Microsoft has achieved another significant milestone in its efforts to acquire Activision Blizzard, as the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) latest attempt to block the $69 billion deal was denied by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. This ruling, issued by a three-judge panel, upholds the July 2023 decision that originally permitted Microsoft to finalize its acquisition, a deal first announced in late 2022 (Reuters).
The acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has been under intense scrutiny for over three years, drawing opposition from various quarters, including select U.S. Senators who were among the first to oppose the transaction. Their primary concerns centered around the ongoing consolidation within the tech industry, especially as Microsoft, the Xbox maker, continued to expand its portfolio by acquiring major companies. Fears that popular franchises like Call of Duty might be restricted to Microsoft's platforms were alleviated when Microsoft confirmed it had no plans to limit these franchises with extended exclusivity periods.
Every Video Game Franchise Xbox Owns After Acquiring Activision Blizzard
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Despite numerous challenges throughout 2023, Microsoft successfully completed its purchase of Activision Blizzard in October. The FTC's appeal represented a potential final hurdle to normal operations, but with its failure, it appears that the FTC's efforts to impede the acquisition have come to an end.
For a detailed timeline of Microsoft's journey to finalize the Activision Blizzard acquisition, you can click here.
