Activision Blizzard shareholders approve $68.7 billion Microsoft deal

More than 98% of the shares voted at a special meeting were in favour of the proposed transaction.

Videogame publisher Activision Blizzard Inc said on Thursday that its shareholders approved Microsoft Corp's $68.7 billion proposal to buy the"Call of Duty" maker.

(Sign up to our Technology newsletter, Today’s Cache, for insights on emerging themes at the intersection of technology, business and policy. Click here to subscribe for free.)

More than 98% of the shares voted at a special meeting held earlier in the day were in favour of the proposed transaction, the Santa Monica, California-based company said.

Microsoft said in January it had agreed to acquireActivision Blizzard for $95 per share in the biggest gaming industry deal in history as global technology giants stake their claims to a virtual future.

Activision, which is facing backlash over its response to allegations of internal sexual harassment and discriminationagainst female employees, missed estimates for first-quarter adjusted sales on Monday, hit by low demand for its latest title "Call of Duty: Vanguard".