Microsoft-Activision US$69 billion deal back on track after US court win

The US Federal Trade Commission had requested the transaction be halted pending an investigation on competition concerns

Decision hands a major victory to Microsoft and allows it to close its purchase of Activision, the maker of Call of Duty, as planned

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Published: 4:18am, 12 Jul 2023Updated: 8:17am, 12 Jul 2023

A US federal judge on Tuesday resurrected Microsoft’s US$69 billion buyout of video gaming giant Activision Blizzard by refusing to allow the temporary suspension of the long delayed deal.

The US Federal Trade Commission, the Washington-based antitrust enforcer, requested that the blockbuster transaction be halted pending an investigation on competition concerns.

But Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley said “the FTC has not shown a likelihood it will prevail on its claim.”

The decision handed a major victory to Microsoft and allowed it to close its purchase of Activision, the maker of Call of Duty and Candy Crush, as planned on July 18.

Xbox-owner Microsoft launched a bid for Activision Blizzard early last year, seeking to establish the world’s third biggest gaming firm by revenue after China’s Tencent and Japan’s PlayStation maker Sony.

While the European Union has greenlit the deal, Microsoft still needs to overcome a veto from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in Britain.

Microsoft-Activision US$69 billion deal back on track after US court win

The US Federal Trade Commission had requested the transaction be halted pending an investigation on competition concerns Decision hands a major victory to Microsoft and allows it to close its purchase of Activision, the maker of Call of Duty, as planned

The US Federal Trade Commission had requested the transaction be halted pending an investigation on competition concerns

Decision hands a major victory to Microsoft and allows it to close its purchase of Activision, the maker of Call of Duty, as planned