Following 21 months of regulatory scrutiny, Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of video game-maker Activision Blizzard has finally been approved by the United Kingdom’s antitrust regulator. The approval, which came through on Friday, effectively removes the last hurdle remaining in the way of the deal’s completion. The Santa Monica, California-based Activision Blizzard will now join the Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft in a significant industry merger.
The approval comes as a notable achievement for Microsoft president and vice chair Brad Smith, who, in his former role as the chief legal officer, played a key part in leading the deal to fruition. The regulatory journey to approval was not without significant challenges, making its successful completion a testament to Smith’s efforts.
The approval by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority was expedited through certain concessions made by the companies. These specific concessions have not been disclosed publicly.
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