The FTC’s challenge is the last major hurdle keeping Microsoft from putting the deal in its rearview mirror.
The agency originally pulled back its administrative challenge in July after losing a lawsuit requesting that it be granted a preliminary injunction to block Microsoft from closing the deal. At that point, the CMA, which originally ruled to block the deal, stood as the only potential roadblock to completing the transaction.
Now, Microsoft's takeover of the "Call of Duty” publisher is again in limbo as the FTC is preparing for another round with the Xbox maker. While the company can close the acquisition, the FTC can still challenge the legality of the tie up, after the fact. “The FTC continues to believe this deal is a threat to competition and we are placing this matter on the Commission’s Part 3 calendar ahead of our ongoing federal court appeal, but our current focus is on the federal appeal process,” FTC spokesperson Victoria Graham told Yahoo Finance in a statement.The FTC is reviving its challenge to Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.