The FTC has filed for a preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
As originally revealed by CNBC, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed for a preliminary injunction and a temporary restraining order to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
The FTC was the first regulator to formally oppose the merger in December 2022. They sued to block it then, although they did so via their internal administrative system. However, the first hearing is set for August, and the deadline set by Microsoft and Activision Blizzard to close their $68.7 billion deal is July 18th.
The FTC could have asked for an injunction in December, but back then, there was no impending risk of closure. That the FTC feels the need to bring the case to a federal court suggests they believe Microsoft might be about to try and close the deal even in the presence of the FTC’s previous lawsuit and the UK CMA’s attempt to block the deal.
