Microsoft is set to buy Activision Blizzard in a $69 billion deal

• Microsoft has cleared a key regulatory hurdle in the UK to acquire video game giant Activision Blizzard.
• The UK's competition watchdog approved Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of the company.
• Microsoft has to close the deal by October 18.

Microsoft has received clearance from the UK's antitrust regulator for its $69 billion acquisition of video game giant Activision Blizzard.

The acquisition of Activision Blizzard — the creator of video games Call of Duty and World of Warcraft — was initially blocked by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority in April over concerns that this would allow Microsoft to dominate the nascent cloud gaming market.

The company has until October 18 to close the deal.

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, sent outside regular business hours.

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