If we measure the importance of authorizations by the volume of markets they represent, Microsoft should be pretty happy at this point China’s regulator has cleared Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard without restrictions. According to the United Nations (UN), the average population of the Asian giant will be 1,425.7 million in 2023, second only to India with 1,428.6 million, also the estimated average for this year.

The approval, which Microsoft confirmed to IGN, translates into a new green light on the massive thoroughfare that could eventually top Yonge Street, which metaphorically represents a process that began early last year, and which at least for now, it still doesn’t point to a clear end. And it is so that there are already many traffic lights that show green, but the traffic was complicated not by red, but by shortening to work with an unexpected completion date and an orange light, which coincidentally affects one of the most important sections of the road.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard It has already received no less than 37 yeses from regulators around the world, including what was by far the newest and one of the most symbolic, the European Union. However, let’s recall that a few weeks ago the UK CMA decided to block the deal and that we are still waiting for the US FTC to decide on it, which will probably happen in August. A decision that will most likely be key to how this process ends.

So pending the FTC’s statement and the development of the processes Microsoft has opened in the UK to try to overturn the CMA’s decision, approval by China can be considered an important distinctionand that might make those in Redmond continue to buy, even if it means giving up the UK market, which we already told you about a few days ago. However, it is true that the size of the Chinese market is gigantic, but we must not forget that its regulations and peculiarities are also gigantic.

Both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard are American companies and their local markets are very important to them, so it seems highly unlikely that the transaction could be completed if their local regulator decides against it. There’s been quite a bit of noise about this in recent months, including allegations of FTC activation for murky reasons, but the only thing that’s clear at this point is that both companies may be willing to go ahead and even give up the UK. , so it is becoming more and more obvious that the FTC or otherwise the courts will have the final say that he must pronounce his future decision.

So I answer “yes, but” to the question that started this news. The decision of the Chinese regulator opens the way for the purchase despite the British refusal, as the resulting global market reach increased substantially, while rejection would be a huge setback for those plans. However, it does not aim to be a yes-or-no decision, as it is virtually entirely attributable to the US FTC.