Microsoft's Mega-Merger, Gaza Evacuation, and Haunted Hotels

Microsoft-Activision Merger

Microsoft officially closed its $69B acquisition of video game giant Activision Blizzard yesterday, after nearly 21 months of hurdles from competition regulators in the US, UK, and EU since announcing its bid in January 2022. The purchase is the largest deal in Microsoft's 48-year history and the biggest-ever in the gaming industry. 

British regulators yesterday approved a restructured version of Microsoft's deal, which transfers the streaming rights for Activision Blizzard's current and upcoming console and PC games to French video game publisher Ubisoft Entertainment. The UK Competition and Markets Authority had blocked the original deal in April over antirust concerns. Receiving the regulator's approval was the last obstacle before Microsoft could complete the deal. Meanwhile, the US Federal Trade Commission is appealing an earlier federal court decision that denied the agency's request to temporarily block the merger. See a timeline of events in Microsoft's acquisition of Activision here.

The merger with Activision enables Microsoft to take over the studios behind popular games like "Call of Duty," "Diablo," and "Warcraft." Analysts say the deal will likely be a boon for Microsoft's Xbox, which ranks behind Sony's PlayStation and Nintendo in sales. 

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