Microsoft has been trying to concede through various deals to get the Activision acquisition to go through. However, it appears as though that isn’t enough for the United States’ Federal Trade Commission, as some new reports claim that the organization is trying to block the deal.
The FTC is trying to stop the Activision deal, according to a few reports
There are two reports — one from CNN and another from CNBC — that cite anonymous sources familiar with the matter. This filing isn’t public yet, but it allegedly will ask the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for a “temporary restraining order” that would keep both parties from finishing the acquisition. This move has the aim of trying to jam the deal before the July 18 deadline.
The FTC already sued Microsoft in December 2022 and called the deal anticompetitive. And while the European Commission approved it in May, the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority’s decision also challenged the deal. Brad Smith, president of Microsoft, said he saw things differently.
“We welcome the opportunity to present our case in federal court,” said Smith. “We believe accelerating the legal process in the U.S. will ultimately bring more choice and competition to the market.”