Microsoft-Activision: A US judge blocks the $69 billion deal for now.

US regulators asked a judge to temporarily stop Microsoft from buying Activision Blizzard for $69 billion (£56 billion).

“It is necessary to maintain the status quo while the complaint is pending,” the court states of the temporary restraining order.

The deal may “substantially lessen competition” in the sector, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the United States.

A hearing that will last for two days will now take place on June 22 in San Francisco.

It would be the largest acquisition of Call of Duty and Candy Crush by Activision Blizzard in video game industry history.

It has split competition regulators in Europe, the United States, and the UK. While the European Union has approved the buyout, the UK has blocked it. Regulators in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States must approve the deal between Microsoft and Activision.

The FTC has argued that the agreement would deny competitors Nintendo and Sony access to Activision games because it would give Xbox console exclusive access.

The FTC will have until June 20 to respond to Activision’s legal arguments opposing the preliminary injunction.

According to Microsoft, acquiring Activision would be beneficial to gamers and gaming companies.

It has offered to sign a 10-year contract with the FTC to supply rivals like Sony with Call of Duty games.

The acquisition has been approved by the European Commission, which stated that there would be fair competition in the market due to Microsoft’s 10-year free licensing deals, which guarantee European consumers and cloud game streaming services access to Activision’s PC and console games.

However, in April, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) objected to the deal, stating that it was concerned that the takeover would provide gamers with fewer options and less innovation.

Activision declared that they would file an appeal against the CMA’s decision.

According to Microsoft’s president Brad Smith, it was the company’s “darkest day” in Britain for four decades.

Mr. Smith said Microsoft appreciated the “opportunity to present our case in federal court” in its attempt to persuade US regulators to allow the deal to be completed in response to the FTC’s announcement on Monday.

He went on to say, “We believe accelerating the legal process in the US will eventually bring more choice and competition to the market.”

which is attempting to catch up with Sony, considers the acquisition of Activision, the company behind Candy Crush.

However, Microsoft’s attempt to invest could be seen as a bet on the future of video games, as the company is betting heavily on its Xbox Game Pass service, which has been dubbed the “Netflix of games.”

Instead of making one-time purchases, which are currently the primary method of accessing games, believes that “cloud gaming,” which involves players streaming games and having subscriptions to libraries, is the way forward.

US moves to block Microsoft’s Activision takeover

US regulators have asked a judge to stop Microsoft from buying Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard for $69 billion (£56 billion).

The deal, which would be the largest in the history of the video game industry, could “substantially lessen competition” in the sector, according to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The move comes after the EU approved the deal after the UK blocked it on the grounds that it would hurt competition.

In August, a trial in the US will begin.

A court filing from the FTC stated that the regulator needed to issue a “preliminary injunction to… prevent interim harm” while it investigated whether or not “the proposed acquisition violates US antitrust law.”

The proposed acquisition of Activision by Microsoft has divided global regulators, and the parties need approval from regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States before the deal can proceed.

The acquisition has been approved by the European Commission, which stated that there would be fair competition in the market due to Microsoft’s 10-year free licensing deals, which guarantee European consumers and cloud game streaming services access to Activision’s PC and console games.

However, in April, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) objected to the deal, stating that it was concerned that the takeover would provide gamers with fewer options and less innovation.

Activision declared that they would file an appeal in response to the decision.

According to Microsoft’s president Brad Smith, it was the company’s “darkest day” in the country in its four decades of operation.

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Mr. Smith stated that Microsoft appreciated the “opportunity to present our case in federal court” in its attempt to persuade US regulators to permit the completion of the deal in response to the FTC’s announcement.

He went on to say, “We believe accelerating the legal process in the US will eventually bring more choice and competition to the market.”

The FTC had asked an internal administrative judge to block the deal in December of last year on antitrust grounds because it would give Microsoft’s Xbox exclusive access to Activision games and leave Nintendo and Sony’s PlayStation out in the cold.

William Kovacic, a former non-executive director at the UK’s CMA and former chair of the FTC, stated that the FTC had requested a judge to halt the deal because it was concerned that Microsoft and Activision might complete it despite opposition from the UK.

He said on the BBC’s Wake up to Money program, “The EU’s decision to take a settlement was a bit of a surprise.” Mr. Kovacic said there was still a chance the takeover could be completed, but he added, “The chance is diminished.”

which is attempting to catch up to its main rival Sony, sees the acquisition of Activision, the company behind Candy Crush.

However, Microsoft’s attempt to invest could be interpreted as a bet on the future of games, as the company is betting heavily on its Xbox Game Pass service, which has been dubbed the “Netflix of games.”

Instead of making one-time purchases, which are currently the primary method of accessing games, Microsoft believes that “cloud gaming,” which involves players streaming games and having subscriptions to libraries, is the way forward.

Kath Paddison’s additional reporting follows.