It is reported that Microsoft plans to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion on October 13

IT House News on October 7, according to foreign media The Verge reported on Friday night, a source familiar with Microsoft's plan revealed to The Verge that Microsoft is preparing to complete the 20-month acquisition of Blizzard on October 13 (next Friday) for $68.7 billion (IT House Note: currently about 502.197 billion yuan).

However, the exact date will still depend on the attitude of the UK Competition and Markets Authority. As previously planned, October 6 was the deadline for feedback from the UK CMA on the interim approval of the deal, with the CMA's final decision expected next week. If there are no surprises at the last minute, Microsoft will complete the deal smoothly.

Microsoft and Activision had set a deal deadline of October 18, and if they close next week, Microsoft will end the 20-month regulatory approval and scramble process sooner than expected.

Earlier this month, Tom Warren, senior editor of The Verge, revealed on the X platform (formerly Twitter) that Microsoft is expected to complete the acquisition within next week. However, outside of the CMA, the FTC said last month that it would "continue to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard", and the FTC believes that the acquisition may make Microsoft's Xbox platform monopolize Activision Blizzard's games, while Nintendo and Sony will be excluded.

In the relevant documents leaked recently, the FTC said that "the Commission has decided that this matter must be fully and expeditiously resolved in the public interest, so the Commission remanded the case for retrial."

▲ Image source Previously leaked FTC-related documents