You may recall we reported back in July that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard would be facing a second phase of investigation from the U.K.’s Competition & Markets Authority. Though not the first hurdle the $68 billion Activision Blizzard deal has faced (it was exposed to further scrutiny by the FTC after four U.S. senators voiced concerns over the deal), the news presented a snag in Microsoft’s previously stated hopes of completing the deal by year’s end.
We now have a timetable from the CMA for its Phase 2 round of investigation. The document shows a March 1, 2023 deadline for its final report. What this means is that that is the earliest possible date that the deal could be completed. Of course, regulatory scrutiny in other countries could present further delays. The EU has set a November 8th date to decide whether to proceed with a second round of its own investigation, for instance.
The takeaway here is that we may be in for a bit of a wait to find out which Call of Duty games will show up on Game Pass when—and if—the Activision Blizzard deal closes.
Via PureXbox.
