Judge rules against FTC’s efforts to block Microsoft/Activision deal
U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley has ruled against the Federal Trade Commission's plea for a preliminary injunction aimed at blocking Microsoft's (MSFT.us) acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI.us), which is valued at a substantial $69 billion.
Opponents of the merger have directed their attention to the popularity of Activision's renowned Call of Duty series and the potential market dominance it could afford Microsoft in console gaming.
Judge Corley disagreed, maintaining that "the FTC has not shown…that [Microsoft's] ownership of Activision content will substantially lessen competition in the video game library subscription and cloud gaming markets. To the contrary, the record evidence points to more consumer access to Call of Duty and other Activision content."
The ruling does not guarantee the completion of the merger, with the main obstacle now lying with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in the United Kingdom. The CMA has issued a decision to block the deal, prompting Microsoft to file an appeal against this ruling. Moreover, Microsoft may modify the deal to gain the the CMA's approval.
Russell Shor
Senior Market Strategist
Russell Shor is a Senior Market Strategist at FXCM, having been promoted to the role in 2025 in recognition of his depth of insight and consistent delivery of high-impact market analysis. He originally joined FXCM in October 2017 as a Senior Market Specialist.
Russell holds an Honours Degree in Economics from the University of South Africa, is a certified FMVA®, and a full member of the Society of Technical Analysts (UK). With over 20 years of experience in financial markets, his work is renowned for its clarity, precision, and strategic value across asset classes.
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