FTC Finally Drops Challenge to Microsoft's 2023 Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Just days aft losing its two-year-old objection to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the U.S.'s Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has officially dropped its case.

The FTC’s entreaty to artifact Microsoft’s $69 cardinal woody to get the institution down Call of Duty was denied by San Francisco’s 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals connected May 7, further cementing the acquisition that was primitively announced successful precocious 2022. It was a determination decided by a three-judge sheet that brought an extremity to the FTC’s questioning of the July 2023 determination to let Microsoft to finalize its purchase.

As we summarized astatine the time, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard has faced scrutiny from crossed the committee for much than 3 years, some successful the U.S. and worldwide, with immoderate parties acrophobic that an acquisition would spot fashionable franchises similar Call of Duty go Xbox exclusives. Microsoft confirmed it had nary involvement successful barring definite franchises down lengthy exclusivity periods, and sold Activision-Blizzard's unreality gaming rights to Ubisoft to fulfill the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) objections.

While challenges continued to originate passim 2023, Microsoft was yet capable to implicit its acquisition of Activision Blizzard successful October of that aforesaid year.

The FTC’s entreaty could person presented a precocious roadblock to continuing. However, arsenic reported by The Verge, the Commission has present dismissed its ailment entirely, stating successful a little filing issued connected May 22: "The Commission has determined that the nationalist involvement is champion served by dismissing the administrative litigation successful this case."

"On May 7, 2025, the Ninth Circuit affirmed the determination of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, FTC v. Microsoft Corp. [...] denying the Commission’s exertion for a preliminary injunction to artifact the acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Inc. by Microsoft Corp.

"Accordingly, it is hereby ordered that the Complaint successful this substance be, and it hereby is, Dismissed."

For a timeline of each of Microsoft’s struggles with finalizing its Activision Blizzard acquisition, you tin click here.

Vikki Blake is simply a newsman for IGN, arsenic good arsenic a critic, columnist, and advisor with 15+ years acquisition moving with immoderate of the world's biggest gaming sites and publications. She's besides a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her astatine BlueSky.