Report: EU Could Approve Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Deal on May 15

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard could receive the green light from the EU as soon as next week, Reuters is reporting today. The EU Commission has until May 22 to either approve or block the deal, but Reuters expects the verdict to come on May 15.

“EU antitrust regulators are set to approve Microsoft Corp’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision next week, with May 15 as the likeliest date, people familiar with the matter said,” the report reads. Microsoft’s recent deals with Nintendo and cloud streaming platforms such as Nvidia, Boosteroid, and Ubitus may have helped to convince EU regulators that the deal wouldn’t hurt competition in the gaming industry.

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal has already been approved by regulators in Brazil, Chile, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, and South Africa. However, it’s been blocked by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority last month, while the US Federal Trade Commission has sued Microsoft to block the deal.

The software giant is ready to fight the FTC’s decision in the courts, and it’s also preparing to appeal the CMA’s decision with support from Activision Blizzard. The CMA chose to block the deal over concerns about Microsoft’s dominant position in the nascent cloud gaming industry. However, competitors in that space including Nvidia and Boosteroid have both shown support for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

If the EU does approve Microsoft’s ABK deal, the company will be better positioned to convince regulators in the UK and the US to change their stance. However, these conversations could take several months and make Microsoft miss the June 2023 deadline it had set to complete the acquisition.