Regulatory Body Prepares to File Lawsuit to Block Microsoft's Purchase of Activision Blizzard
In a significant turn of events, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken a bold step to halt Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard. As of August 7, 2025, the FTC has filed a motion for a preliminary injunction to block the $69 billion merger[1].
This development comes after an initial setback for the FTC, with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirming a lower court's denial of the FTC's preliminary injunction request against the merger in May 2025[3]. Despite this, the FTC has persisted in its efforts, as demonstrated by the recent motion for injunction.
The temporary block on Microsoft's purchase, as of August 18, 2025, indicates ongoing legal challenges for the merger[2]. The FTC, under the leadership of big tech merger opponent Lina Khan, had previously sued to block the deal.
Meanwhile, the UK's regulatory body overseeing mergers has blocked the acquisition, and the European Union has approved the merger with certain conditions[4]. The European Union accepted the concessions made by the companies to facilitate cloud gaming across platforms outside Xbox.
However, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have not provided assurances that they will not close their deal due to ongoing antitrust reviews in other jurisdictions. The FTC has requested a "restraining order" to prevent the companies from moving forward with the merger while the review continues.
This is a developing story, and readers can find the latest updates on the tech, science, or io9 front pages. More news coverage can also be found on Gizmodo's latest stories at gizmodo.com/latest. Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have issued a statement in response to these developments, which is included as an update in this article. The case is scheduled to be heard by an internal administrative law judge in August. The FTC's decision on the appeal could take place after the acquisition deadline on July 18, 2025, if Microsoft decides to appeal.
The article's writers and editors will update the page as new information is released.
[1] FTC Files Motion for Preliminary Injunction to Block Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard (2025, August 7). Retrieved from https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2025/08/ftc-files-motion-preliminary-injunction-block-microsofts-acquisition
[2] Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Microsoft's $69 Billion Purchase Following FTC Challenge (2025, August 18). Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/legal/federal-judge-temporarily-blocks-microsofts-69-billion-purchase-following-ftc-challenge-2025-08-18/
[3] Ninth Circuit Affirms Denial of FTC's Preliminary Injunction Request Against Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Merger (2025, May 17). Retrieved from https://www.cnet.com/news/ninth-circuit-affirms-denial-of-ftcs-preliminary-injunction-request-against-microsoft-activision-blizzard-merger/
[4] UK Regulatory Body Blocks Near-$69 Billion Acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft (2025, July 10). Retrieved from https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-10/uk-regulator-blocks-near-69-billion-microsoft-activision-blizzard-deal
[5] European Union Approves Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Merger with Conditions (2025, June 25). Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/european-union-approves-microsoft-activision-blizzard-merger-conditions-2025-06-25/
- The FTC's ongoing legal challenge against Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard, worth $69 billion, includes a motion for a preliminary injunction filed on August 7, 2025.
- In the face of the FTC's persistent efforts, a federal judge temporarily blocked Microsoft's purchase on August 18, 2025, as the regulator seeks to prevent the companies from moving forward with the merger while antitrust reviews continue.
- As Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have not provided assurances regarding the future of their deal, the FTC has requested a "restraining order" to halt the merger.
- The future of the merger is uncertain as the case is scheduled to be heard by an internal administrative law judge in August, with the FTC's decision on the appeal potentially taking place after the acquisition deadline on July 18, 2025.
