FTC Files Injunction to Block Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

The US Federal Commerce Fee has filed an injunction in opposition to Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, searching for to dam the acquisition till the FTC could make a authorized case in opposition to the buyout earlier than the deal might be accomplished. A US federal court docket has agreed to the injunction, blocking the acquisition.

Due to this, Microsoft can not full its acquisition of Activision Blizzard “after 11:59pm Pacific Time on the fifth enterprise day after the Court docket guidelines on the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction”, in response to The Verge.

The injunction now provides the FTC time to make a authorized case in opposition to Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Apparently, the deal itself has a deadline of July 18, and if the acqusition doesn’t undergo by then, Microsoft should pay Activision Blizzard $3 billion.

For the reason that two firms introduced the deal again in 2022, they’ve each seen fairly a little bit of scrutiny from regulatory our bodies from everywhere in the world. The European Fee had authorized of the deal again in Could, whereas the UK’s Competitors and Markets Authority has blocked the deal—a call that has been appealed by Microsoft. Extra lately, China had authorized the deal as effectively.

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