The long process of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard appears to be moving along at a quick pace. According to Video Games Chronicle, in an interview with Belgian business publication L’Echo, president of Microsoft Brad Smith said that he believes the acquisition is moving at a fast enough speed for its size.
It’s worth noting that a key aspect of acquisitions like these hinges on approval by the US Federal Trade Commission, which would try to ensure that mergers of this scale wouldn’t give Microsoft’s Xbox platform an unfair business advantage against its competitors. Alongside the US FTC, Microsoft also likely has to deal with similar bodies in the EU.
“It’s moving fast, at least fast enough for an acquisition of this size,” said Smith. “We have received requests for information on this subject here in Brussels, but also in London and Washington. We answer questions, we give briefings and we provide the information requested.”
According to Smith, the acquisition has proceeded past its initial processes and is now entering its middle processes.
“One of our attorneys summed it up nicely by saying, ‘We’re coming to the end of the beginning and now we’re entering the beginning of the middle,’” said Smith. “It’s a long process and we’re still at the stage where we’re answering questions. For us, of course, the sooner it is done the better, but we will respect the process.”
Mergers and acquisition of this scale are often lengthy affairs, potentially taking over a year to for all processes to get fully completed. With the current pace of Microsoft’s ongoing acquisition of Activision Blizzard, it’s likely that we’ll see the process complete by early 2023.