Court Clears Microsoft’s $69B Activision Blizzard Deal

A U.S. appellate court upheld a ruling allowing Microsoft’s massive $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This denies the FTC’s injunction seeking to halt the deal over antitrust concerns. Microsoft reassured gamers it plans to keep hit franchises like Call of Duty on multiple platforms. The merger, now nearing completion, still faces scrutiny in the U.K., but analysts expect negotiations there to reach a settlement. If successful, Microsoft becomes the world’s third-biggest gaming company by revenue, reshaping an industry where exclusivity deals are hotly contested.