China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) has cleared Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of video gaming giant Activision Blizzard, although the deal still faces antitrust scrutiny in the US and UK, reports the South China Morning Post. The SAMR gave the green light to the takeover “unconditionally,” according to a statement published to its official website on Tuesday. The approval was dated May 18.
The blockbuster deal has so far been approved by nearly 40 countries, including 27 in the European Union, along with Japan and Brazil. However, Microsoft still faces antitrust hurdles to completing the acquisition.
In December, the US Federal Trade Commission sued to block the deal, alleging that it would allow the Xbox owner to “suppress competitors” in the nascent subscription and cloud gaming segments. Microsoft is defending the deal in court.
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