Xbox Wins Activision Court Case Against The FTC

The FTC case against Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has been going on for a while. Following the conclusion of four days of hearings, a decision was expected to be made this week.

Following much anticipation, the judge finally ruled. Microsoft has won the court case, allowing the gaming giant to proceed with the Activision merger.

Why it matters: The victory means that Microsoft can go ahead with the biggest merger in the gaming industry. Activision Blizzard cost $68.7 billion, but the purchase appears to have been worth it.

Microsoft has already received approval from major regulators like the European Commission. With the FTC having lost the case, the regulator has the option to appeal the case. However, it is likely that the decision for the appeal will also be made in Microsoft’s favor.

Previously, the CMA blocked the deal. While Microsoft has appealed this decision, the merger cannot be completed in the UK until the gaming giant wins this appeal. However, Microsoft can still close the merger.

This would require alternate methods to provide Activision games in the UK, and Microsoft has also considered this approach in the past.

This is a massive victory for Xbox. The decision also ensures that Xbox will not have to re-negotiate the deal with Activision, as the judge has ruled before the final date of July 18.