Today we learn that the number of countries that cleared the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has increased to 40 with the addition of Turkey.
Activision Blizzard CCO and EVP of Corporate Affairs Lulu Cheng Meservey mentioned on Twitter that the Turkish Competition Authority (Rekabet Kurumu) ruled in favor of the acquisition unconditionally.
Meservey added that "yet another country has arrived at a thoughtful decision that protects consumers and competition rather than the entrenched dominance of the market leader."
This comes after the American FTC was defeated in a federal court by Microsoft and Activision on its opposition to the case, a decision which the regulator is appealing (rising strong criticism from Congressmen during a hearing earlier today).
On the other sides of two oceans, Microsoft and the CMA are pausing their litigation to possibly negotiate an amicable end to the British regulator's opposition to the deal. Elsewhere, most regulators have ruled in favor of the acquisition, including the recent decisions by the European Union, China, South Korea, and South Africa, with a total of 39 countries clearing the acquisition. New Zealand expressed doubts about the deal and Canada expressed its disapproval with a letter, but neither has formally moved to block the acquisition yet.
The current situation is certainly fairly complex, but things appear to be coming to a head. The expected decision by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals over the next couple of days will likely be a very relevant element, one way or the other.
