Microsoft, Activision Tap Simpson Thacher, Skadden for Game Deal

Microsoft Corp. and Activision Blizzard Inc. tapped Simpson Thacher & Bartlett and Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom, respectively, as outside advisers for their $68.7 billion deal.

Simpson Thacher’s team includes partners from its mergers and acquisitions, tax, executive compensation, intellectual property, and real estate practices in New York, Washington, and Palo Alto, Calif., according to an email from the firm.

The Skadden team includes M&A partners Kenton King and Sonia Nijjar; executive compensation partner Regina Olshan; antitrust partners Steven Sunshine, Maria Raptis, Bill Batchelor, Ingrid Vandenborre, and Andrew Foster; IP partner Ken Kumayama; and tax partner Nathan Giesselman.

The ...