Microsoft Reportedly Finally Preparing to Close Activision Deal

Microsoft is reportedly preparing to close the deal on its acquisition of Activision. At the start of 2022, Microsoft disrupted the internet by announcing it was acquiring gaming giant Activision, the company behind Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and many other massive gaming franchise. The deal was confirmed to cost nearly $70 billion, making it the biggest deal in the history of gaming. However, regulators and some industry pundits pushed back on the idea of the deal as many feared it would give Microsoft too much power. Some were concerned that Microsoft would make Call of Duty an Xbox exclusive which could be damaging to PlayStation given the massive commercial success Call of Duty enjoys on a yearly basis. Various regulators have taken a fine tooth comb to the deal over the last year and the FTC has even moved to block it outright, but it appears to not be bother Microsoft anymore.

According to The New York Post, Microsoft is preparing to close the Activision deal despite the FTC antitrust suit. The Post reports that Microsoft is feeling incredibly optimistic as antitrust regulators in the UK and EU have made significant progress in recent weeks to approving the deal after Microsoft promised to keep Call of Duty on rival platforms. UK's CMA is expected to approve the deal this week and the European Commission is expected to make its decision next month. Antitrust experts told The Post this would make FTC's attempt to block the deal an uphill battle. The idea now is that the FTC will stand alone in trying to stop this merger and Microsoft will "cram this down the FTC's throats", which will make it harder for a judge to side with the FTC.

Of course, only time will tell how this plays out, but it certainly looks like things are pointing in a positive direction for Microsoft. The deal was previously expected to be closed by June 2023, though it's unclear if any legal disputes have disrupted that. It sounds like if Microsoft is able to close the deal in the coming weeks it could happen, which could mean this year's Call of Duty game could be the first one in the series released under Xbox's ownership.

What do you think of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @Cade_Onder.