We all had to know that the process of Microsoft buying out Activision-Blizzard wasn’t going to happen quickly or elegantly, and that’s not even taking in to account the mire of scandals the studio finds itself in. Still, there is another step to the whole plodding process that’s on the docket: a shareholder vote to approve the buyout, which is expected to happen on Thursday, April 28th.
An SEC filing provided to shareholders stresses the importance of a majority approving the process, stating that approval is “advisable, fair to and in the best interests of Activision-Blizzard and its stockholders.” Should the buyout be approved and completed, ATVI will be removed from the stock exchange, but shareholders will be entitled to $95 in cash for every share they own, while a failure for the buyout to complete would mean a “significant” decline in stock value and that there would be “no assurance [that] Activision-Blizzard’s business, prospects, or results of operations will not be adversely impacted.”
On the subject of the buyout, the FTC is further looking into the deal, as both ActiBlizz and Microsoft were asked to provide additional information and documentation at the beginning of March. That said, Activision-Blizzard still expects the buyout to go as planned, completing sometime in June 2023.
