FTC withdraws challenge to Microsoft's Activision-Blizzard deal, court rejects PlayStation fans' attempt to block merger

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has withdrawn its in-house challenge to Microsoft's acquisition of Activision-Blizzard. The FTC had previously sought a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to halt the deal, but both requests were denied by the courts. While the FTC could re-file the administrative challenge, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have extended their deadline for completing the acquisition. Microsoft remains optimistic about finalizing the deal and is also negotiating with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).