{"id":335110,"date":"2025-06-18T00:52:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T00:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/?p=335110"},"modified":"2025-06-18T00:52:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T00:52:13","slug":"why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/","title":{"rendered":"Why can&#8217;t Microsoft just buy Activision?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#Why_Cant_Microsoft_Just_Buy_Activision\" title=\"Why Can&#8217;t Microsoft Just Buy Activision?\">Why Can&#8217;t Microsoft Just Buy Activision?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#Introduction_to_the_Microsoft-Activision_Deal\" title=\"Introduction to the Microsoft-Activision Deal\">Introduction to the Microsoft-Activision Deal<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#Background_and_Significance\" title=\"Background and Significance\">Background and Significance<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#FAQs_About_the_Microsoft-Activision_Deal\" title=\"FAQs About the Microsoft-Activision Deal\">FAQs About the Microsoft-Activision Deal<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#1_Why_Does_the_Purchase_Raise_Anti-Competitive_Concerns\" title=\"1. Why Does the Purchase Raise Anti-Competitive Concerns?\">1. Why Does the Purchase Raise Anti-Competitive Concerns?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#2_What_Games_Would_Microsoft_Own_If_the_Deal_Goes_Through\" title=\"2. What Games Would Microsoft Own If the Deal Goes Through?\">2. What Games Would Microsoft Own If the Deal Goes Through?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#3_How_Does_Sony_Factor_Into_This_Deal\" title=\"3. How Does Sony Factor Into This Deal?\">3. How Does Sony Factor Into This Deal?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#4_What_Is_the_Status_of_the_Deal\" title=\"4. What Is the Status of the Deal?\">4. What Is the Status of the Deal?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#5_Why_Did_the_UK_Initially_Block_the_Deal\" title=\"5. Why Did the UK Initially Block the Deal?\">5. Why Did the UK Initially Block the Deal?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#6_How_Much_Did_Microsoft_Pay_for_Activision\" title=\"6. How Much Did Microsoft Pay for Activision?\">6. How Much Did Microsoft Pay for Activision?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#7_Does_Microsoft_Own_Call_of_Duty_Now\" title=\"7. Does Microsoft Own Call of Duty Now?\">7. Does Microsoft Own Call of Duty Now?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#8_Who_Owns_Xbox\" title=\"8. Who Owns Xbox?\">8. Who Owns Xbox?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#9_Should_You_Buy_Activision_Stock\" title=\"9. Should You Buy Activision Stock?\">9. Should You Buy Activision Stock?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#10_Can_I_Buy_Activision_Stock\" title=\"10. Can I Buy Activision Stock?\">10. Can I Buy Activision Stock?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#11_What_Happens_to_My_Activision_Stock_When_Microsoft_Buys_It\" title=\"11. What Happens to My Activision Stock When Microsoft Buys It?\">11. What Happens to My Activision Stock When Microsoft Buys It?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#12_Why_Did_Microsoft_Want_to_Buy_Activision\" title=\"12. Why Did Microsoft Want to Buy Activision?\">12. Why Did Microsoft Want to Buy Activision?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#13_How_Much_Did_Microsoft_Pay_for_Minecraft\" title=\"13. How Much Did Microsoft Pay for Minecraft?\">13. How Much Did Microsoft Pay for Minecraft?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#14_Who_Owns_Microsoft\" title=\"14. Who Owns Microsoft?\">14. Who Owns Microsoft?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/#15_Does_Activision_Own_Blizzard\" title=\"15. Does Activision Own Blizzard?\">15. Does Activision Own Blizzard?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Cant_Microsoft_Just_Buy_Activision\"><\/span>Why Can&#8217;t Microsoft Just Buy Activision?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>The primary reason <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> can&#8217;t simply buy <strong>Activision<\/strong> is due to <strong>anti-competitive concerns<\/strong> raised by regulatory bodies, such as the <strong>Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/strong>, which argue that the acquisition could lead to <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> owning too much of the gaming industry, thereby <strong>unfairly limiting its competitors<\/strong> and ultimately <strong>harming consumers<\/strong>. This concern is rooted in the potential for <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> to make <strong>Activision<\/strong> games, including <strong>Call of Duty<\/strong>, exclusive to its own <strong>Xbox<\/strong> consoles, diminishing the experience on rival services and disrupting the <strong>gaming market<\/strong>. <\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction_to_the_Microsoft-Activision_Deal\"><\/span>Introduction to the Microsoft-Activision Deal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Background_and_Significance\"><\/span>Background and Significance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The proposed acquisition of <strong>Activision Blizzard<\/strong> by <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> has been a highly debated topic in the gaming and tech industries, with significant implications for the future of gaming and the balance of power among major players like <strong>Sony<\/strong> and <strong>Microsoft<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_About_the_Microsoft-Activision_Deal\"><\/span>FAQs About the Microsoft-Activision Deal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Why_Does_the_Purchase_Raise_Anti-Competitive_Concerns\"><\/span>1. Why Does the Purchase Raise Anti-Competitive Concerns?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The purchase raises anti-competitive concerns because <strong>Microsoft<\/strong>, by acquiring <strong>Activision Blizzard<\/strong>, would significantly increase its market share in the gaming industry, potentially leading to a <strong>monopoly<\/strong> that could stifle innovation and limit consumer choice.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_What_Games_Would_Microsoft_Own_If_the_Deal_Goes_Through\"><\/span>2. What Games Would Microsoft Own If the Deal Goes Through?