FTC Loses Appeal Challenging Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Microsoft has secured different triumph implicit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) successful its quest to unafraid Activision Blizzard.

The FTC’s entreaty to artifact Microsoft’s $69 cardinal woody to get the institution down Call of Duty was denied by San Francisco’s 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals today, further cementing a acquisition that was primitively announced successful precocious 2022 (via Reuters). It was a determination decided by a three-judge sheet that brought an extremity to the FTC’s questioning of the July 2023 determination to let Microsoft to finalize its purchase.

Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has faced scrutiny from crossed the committee for much than 3 years. Select U.S. Senators were among the archetypal to reason the transaction, bringing up concerns of the ongoing consolidation of the tech manufacture arsenic the Xbox shaper brought successful much large companies nether its wing. As competitors and gamers alike grew acrophobic an acquisition meant fashionable franchises similar Call of Duty would nary longer motorboat connected competing platforms, Microsoft confirmed it had nary involvement successful barring definite franchises down lengthy exclusivity periods.

While challenges continued to originate passim 2023, Microsoft was yet capable to implicit its acquisition of Activision Blizzard successful October of that aforesaid year. The FTC’s entreaty could person presented a precocious roadblock to continuing operations arsenic normal, and present that its efforts person failed, it seems its pursuit is yet over.

For a afloat timeline of each of Microsoft’s struggles with finalizing its Activision Blizzard acquisition, you tin click here.

Michael Cripe is simply a freelance contributor with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).