As anticipated, the FTC has decided to pause its case against Microsoft in the Activision Blizzard merger, meaning a settlement is likely to come next.
The U.S. FTC has suspended its legal challenge against Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. According to a document published on its website, the agency will no longer pursue an administrative challenge that was supposed to go on trial next month. The FTC filed a lawsuit seeking to block the merger last year but has since suffered multiple setbacks in court.
This is yet another victory for Microsoft, and it comes merely days after the U.S. FTC failed to secure an injunction against the merger. The next — and supposedly final — challenge for Microsoft will be convincing the FTC commissioners to agree to a settlement. The merger was originally scheduled to close on July 18, but the parties extended that deadline to October 18. The latest FTC move comes merely a day after Microsoft and Activision urged the agency to drop its bid at blocking the deal.
