A US judge has granted the Federal Trade Commission’s request to temporarily block the A$103 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, saying it’s ” necessary to maintain the status quo while the complaint is pending.”
This is the latest in a long series of roadblocks to the deal; following the EU’s approval of the deal, the UK’s watchdog decided to block it – a decision that has global ramifications, and is currently being appealed by Microsoft and Activision.
A two-day hearing is now due to take place from 22 June in San Francisco.
“We welcome the opportunity to present our case in federal court,” Microsoft President Brad Smith said of the upcoming hearing.
“We believe accelerating the legal process in the U.S. will ultimately bring more choice and competition to the market.”
