Shareholders in US publishing giant Activision Blizzard have voted to approve the company's sale to Microsoft.

The Call of Duty maker revealed the news in a post on its investor relation page, saying that 98 per cent of stockholders have backed the deal.

The news is perhaps unsurprising, given that Activision Blizzard is set to be bought for $95 per share, well above what the company's stock had previously been trading at due to the myriad scandals the games firm has faced.

“Today’s overwhelmingly supportive vote by our stockholders confirms our shared belief that, combined with Microsoft, we will be even better positioned to create great value for our players, even greater opportunities for our employees, and to continue our focus on becoming an inspiring example of a welcoming, respectful, and inclusive workplace,” Activision Blizzard boss Robert Kotick (pictured) said.

Microsoft announced in January that it intended to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. While the deal has been approved by the company's shareholders, it still needs to be given the nod by anti-trust investigators. The deal is being overseen by the US' Federal Trade Commission, which has been known to be far stricter than the Justice Department.