Yesterday, the decision of the FTC case against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard was announced, and Microsoft won the court case.
While the FTC has lost the court case, it seems like the regulator has not given up just yet. The FTC is looking to appeal the court’s ruling to make another attempt at blocking the Activision Blizzard merger.
Why it matters: Following Microsoft’s victory in court, the gaming giant is expected to have cleared the major hurdles between the merger. However, an appeal could mean that Microsoft has to face prolonged court sessions against the FTC.
According to Bloomberg, the matter of the appeal remains undecided, but it could be filed by Wednesday.
Following Microsoft’s victory, the CMA also agreed to pause the CAT appeal. With both parties holding discussions again, it seems likely that the transaction will be cleared in the UK.
Previously, the FTC hoped to stop the Activision merger before the July 18 deadline. While the regulator has been unsuccessful, the decision to appeal will be made for the same reason.
However, the report states that this is unlikely. Even if the FTC appealed the decision, the regulator would not be able to begin the process before July 18. The FTC would also need to seek an emergency stay from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to delay the case further.
Following the decision, Judge Corley elaborated that she did not find any harm to the consumer in Microsoft’s latest transaction. According to the judge, Sony could be harmed at one point, but Call of Duty fans and gamers have a lot to gain from Microsoft’s $68.7 billion purchase.
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[News Reporter]
Abiyan is on track to complete his Computer Science bachelor’s degree. His enthusiasm for writing and gaming motivates him to keep readers and gamers updated with the latest information from the industry. In his free time, Abiyan enjoys playing Dota 2 and Rocket League. Abiyan has also been cited in reputed websites such as Kitguru, Comicbook, GamingBible, Eurogamer and Gamingbolt.