Microsoft Activision deal moves closer to completion after FTC court case triumph

In line with what analysts and insiders had predicted, the US federal court has ruled in favour of Microsoft’s $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard.

Following a recent week-long legal battle against the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) in US Federal Court, in which Xbox higher-ups like Phil Spencer, Sarah Bond and Matt Booty were given the chance to make their case against the regulator’s initial decision to block – and file an injunction against – its $68.7 billion purchase, the judge has decided to approve Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The decision comes just under two weeks after several revelations about the video game industry, such as Xbox's plans to buy Sega and Starfield's exclusivity status, were revealed.

This ruling is an unequivocal win for the Xbox maker, who obviously did enough to convince Judge Corley that its purchase of Activision Blizzard wouldn’t be anti-competitive within the video game space. The judge considered arguments from both sides following the end of last week, ultimately opting to deny the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction.