Microsoft, Activision Blizzard Extend Merger Deadline as They Seek Final U.K. Regulatory Approval
variety.comTodd Spangler NY Digital Editor Microsoft and Activision Blizzard extended the deadline to close their $69 billion mega-deal by three months as the parties work to get approval from U.K.
regulators. Microsoft and Activision Blizzard’s original merger agreement expired July 18, 2023. On Tuesday, the companies entered into an agreement waiving certain rights to terminate the merger if the transaction has not closed prior to Oct.
18, 2023. The agreement also includes amendments to Activision Blizzard’s commercial Xbox arrangements with Microsoft, valued at up to $250 million for each of fiscal years 2023 and 2024.
The deal, announced in January 2022, has cleared most regulatory and legal challenges, including U.S. federal courts rejection of the FTC’s bid to block the deal and the Supreme Court’s rejection of a last-minute appeal to stop the deal by a group of gamers opposed to Microsoft’s takeover of Activision.
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