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What’s next for ByteDance’s U.S. investors? DealBook has spoken with people in the know about what these investors, including financial giants like the Susquehanna International Group, can do, with billions of dollars on the line. Mnuchin, a former Treasury secretary, told Andrew on CNBC on Thursday that he was in talks with a “combination of U.S. investors” about a TikTok deal. He added that he had spoken with some of the investors in ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent, about possibly rolling over their stake. of the video game giant Activision Blizzard, also reportedly has been looking for potential partners for a bid.

Persons: What’s, ”, DealBook, Steven Mnuchin, Andrew, Bill Ford, Bobby Kotick Organizations: ByteDance’s U.S, U.S, Susquehanna International Group, CNBC, Activision Locations: Beijing, China, ByteDance

☆ Elon Musk would be the best owner for TikTok. There's just one problem.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

At one point, Elon Musk might have seemed like a great candidate to buy TikTok. Turns out my boss Henry Blodget is suggesting we all band together to rustle up the money to buy TikTok. You might recall Elon Musk from 2022. And that Elon Musk would be a great candidate to buy the US operations of TikTok. The sales pitch would be simple: Elon Musk.

Persons: Elon, —, Steven Mnuchin, doesn't, Bobby Kotick, Sam Altman, Henry Blodget, Henry, didn't, Joe Biden, ByteDance, that's, Steve Mnuchin, — Elon, Elon Musk, Guy Who, Esther Crawford, Musk, he's Organizations: Service, Activision, Street, Yahoo, Twitter, Elon Locations: TikTok, ByteDance

☆ Who will buy TikTok from ByteDance?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

At $100 billion, there are few companies that could afford to buy TikTok outright. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal wrote that Kotick “floated the idea of partnering to buy TikTok to a table of people that included OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.”CNN couldn’t independently confirm the report. Its one go at the social media scene, the buggy and short-lived Ping, was one of Apple’s biggest flops. And any tech executive or private equity investor thinking of buying TikTok would need to be prepared to enter the social media quagmire. A key question in assessing the value of a TikTok deal is whether China would allow ByteDance to export its algorithm — the secret sauce that keeps TikTok users glued to their phones.

Persons: CNN Business ’, There’s, Joe Biden’s, who’d, Dan Ives, ” Ives, Who’s, ”, Gene Kimmelman, OpenAi, Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard, “, Sam Altman, ” CNN couldn’t, Altman didn’t, doesn’t, quagmire, They’d, Mark Zuckerberg, Shou Chew, It’s, Trump, —, Brian Fung Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Senate, Microsoft, Department, Google, ” Meta, Facebook, Street Journal, Activision, ” CNN, Kotick, Apple, Oracle, Walmart, Communist Party, ByteDance Locations: New York, United States, Beijing, Europe, China

Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is building an investor group to acquire ByteDance's TikTok, as a bipartisan piece of legislation winding its way through Congress threatens its continued existence in the U.S. "It's a great business and I'm going to put together a group to buy TikTok." There's no way that the Chinese would ever let a U.S. company own something like this in China," Mnuchin said. Last week, Mnuchin's Liberty Strategic Capital was a lead investor in a $1 billion capital raise to stabilize New York Community Bancorp. That administration also took an antagonistic stance toward TikTok, which ultimately resulted in ByteDance striking a data partnership with Oracle .

Persons: Steven Mnuchin, ByteDance's, ByteDance, Mnuchin, CNBC's, Masa, Joe Biden, Peter Thiel, Vinod Khosla, Keith Rabois, TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, Wang Wenbin, Bobby Kotick, Donald Trump, Trump Organizations: U.S, Liberty Strategic Capital, Vision Fund, Senate, Lawmakers, China Foreign Ministry, Financial Times, Street, Activision, Community Bancorp, Oracle Locations: Liberty, ByteDance, U.S, China, TikTok, New

☆ TikTok leaders are pretty surprised that a bill to ban TikTok is zooming through Congress: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewA bill to ban TikTok in the US is speeding through Congress and has caught the social media platform off guard, The Wall Street Journal reported. A TikTok spokesperson told Business Insider it expects the bill to pass, saying it had a "predetermined outcome." Others, like former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, have also weighed in, expressing their opposition to a TikTok ban. The movement to ban TikTok in the US has been pushed by legislators who believe the company will hand over user data to the Chinese government. AdvertisementIn response to the House bill, TikTok went on the offensive and urged its users to contact their representatives to let them know they opposed it.

