2023-10-18 06:10:00 ET
After nearly two years of regulatory proceedings, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) finally completed the acquisition of leading game producer Activision Blizzard. The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority was the final holdout, but it granted approval of the deal in October.
The $68.7 billion acquisition is one of the largest in Microsoft's history. In exchange, the Xbox business gains an infusion of $8.7 billion in revenue from best-selling titles, including Call of Duty , Diablo , Overwatch , and World of Warcraft , in addition to some valuable mobile franchises, such as King's Candy Crush .
However, Microsoft didn't get everything it wanted. To get approval, it had to make some compromises. In July, Microsoft agreed to make one of the all-time best-selling franchises, Call of Duty , available to Sony and Nintendo 's game consoles for 10 years.
For further details see:
Did Microsoft Waste $69 Billion on Activision Blizzard?