South Korea Approves Microsoft's Acquisition Of Activision Blizzard

Microsoft is getting closer and closer to officially acquiring Activision Blizzard, one country at a time.

South Korea is the latest country to approve the deal, as the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) “unconditionally cleared” the deal. It even stated that the KFTC has no concerns about potential competition restrictions if the company’s games become exclusive, explaining that the popularity of Activision Blizzard titles in South Korea is relatively low. Thus, the platform holders in the region have little to worry about in regards to the situation.

That being said, the KFTC did engage in discussions with competition authorities in other countries. It recognized that their decisions might differ due to the greater significance of Activision Blizzard's games in those specific regions. With South Korea now though, nearly 40 regulators across the world have approved the proposed acquisition.

As for Activision Blizzard’s response on the matter, here’s a statement give to us by a spokesperson for the company:

“The world's most formidable gaming companies are based in Asia. Yet their home countries are allowing American companies to compete on a fair playing field, while regulators elsewhere seem to be helping market leaders enshrine their dominance. With its unconditional approval for our merger with Microsoft, South Korea joins dozens of other countries - including China and Japan - in welcoming more competition and consumer benefits in the growing gaming industry.”