The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has officially withdrawn its appeal concerning Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In a recent order to dismiss its complaint, filed on Thursday and reported by The Verge, the FTC expressed that it believes the “public interest is best served” by terminating the case.
Reactions from Microsoft Leadership
This decision was met with enthusiasm from Microsoft’s vice chair and president, Brad Smith, who took to Twitter to share his thoughts. He described the ruling as a “victory for players across the country and for common sense in Washington DC,” expressing gratitude towards the FTC for their announcement.
The timing of this dismissal is particularly noteworthy, occurring just weeks after the FTC’s unsuccessful attempt to impose an injunction aimed at halting Microsoft’s acquisition. In that instance, Judge Daniel P. Collins articulated that the panel found the district court had applied the appropriate legal standards. He noted that the FTC failed to present a compelling evidentiary case to demonstrate a significant likelihood of success regarding its claims.
Judge Collins stated, “Thus, the FTC had not raised serious questions regarding whether the proposed merger was likely to substantially lessen competition in the relevant markets.” This sentiment underscores the legal challenges faced by the FTC in its efforts to contest the merger.
