Microsoft to Acquire Activision

A California judge has allowed Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard after denying the Federal Trade Commission's request for a preliminary injunction. Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley ruled that the FTC had not demonstrated a likelihood of prevailing in its claim that the merger would substantially lessen competition. Microsoft's commitments to keeping Call of Duty on PlayStation and extending it to Nintendo Switch were cited as factors in the decision. The judge's ruling paves the way for Microsoft to close the deal before the July 18th deadline, provided the company agrees to close around the UK or negotiates a remedy with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. The CMA had previously moved to block Microsoft's proposed acquisition and is currently in talks with the company to address concerns regarding cloud gaming.