Compliance Into The Weeds - Antitrust Issues in Microsoft Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
Everything Compliance - Episode 93 - The Activision Blizzard Edition
After years of litigating its attempt to block Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) recently dropped its in-house challenge following the Ninth Circuit’s decision affirming...more
On May 7, 2025, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a lower court opinion that denied the Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) motion for a preliminary injunction against Microsoft’s acquisition of...more
In another impactful decision, the Delaware Court of Chancery in Sjunde AP-Fonden v. Activision Blizzard Inc. again stressed the importance of the statutory text of the DGCL to dismiss claims by the plaintiffs alleging that...more
Activision Blizzard Inc. finds itself entangled in a legal maelstrom as top players of its flagship video game Call of Duty allege an unlawful monopoly over professional leagues and tournaments. Filed in a Los Angeles federal...more
In the ever-evolving world of gaming and esports, Microsoft’s monumental $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard has not only reshaped the industry but also navigated a complex path of antitrust scrutiny. Over the...more
Last month, we discussed where things stand regarding Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of Blizzard, Inc. (“Activision”) in light of domestic and international challenges to the proposed deal. This week, the...more
On January 18, 2022, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, one of the world’s most-valuable gaming companies, was announced. In April 2023, the United Kingdom’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked the deal on...more
Since the announcement of a proposed merger between Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, Inc. (“Activision”) in February 2022, enforcement agencies worldwide have adopted a spectrum of positions in response. The EU Commission...more
In the latest of a string of losses for antitrust enforcers, the Northern District of California resoundingly denied the FTC’s bid to enjoin the Microsoft-Activision merger, allowing the deal to proceed a week in advance of...more
This past Tuesday, July 11, a federal judge ruled against the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) request to the District Court of Northern California to issue a preliminary injunction against Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion...more
DOJ Sees First Merger Win After String of Losses - Penguin Random House’s planned acquisition of rival Simon & Schuster was blocked by Judge Florence Pan of the US District Court for the District of Columbia on November...more
Target and Walmart may have taken it on the chin last quarter, but solid results from other retailers—from Macy’s to the Dollars (Tree and General)—“defied Wall Street’s expectations” and helped boost stocks on Thursday. The...more
..Two shifts in merger control enforcement in the U.S. have emerged that are impacting the technology space: an increase in challenges of vertical transactions and increased scrutiny and enforcement with respect to deals...more
In January, Microsoft announced its plan to acquire Activision Blizzard, one of the largest video game publishers in the world. The roughly $69 billion deal constitutes the biggest gaming industry transaction of all time. ...more
Compliance into the Weeds is the only weekly podcast that takes a deep dive into a compliance-related topic, literally going into the weeds to explore a subject more fully. This week, Matt and I are pleased to host Mike...more
Welcome to the only roundtable podcast in compliance. The entire gang was also thrilled to be honored by W3 as a top talk show in podcasting. In this episode, we have the quintet of Karen Woody, Jonathan Armstrong, Tom Fox,...more
A week after SCOTUS scuttled the Biden Administration’s “effort to enlist large employers in its vaccination campaign,” Starbucks has “become one of the first major retailers to backtrack on vaccine plans” for its employees....more
Next up for Activision Blizzard, which we noted yesterday was in the midst of a 6-month process of shedding employees associated with a harassment scandal rocking its ranks: a new corporate owner. Microsoft announced its...more