Microsoft Takes Out Full-Page Ads in British Newspapers for Possible Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
Microsoft's potential acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been making headlines for some time, but it appears the tech behemoth is taking its campaign a step further. Full-page ads promoting the acquisition ran this week in two major British newspapers, the Daily Mail and the Financial Times.
Microsoft claims in the ads that the deal will be beneficial because it will bring "Call of Duty" to 150 million more players.
Microsoft cites recent agreements with Nintendo and Nvidia as proof of its commitment to growing the Call of Duty franchise. The company signed a 10-year agreement with Nintendo to bring Call of Duty games to its consoles, as well as an agreement with Nvidia to bring its games, including Call of Duty, to GeForce Now.
It is rather unusual for a company to place advertisements in newspapers promoting a potential acquisition, but it could be a response to the public consultation on the acquisition launched by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Microsoft announced its plans to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion early last year, but the deal has encountered several roadblocks, including an antitrust lawsuit from the US Federal Trade Commission. This appears to be a strategy by Microsoft to increase public support and, with it, public pressure for the deal to be approved.
The acquisition is expected to be approved by the European Commission, but the British CMA has expressed reservations. Microsoft is reportedly in talks with the watchdog to address these concerns, but only time will tell if the deal will actually happen and if this ad campaign will help Microsoft win over the British public and reassure the CMA that the acquisition will benefit gamers.