The European Union Is Reportedly Giving The Microsoft-ABK Merger The Green Light

Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard have been in talks for months about a multi-billion-dollar acquisition, but their plans were halted when the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority slammed the brakes on the deal in the region. Many speculated that the EU might follow suit, but Reuters’ sources say that won’t be the case, and the merger could be approved as early as next week.

It’s been a tumultuous year for Activision-Blizzard, with the company embroiled in scandal after scandal over issues like harassment and discrimination. But Microsoft saw an opportunity to take over the troubled gaming giant and use their expertise to further cement their place in the online gaming space with a $69 billion merger.

Regulators around the world, however, have expressed concern about the power that Microsoft could wield with this acquisition. If the EU gives the merger the green light, the US and UK will be the key holdouts, but that could change if the right concessions are made.

Regardless of the outcome, this merger is sure to have major implications for the gaming world. Microsoft has already promised to keep Activision-Blizzard’s leadership team intact and maintain the company’s current projects, but many are still wary of the potential consequences of such a massive consolidation of power, particularly when it comes to competition between consoles.

As always, we’ll be sure to keep you in the loop as the situation unfolds.