The FTC Confirms It Has Dropped Its Case Against Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Buyout
Two years after Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the US Federal Trade Commission has finally dropped its case against the multi-billion dollar deal.
The FTC initially hoped to secure a preliminary injunction to block Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of the Call of Duty mega-publisher, but the motion was denied by the US District Court for the Northern District of California. Not to be deterred, the FTC filed an appeal in December 2023 — two months after the deal was completed — in the hopes of overturning the court’s decision. This appeal was rejected earlier this month, and FTC has now confirmed the case has been dropped.
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The Commission has determined that the public interest is best served by dismissing the administrative litigation in this case. Accordingly, IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the Complaint in this matter be, and it hereby is, DISMISSED.
In addition, Brand Smith, President of Microsoft, added:
Today’s decision is a victory for players across the country and for common sense in Washington, D.C. We are grateful to the FTC for today’s announcement.
Microsoft now owns a number of major IPs due to its ownership of Activision Blizzard, but notable franchises such as Call of Duty are still releasing for PS5 & PS4 formats, something which looks set to continue in the years ahead.
[Source – FTC via VGC]
