences for gamers.
However, some gamers have expressed concerns that the deal could lead to higher prices for games and a decline in innovation. It remains to be seen how the deal will impact gamers in the long run.
