Microsoft has received unconditional approval from China for its plan to purchase video game company, Activision Blizzard, it was reported on Saturday. The deal still faces antitrust opposition in the U.S. and the United Kingdom.
China’s approval was slightly unexpected after Activision Blizzard stopped offering many of its games in the country earlier this year due to a dispute with a local publishing partner.
According to Chinese law, game sales in mainland China can only be made on the condition that game-makers work with a Chinese publisher to release video games in the country. Following a disagreement between Activision subsidiary Blizzard Entertainment and its Chinese partner, NetEase, sales of several leading Activision titles have been suspended, including the likes of World of Warcraft, the StarCraft series, Overwatch and Diablo.
The deal, which is expected to be worth approximately $69 billion, was also approved by the European Union. EU regulators approved the deal on Monday on the condition that Microsoft fulfills promises made around boosting competition in the emerging cloud-based gaming market.
Microsoft’s plan to acquire Activision Blizzard has now been passed by 37 countries. It is set to become the most expensive tech deal in history.