In a significant win for Microsoft, a U.S. Federal court has ruled in favor of the tech giant, leaving the FTC defeated in the attempted block of the Activision Blizzard acquisition. The latest victory over the federal trade commission cleared the way for the merger in the united states. Only one regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), remains a hurdle for Microsoft-Activision Blizzard; however, after the latest FTC ruling, both sides have agreed to pause the current status of their legal battle to enter negotiations.
“After today’s court decision in the U.S., our focus now turns back to the UK. While we ultimately disagree with the CMA’s concerns, we are considering how the transaction might be modified in order to address those concerns in a way that is acceptable to the CMA”
“In order to prioritize work on these proposals, Microsoft and Activision have agreed with the CMA that a stay of the litigation in the UK would be in the public interest and the parties have made a joint submission to the Competition Appeal Tribunal to this effect.”
Brad Smith, President of Microsoft
Microsoft-Activision Battle In The U.K.
The CMA blocked the potential acquisition in April, prompting Microsoft to appeal the decision. Previously, a trial would take place in late July. The pause will allow both sides to reengage in conversation and renegotiate the parameters of the deal. That will ultimately lead to a final decision with no pushback. The hope is for Microsoft to address the concerns of the CMA in a new proposal. However, as reported last month, talks of Microsoft continuing to pursue closure of the deal without the support of the U.K. regulator.
A Microsoft and ABK merger will help the Xbox in many ways, including cloud gaming, gamepass, and making tons of revenue due to owning one of the most popular games of all, Call Of Duty. The benefits could range from new exclusives such as new Transformers gaming concepts or a new Prototype title. However, Call Of Duty will remain on all platforms and return to Nintendo. We will keep you posted on the lengthy legal battle and hope a final decision arrives sooner.
Are you for or against the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard acquisition? Did the decision to rule in favor of Microsoft seem fair? Also, have you heard about the new Black Panther project? Leave a comment! Don’t forget to follow the team on Twitter at @Lv1Gaming and our Facebook page. Check out our YouTube channel and Twitch for more content, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. You can also follow me on Twitter @Rozay_McFly to engage in unique and unbiased gaming conversations.