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If the deal is completed, <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> would own a vast portfolio of games, including <strong>Call of Duty<\/strong>, <strong>World of Warcraft<\/strong>, and other titles from <strong>Activision<\/strong> and <strong>Blizzard<\/strong>, significantly expanding its gaming catalog.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_How_Does_Sony_Factor_Into_This_Deal\"><\/span>3. How Does Sony Factor Into This Deal?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Sony<\/strong>, a major competitor to <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> in the gaming console market, is concerned that if <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> acquires <strong>Activision<\/strong>, <strong>Call of Duty<\/strong> might become an <strong>Xbox<\/strong> exclusive, severely impacting <strong>Sony&#8217;s<\/strong> competitiveness in the market.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_What_Is_the_Status_of_the_Deal\"><\/span>4. What Is the Status of the Deal?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After a lengthy regulatory review and legal battles, <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> has completed its $69 billion deal to buy <strong>Activision Blizzard<\/strong>, with the <strong>UK&#8217;s competition watchdog<\/strong> clearing the acquisition.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Why_Did_the_UK_Initially_Block_the_Deal\"><\/span>5. Why Did the UK Initially Block the Deal?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The <strong>UK&#8217;s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)<\/strong> initially blocked the deal due to concerns about <strong>Microsoft&#8217;s<\/strong> potential dominance in the <strong>cloud gaming market<\/strong> and the impact on competition.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_How_Much_Did_Microsoft_Pay_for_Activision\"><\/span>6. How Much Did Microsoft Pay for Activision?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Microsoft<\/strong> paid $95 per share for <strong>Activision<\/strong>, totaling $68.7 billion, in an all-cash deal.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Does_Microsoft_Own_Call_of_Duty_Now\"><\/span>7. Does Microsoft Own Call of Duty Now?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, with the completion of the deal, <strong>Microsoft<\/strong> now owns <strong>Call of Duty<\/strong>, among other <strong>Activision<\/strong> titles, expanding its gaming portfolio significantly.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Who_Owns_Xbox\"><\/span>8. Who Owns Xbox?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Xbox<\/strong> is owned by <strong>Microsoft<\/strong>, a multinational technology company.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"9_Should_You_Buy_Activision_Stock\"><\/span>9. Should You Buy Activision Stock?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The decision to buy <strong>Activision<\/strong> stock would depend on individual investment strategies and market analyses, but <strong>Activision Blizzard<\/strong> has been considered a strong player in the gaming industry.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10_Can_I_Buy_Activision_Stock\"><\/span>10. Can I Buy Activision Stock?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Yes, you can buy <strong>Activision<\/strong> stock through stock trading apps or platforms by placing a market order.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"11_What_Happens_to_My_Activision_Stock_When_Microsoft_Buys_It\"><\/span>11. What Happens to My Activision Stock When Microsoft Buys It?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Activision<\/strong> stockholders received $95 for each share of <strong>Activision<\/strong> they owned prior to the deal&#8217;s closure.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"12_Why_Did_Microsoft_Want_to_Buy_Activision\"><\/span>12. Why Did Microsoft Want to Buy Activision?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Microsoft<\/strong> wanted to acquire <strong>Activision Blizzard<\/strong> to improve its presence in the gaming industry, consolidate its position in cloud gaming, and potentially expand into the metaverse.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"13_How_Much_Did_Microsoft_Pay_for_Minecraft\"><\/span>13. How Much Did Microsoft Pay for Minecraft?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Microsoft<\/strong> paid $2.5 billion to acquire <strong>Minecraft<\/strong>, which has since been expanded across multiple platforms.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"14_Who_Owns_Microsoft\"><\/span>14. Who Owns Microsoft?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Microsoft<\/strong> is owned by a mix of institutional investors, insiders, and public companies and individual investors, with approximately 41.23% owned by institutional investors.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"15_Does_Activision_Own_Blizzard\"><\/span>15. Does Activision Own Blizzard?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Activision<\/strong> and <strong>Blizzard<\/strong> merged in 2008 to form <strong>Activision Blizzard<\/strong>, one of the world&#8217;s largest video game companies, indicating that <strong>Activision<\/strong> effectively owns <strong>Blizzard<\/strong> as part of this merged entity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why Can&#8217;t Microsoft Just Buy Activision? The primary reason Microsoft can&#8217;t simply buy Activision is due to anti-competitive concerns raised by regulatory bodies, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which argue that the acquisition could lead to Microsoft owning too much of the gaming industry, thereby unfairly limiting its competitors and ultimately harming consumers. &#8230; <a title=\"Why can&#8217;t Microsoft just buy Activision?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/why-cant-microsoft-just-buy-activision\/\" aria-label=\"More on Why can&#8217;t Microsoft just buy Activision?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-335110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335110","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335110"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335110\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335110"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335110"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335110"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}