| What happened: The U.K.'s antitrust regulator is set to issue a final decision by Wednesday in its review of Microsoft's Activision Blizzard merger. Details: The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority has been probing the deal over concerns that it would harm competition in the gaming market. However, the CMA is now expected to support the merger in its final report due out tomorrow, according to The Financial Times. Why it matters: Microsoft announced in January 2022 that it would acquire the gaming company for $68.7B, making it the largest video game acquisition of all time, and the biggest pending U.S. transaction. The deal has been undergoing antitrust scrutiny from regulators around the world, and the U.K.'s decision could shift the tides either in favor or against it. If supported, Microsoft would gain control of Activision’s Call of Duty and other massive gaming franchises, along with its mobile gaming publisher King.
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