Microsoft’s $69B Activision takeover can go forward, says judge

A California judge greenlit Microsoft’s takeover of the video game maker Activision Blizzard, which the FTC tried to stop, paving the way for the $69 billion deal that had attracted scrutiny from several antitrust enforcers, including Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority.

The deal could close as soon as this month.

The federal judge refused a request from the FTC for an injunction. The regulator argued that the merger was anti-competitive as it would give the Xbox game console maker exclusive access to Activision games, including the best-selling Call of Duty.

The judge said the FTC has failed to show the merger would result in a substantial reduction in competition that would harm consumers.

Shortly after the ruling, Britain’s regulators, which had objected to the deal in April, said that it would consider Microsoft’s proposals to resolve antitrust concerns in the U.K.