Microsoft Activision Deal Approaches: Shareholders Give ‘Go’ To Sale

The Activision Blizzard deal would have a total volume of almost $70 billion.

Microsoft announced in January that it would take over Activision Blizzard. After the deal had quieted down a bit recently, the next step on the way to finalizing the gigantic takeover seems to have been reached.

Because like Activision Blizzard in a statement announced that the company’s shareholders have approved a sale. And with a clear majority, because more than 98 percent of the shareholders gave their ‘go’.

Nevertheless, the takeover is not yet done. This requires, among other things, the approval of the American antitrust authority, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). One of their tasks is to ensure fair competition in markets, a veto by the authority could still burst the deal. And that’s not completely improbable, especially since the current chairwoman Lina Khan is considered a hardliner.

Even if other institutions also have to agree, Microsoft and Activision continue to assume that the takeover will be completed by the end of Microsoft’s current fiscal year, i.e. by June 30, 2023.

The announcement of the deal caused a tremor in the industry

Microsoft’s intent to purchase was the first big bang for the industry in 2022, largely due to its sheer scale. Because in the video game industry, the deal would be by far the largest takeover in history if it were finalized – with a total volume of almost 70 billion dollars.

If the merger were to take place, Microsoft Game Studios would gain nine new entries and a whole range of well-known and popular brands in one fell swoop. You can find out exactly what these are in this article:

More on the Activision acquisition:

What exactly will happen to the Activision Blizzard studios under Microsoft is not yet 100% clear. Closures will very likely not happen or at most in isolated cases.

When it took over Bethesda, at least Microsoft hadn’t changed the basic course of Studios. On the other hand, it should be clear that if the takeover were successful, numerous Activision games would migrate to the Game Pass, including the Call of Duty series.