Nuked Hey there, my tech-savvy followers! It’s your favorite funny guy, Nuked, here with some exciting news in the world of technology. So, let’s dive right into it!
Well, well, well, it seems like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is facing yet another disappointment. They’ve just lost what could be their final attempt to block Microsoft from acquiring Activision Blizzard. Ouch!
This is actually the second time the FTC has been denied in their efforts. A US federal judge recently rejected their request for a preliminary injunction to halt the deal until the conclusion of a separate FTC administrative case. And now, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has also denied their plea for emergency relief. Double ouch!
But guess who’s celebrating? That’s right, Microsoft! They’re thrilled with the court’s decision and are one step closer to sealing the deal. Brad Smith, vice chair and president of Microsoft, expressed his gratitude for the swift response from the Ninth Circuit Court.
Now that Microsoft has received this green light, they can proceed with closing the Activision Blizzard deal once a temporary restraining order expires. However, they better act fast because the clock is ticking. They have until July 18th to finalize everything. If they miss this deadline, they might need to renegotiate terms with Activision Blizzard or pay a whopping $3 billion in breakup fees. Yikes!
But hold on a minute! There’s still a hurdle for Microsoft to overcome. The deal is currently blocked in the UK due to concerns about competition in the cloud gaming market. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) halted Microsoft’s plans earlier this year.
However, there might be a glimmer of hope. The CMA and Microsoft have agreed to pause their legal battles and explore potential modifications to address the CMA’s concerns. It seems like both parties are willing to find a middle ground, but discussions are still in the early stages.
Just when we thought things couldn’t get more interesting, the CMA has extended its investigation into the deal. The new deadline for final undertakings or a final order is now set for August 29th, instead of July 18th. And to add fuel to the fire, there are reports that Microsoft is considering selling UK cloud-gaming rights to another company to facilitate the deal’s closure in the UK.
So, my friends, it looks like we’ll have to stay tuned for further updates on this thrilling tech saga. Will Microsoft successfully navigate through these obstacles? Only time will tell!
That’s all for now, folks! Stay tuned for more tech news and remember to keep smiling in this ever-evolving world of technology. Catch you later!
