Microsoft has achieved another significant win against the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in its efforts to finalize the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The FTC's attempt to halt Microsoft's monumental $69 billion acquisition of the company behind the iconic Call of Duty franchise was denied by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco. This decision, announced today, puts an end to the FTC's challenge against the July 2023 decision that permitted Microsoft to proceed with the purchase, originally announced in late 2022 (via Reuters).
The acquisition has been under intense scrutiny for over three years, with early opposition coming from select U.S. Senators who raised concerns about the increasing consolidation within the tech industry as Microsoft, the Xbox creator, expanded its portfolio. Fears among competitors and gamers that popular titles like Call of Duty might become exclusive to Microsoft's platforms were alleviated when Microsoft confirmed it would not restrict access to major franchises through lengthy exclusivity deals.
Every Video Game Franchise Xbox Owns After Acquiring Activision Blizzard
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Despite ongoing challenges throughout 2023, Microsoft successfully completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October of that year. The FTC's appeal posed a potential obstacle to smooth operations, but with the appeal's failure, it appears their efforts to block the merger have come to an end.
For a comprehensive timeline of Microsoft's journey to finalize the Activision Blizzard acquisition, you can click here.
