Microsoft CEO "very confident" Activision Blizzard acquisition will be approved Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Microsoft CEO "very confident" Activision Blizzard acquisition will be approved "If this is about competition, let us have competition". News by Matt Wales Reporter Published on 22 Sep 2022 182 comments As Microsoft starts to feel more heat from regulatory bodies over its $69bn acquisition of Activision Blizzard, CEO Satya Nadella has said he's "very confident" the deal will go through. Governmental scrutiny of Microsoft's acquisition has grown in recent weeks, with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority announcing it was moving to a more in-depth "phase 2" of its investigation, having determined the acquisition would give rise to the "realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition in gaming consoles, multi-game subscription services, and cloud gaming services." Sony, too, has grown increasingly vocal over the proposed deal, particularly as it pertains to potential console exclusivity around the likes of Call of Duty. Early this month, for instance, PlayStation head Jim Ryan called Microsoft's reassurances that the hugely popular shooter would remain on PS5 post-acquisition "inadequate". Watch on YouTube Eurogamer Newscast: Were Nintendo Direct and Sony State of Play a disappointment? It's in this climate that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has once again discussed the acquisition, brushing off recent developments as the norm. "Of course, any acquisition of this size will go through scrutiny," he told Bloomberg, "but we feel very, very confident that we'll come out". Nadella also argued Microsoft was the No. 4 or No. 5 competitor in the video games industry, noting that Sony, who he called the largest, had recently made a number of major acquisitions of its own. "So if this is about competition, let us have competition", he said. Since last year, Sony's video game acquisitions have included Returnal developer Housemarque, Jade Raymond's Haven Studios, Demon's Souls remake developer Bluepoint, PC port specialist Nixxes Software, UK studio Firesprite, mobile game developer Savage Game Studios, Valkyrie Entertainment, and, perhaps most notably, Destiny studio Bungie. Although as business lawyer and noted host of video game industry legal podcast Virtual Legality Richard Hoeg observed following Nadella's comments, "It's possible that you could fit every acquisition in the history of gaming within the size of the ABK deal." Expect plenty more back and forth while regulatory scrutiny of Microsoft's acquisition continues. If all goes well, the deal is expected to be approved by next summer. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 7 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Genshin Impact Path of Gleaming Jade dates, login event rewards Including other anniversary rewards and how to claim them. Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store