Overview

• The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously on May 7, 2025, against the FTC's appeal, allowing Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard to proceed without further legal barriers in the U.S.
• The court found that the FTC failed to demonstrate a likelihood of success in proving the merger would substantially lessen competition in gaming markets, including console, subscription, and cloud gaming.
• This decision upholds the July 2023 ruling by District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, who denied the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction to block the deal.
• Microsoft secured regulatory approvals, including from the UK Competition and Markets Authority, and finalized the acquisition in October 2023, marking the largest-ever deal in the video gaming industry.
• To address competition concerns, Microsoft committed to maintaining multi-platform access for key titles like Call of Duty and struck agreements to offer Xbox games on non-Xbox streaming platforms.