Microsofthas officially received approval from another region for its pending purchase of Activision Blizzard King, with Serbia being the most recent region to accept the move.The acquisition of theCall of Dutystudiohas been one of the biggest headlines in gaming throughout 2022, with Microsoft first announcing the deal early in the year. Microsoft’s move would set off a chain reaction as other studios would announce major purchases of their own, with Sony acquiring Bungie and rumors swirling around studios like EA Sports. Now, Microsoft has achieved another step toward the purchase.
While the story has been one of the biggest in gaming,Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard has been met with its fair share of pushback. Lawmakers and organizations within the United States and Europe have launched investigations into the acquisition. Microsoft’s biggest competitor in Sony has also pushed back against the acquisition for fear of Microsoft turning major franchises likeCall of Dutyinto Xbox exclusives.
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A new report from Reuters has revealed that Serbia has offered its “unconditional” approval for the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. The approval by Serbia reportedly follows two other regions recently offering their support for the move, as Brazil and Saudi Arabia have already signed off on the purchase. In the US though, theFTC is reportedly considering an antitrust lawsuitto block the purchase valued at nearly $70 million.
The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft would bring some of gaming’s most popular franchises fully under the Microsoft umbrella. Alongside the previously mentionedCall of Duty, Activision Blizzard merging with Microsoft would bring iconic series likeWarcraft,Crash Bandicoot,andDiablo. The massive purchase was first announced in January with Microsoft paying over $69 million to acquire the conglomerate studio. While many organizations have been critical of the move, others likeTake-Two CEO Strauss Zelnickhave offered more positive outlooks on the deal.
Microsoft’s high-profile announcement of the Activision Blizzard purchase would see several other major studios follow suit throughout the year. Along with Sony’s previously mentioned Bungie deal,Embracer Group would purchaseTomb Raiderdeveloper Crystal Dynamicsin a deal worth $300 million earlier this year. Sony has also been heavily linked to other studios since its Bungie purchase. Whatever happens and what it spurred, Microsoft acquiring Activision Blizzard would be a landmark move that would look to shape the future of the gaming industry.
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