Following yesterday's blockbuster news that the FTC's attempted injunction against Microsoft has been denied, the Activision Blizzard deal going through feels closer than ever. Even so, the acquisition is still not confirmed by any means, and a remaining authority that still needs winning over has also hinted that some changes wouldn't necessarily be immediate if the merger happens.
The UK CMA is once again being brought up, this time in relation to Call of Duty on Xbox Game Pass. With the deal inching ever closer, The Verge's Tom Warren has reminded folks that new games in the franchise may not come to Microsoft's subscription service until 2025.
This tidbit of information was first released in late April's CMA report, you know, the one that caused the group to block the deal from happening in the UK. That report mentions that there would "likely" be a gap between the completion of the merger and new CoD games arriving on Game Pass - if the deal happens.
Of course, this timeline isn't set in stone and the CMA could be making assumptions based on the discussions they've had with all parties involved in Call of Duty. Still, it's worth remembering that even if this deal goes through soon, some games may not hit Game Pass straight away - potentially some that aren't mentioned here also.
For example, Blizzard seems pretty adamant that Diablo 4 won't be coming to Xbox Game Pass for the time being, and we don't yet know whether there's some kind of contract in place that would prevent it from joining the service in 2023.
Anyway, that CMA decision is now being fought against by Microsoft as the Xbox owner comes up with new solutions to get this deal passed in the UK. Where will this thing go next, eh?