Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Has Been Approved in China

Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard has hit some major stumbling blocks in recent weeks, with the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) having blocked the deal, though elsewhere, the acquisition is continuing to get approvals from regulatory authorities.

The latest country to approve the deal is China, with Microsoft having confirmed recently (as shared by The Verge’s Tom Warren on Twitter) that China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has unconditionally approved its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

China becomes the 37th country to approve the acquisition, with the likes of Japan and Brazil also having signed off on the deal in recent weeks. Most recently, the European Commission also approved the deal.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is currently in the process of appealing the CMA’s refusal to approve the acquisition, though how long that entire process will be and whether or not it will end up revering the agency’s decision remains to be seen. Interestingly, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently seemed to suggest that not selling Activision products in the UK if the CMA’s block wasn’t reversed wasn’t something that the company had taken off the table- read more on that through here.

Microsoft confirms China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has unconditionally approved its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, making it the 37th country to support the deal 👇 pic.twitter.com/OZ2DRgCAth

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) May 19, 2023