US tech giant Microsoft has completed its acquisition of games giant Activision Blizzard.
27.09.2023 - 18:13 / wccftech.com / Jacqueline Scott Corley
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) isn't giving up its legal fight against Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. As you're likely to remember, the US regulator tried to obtain a preliminary injunction to prevent Microsoft's deal from being completed but failed when Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley of the Northern District of California ruled in favor of Microsoft on July 11th.
Shortly after that happened, the FTC was essentially forced by its own Commission
Rules of Practice to stay the internal proceedings before the Administrative Law Judge, which were originally scheduled to begin on August 2nd following the regulator's decision to sue to block the acquisition last December.
However, the FTC has now ordered the internal proceedings to resume, effectively reviving its lawsuit. The evidentiary hearing will now commence twenty-one days after the
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issues its opinion regarding the appeal of
the district court's decision on the requested preliminary injunction.
It is a slightly surprising decision, considering that the Federal Trade Commission now effectively stands alone following the United Kingdom's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) provisional approval of the restructured Microsoft deal (chiefly due to the divestiture of Activision cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft). Everywhere else, the deal has already been approved.
Still, under Lina Khan's tenure, the FTC has attempted to fight even unwinnable battles. In fact, they have lost every one of them so far.
Just yesterday, they issued a massive lawsuit against Amazon, alleging that 'the online retail and technology company is a monopolist that uses a set of interlocking anticompetitive and unfair strategies to illegally maintain its monopoly power'.
As for the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard deal, the FTC won't be able to stop its closure, but it can continue its internal hearing and potentially seek to unwind the deal afterward.
US tech giant Microsoft has completed its acquisition of games giant Activision Blizzard.
The UK’s Competition Markets Authority (CMA) has given the go-ahead for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, accepting the tech giant’s modified deal and how it addresses concerns over cloud gaming competition. Microsoft could complete the deal within the next few days.
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard is finally complete, with the $68.7 billion deal gaining approval from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). In a new email to employees, CEO Bobby Kotick has confirmed that he will stay on until the end of 2023 to help with the transition.
Following confirmation of Microsoft’s buyout of Activision Blizzard, controversial CEO Bobby Kotick has confirmed he will remain boss of the Call of Duty maker only until the end of 2023.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer has given players on rival consoles, most notably PS5, some reassuring words about future exclusivity, or lack thereof.
Microsoft has finally closed their deal to acquire and merge with Activision Blizzard King.
Microsoft has now formally acquired Activision Blizzard, via the biggest company buyout in video games industry history.
By Tom Warren, a senior editor covering Microsoft, PC gaming, console, and tech. He founded WinRumors, a site dedicated to Microsoft news, before joining The Verge in 2012.
After initially blocking the deal, the Competition and Markets Authority in the United Kingdom has approved Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Following provisional approval last month, the authority has given the green light after the company announced the selling of cloud streaming rights for Activision Blizzard’s titles to Ubisoft.
The UK’s Competition Markets Authority (CMA) has given the go-ahead for Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, accepting the tech giant’s modified deal and how it addresses concerns over cloud gaming competition. Microsoft could complete the deal within the next few days.
Sign up for the GI Daily here to get the biggest news straight to your inbox
Microsoft’s long-running pursuit of Activision Blizzard looks set to come to an end today after the UK finally cleared the deal and stock in the Call of Duty maker was halted.