The CMA has approved Microsoft’s Activision acquisition deal

Liked Starfield? Hated Starfield? You probably have Todd Howard to thank. A recent chat between MinnMax and Skyrim lead designer Bruce Nesmith shed some light on Bethesda's structure and organisation, and it sure sounds like pretty much every choice the company makes needs Howard's stamp of approval before it can go ahead, even as it's grown bigger over the years. To be fair to Howard, though, it seems like that's in spite of his own wishes.

Kick-Ass and Kingsman: The Secret Service director Matthew Vaughn says he's been in communication about DC and James Gunn.

Xbox maker Microsoft closed its $69 billion (nearly Rs. 5,75,620 crore) deal for Activision Blizzard on Friday, swelling its heft in the video-gaming market with best-selling titles including Call of Duty to better compete with industry leader Sony.

Update: Well, there we go. Microsoft has wasted no time, and has officially concluded the transaction to acquire Activision Blizzard King. The announcement comes via Xbox Wire, where Phil Spencer writes about this historic merger. Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard King, will remain in place for at least the rest of 2023.

The UK’s Competition Markets Authority (CMA) has given the go-ahead for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, accepting the tech giant’s modified deal and how it addresses concerns over cloud gaming competition. Microsoft could complete the deal within the next few days.

The last hurdle in ‘s acquisition of has been cleared as the UK regulator approves the deal after a period of consultation on the deal.

It’s really happening — 20 months after Microsoft first announced its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard in the largest video game merger of all time, the deal has now been closed ahead of the October 18 deadline.

The decision in Microsoft's legal case against the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is a historic one, but for those who don't have a law degree, it can be hard to understand. The case surrounds the Microsoft Corporation's attempt to purchase the game developing and publishing powerhouse Activision Blizzard, Inc., an enormous conglomerate that counts,, and among its flagship properties. Microsoft first announced its plans to buy Activision Blizzard in January 2022, and the FTC's review began shortly thereafter. The legal battle began in earnest by June 2023, when the FTC filed its first documentation in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.

Xbox boss Phil Spencer has given players on rival consoles, most notably PS5, some reassuring words about future exclusivity, or lack thereof. 

After the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority blocked Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Call of Duty and Diablo maker Activision Blizzard earlier this year over cloud gaming concerns, Microsoft brought a new deal to the table. In this new deal, Ubisoft would get the rights to Activision Blizzard cloud game streaming in the U.K. for 15 years, theoretically quelling the CMA's concerns. The CMA granted Microsoft a preliminary approval last month and now, a few weeks later, the U.K. regulatory agency has finally given Microsoft the full approval it needs. 

And just like that, our shared 21-month slog is over. Long live our new, possibly lifelong slog. In a press release today, titled «Microsoft concession a gamechanger that will promote competition,» the UK's Competition and Market Authority (CMA) has announced that it's approving Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, reversing its April decision to block the deal and clearing the way for the deal to close in the very near future.

After many months of legal wrangling, bizarre streaming deals with EE and console fanboys at each other's throats, the CMA has finally approved Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision-Blizzard-King in the UK — with the Xbox parent company overcoming the «final regulatory hurdle».