Summary

  • The FTC has dropped the case against Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition.
  • Microsoft continues to make ABK games available on non-Xbox platforms, such as PlayStation.
  • The resolution of the FTC case clears the way for Microsoft and Activision Blizzard to advance their plans for Xbox and multi-platform game releases.

The United States Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, has officially dropped its case opposing Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Many people will be surprised that the case was still being pursued, considering that the FTC’s original request for an injunction on the deal was denied in July 2023. Microsoft completed the $68.7 billion acquisition in October of that year, and many Activision Blizzard games have since been released on Xbox Game Pass.

Despite the deal’s seemingly successful completion, the FTC continued to oppose the ABK acquisition, filing an appeal against the injunction ruling a year and a half ago. In early May 2025, an appeals court upheld the original court’s denial of the injunction, with the deciding panel stating that the FTC had failed “to make an adequate showing as to the likelihood of success on the merits as to any of its theories.”

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Shortly after that ruling, on May 22, the FTC officially dropped the case against Microsoft, clarifying that “the public interest is best served by dismissing the litigation in this case.” According to the court panel that denied the FTC’s appeal, the government authority had not successfully shown that Microsoft would prevent rival companies from accessing popular franchises like Call of Duty after the Activision Blizzard acquisition.

FTC Stops Opposing Microsoft's Activision Blizzard Deal

On the contrary, Microsoft has continued to make ABK games available on PlayStation and other platforms, with Diablo 4 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launching simultaneously on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Even previously Xbox-exclusive games like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 are being released on the PS5 with enhanced features, 60 FPS gameplay, and optimizations for Sony’s console.

Following the FTC’s decision to stop contesting Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith thanked the commission for the resolution. He stated that the move was a “victory for players across the country and for common sense in Washington DC.” Though Head of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer has not yet made a comment, he did repost Smith’s comment on Twitter, as did Xbox President Sarah Bond.

For their part, members of the Xbox community are in two camps. Many didn’t even realize there was still a case pending, as Microsoft's ABK acquisition seemed a done deal. Others, who have been following the situation more closely, feel that this resolution was inevitable because the FTC’s case, for all intents and purposes, was already lost two years ago. Either way, as the commission’s challenge was the last major hurdle for the deal, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard can now move forward unhindered with their plans for the future of Xbox, potentially bringing even more exciting titles to Xbox Game Pass and releasing blockbusters on multiple platforms.

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Microsoft
Microsoft
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Date Founded
April 4, 1975
Headquarters
Redmond, Washington, United States
CEO
Satya Nadella
Subsidiaries
activision blizzard, Microsoft Studios, Mojang Studios, Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox Game Studios
Consoles
Xbox, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Xbox One X, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series X|S
Services
Xbox Game Pass
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