The FTC has dropped its challenge to Microsoft’s deal with Activision Blizzard
By ForGeeks The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has officially ended administrative proceedings over Microsoft’s $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard
In an order issued May 23, the commission said that “in the public interest, the case should be dismissed.” Thus, the FTC finally gave up on further attempts to challenge the largest merger in the history of the gaming industry, which ended back in October 2023.
The regulator had previously tried multiple times to block the deal both before and after it closed. The most recent attempt was made in an appeals court. However, in May, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals rejected the FTC’s arguments, saying the commission had failed to make a compelling case for a preliminary injunction against the deal.
The FTC’s arguments were rejected by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in May.
Microsoft president Brad Smith commented on the decision on social media X: “Today’s decision is a victory for players across the country and for common sense in Washington. We are grateful to the FTC for this announcement.”
Microsoft CEO Brad Smith commented: “We are grateful to the FTC for this announcement.
The deal between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard has become one of the most talked about in the video game industry, and the FTC’s rejection of further opposition paves the way for the publisher’s full integration into the Microsoft Gaming structure.
The FTC has dropped its challenge to Microsoft’s deal with Activision Blizzard was first published on ITZine.ru.