Persons: —, Mike Gallagher, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Joe Biden, Biden, Rand Paul, Lindsay Graham, Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Paul, TikTok, Sen, Ed Markey, Bobby Kotick, ByteDance, Zhang Yiming, Kotick, Sam Altman Organizations: Service, Street Journal, Republican Rep, Democratic Rep, Business, House Energy, Commerce, Senate, Associated Press, Elon, Google, Big Tech, Activision, Journal, Kotick, BI Locations: Wisconsin, Illinois, United States, TikTok

☆ Ex-Activision CEO Bobby Kotick pitched buying TikTok to potential partners, including Sam Altman: report
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Bobby Kotick, the former chief of gaming giant Activision, wants to buy TikTok. He's floated the idea to ByteDance cofounder Zhang Yiming and OpenAI's Sam Altman, the WSJ reports. A proposed bill gaining steam in Congress would force TikTok to sell to a US entity or shut down. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementBobby Kotick, the former CEO of gaming giant Activision, may see TikTok as his next act — that is, if a controversial bill making its way through Congress becomes law.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, He's, Zhang Yiming, OpenAI's Sam Altman, TikTok, —, Kotick Organizations: Activision, Service, Microsoft, Street Journal, Business

☆ New Activision QA union is the largest in the video game industry
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A group of roughly 600 software testers at Activision on Friday formed the U.S. video game industry's largest union so far. The union is the first to organize under a new labor agreement negotiated as part of Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision in October, the company's largest takeover yet. Activision Quality Assurance United-CWA, the name of the union, is seeking higher wages and more career opportunities, QA tester Kara Fannon said in a statement. Before the Microsoft-Activision deal closed, QA workers at the video game-maker's Albany branch had also formed a union. "QA is currently an undervalued discipline in the games and software industries," the Albany wrote on social media at the time.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, Amy Pannoni, Kara Fannon, Claude Cummings Jr Organizations: Activision Blizzard, Allen, Co, Activision, Microsoft, Assurance United, CWA, Communications Workers of America, Labor, Big Tech Locations: Sun Valley , Idaho, U.S, Microsoft's, California , Texas, Minnesota, Albany

☆ Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick to step down at the end of the year
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-20 | by ( Ashley Capoot | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will step down from his role as head of the video game company on Dec. 29, according to an internal memo from Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer on Wednesday. The leadership change was expected after Microsoft closed its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard in October. He first joined the company as Director and CEO of Activision Inc., in February 1991 before serving as CEO of Activision Blizzard beginning in July 2008. In a memo to employees Wednesday, Kotick expressed "gratitude and appreciation" for his time at Activision Blizzard. Thomas Tippl, the vice chairman of Activision Blizzard; Rob Kostich, president of Activision Publishing; Mike Ybarra, president of Blizzard Entertainment; and others will report to Matt Booty, the president of Microsoft's Game Content and Studios.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, Phil Spencer, Kotick, Bobby —, Spencer, Tony Hawk, Thomas Tippl, Rob Kostich, Mike Ybarra, Matt Booty, Brian Bulatao, Dave McCarthy, — CNBC's Jordan Novet Organizations: Activision, Microsoft Gaming, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Activision Inc, CNBC, Activision Blizzard's, Activision Publishing, Blizzard Entertainment, Blizzard, Gaming, CNBC PRO Locations: U.S, Europe

☆ Activision Blizzard agrees to settle California case alleging discrimination against women
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-16 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft -owned Activision Blizzard has agreed to settle a case from a California state agency that alleged the video game publisher discriminated against women, including denying them promotion opportunities and paying them less. The news comes almost two years after Activision Blizzard settled a case from the U.S. Shares fell, and Microsoft subsequently began talks to acquire Activision Blizzard, the maker of Call of Duty. The agency will file a new complaint that excludes prior harassment allegations, according to the proposed settlement agreement, which CNBC viewed. WATCH: Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick: We always believed the deal would get through

Persons: Bobby Kotick Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Civil Rights Department, U.S, Opportunity Commission, of Fair, Housing, Wall Street Journal, Activision, Federal Trade Commission, CNBC Locations: California, U.S, Europe, San Francisco, Los Angeles

☆ The Secrets to Charlie Munger’s Success
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Jason Zweig | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Charlie Munger in 2019 at his home in Los Angeles. Photo: Michael Lewis for The Wall Street JournalBusiness and financial leaders made frequent pilgrimages to Los Angeles to hear Charlie Munger ’s thoughts as he held court while peering through thick eyeglasses over high, rosy cheekbones. Among the attendees at his weekly “Friday lunch club” and periodic dinners were John and Patrick Collison , founders of the online payment firm Stripe; Bobby Kotick , chief executive of videogame company Activision Blizzard ; Pradeep Khosla , chancellor of the University of California, San Diego; Maria Pope , chief executive of Portland General Electric , Oregon’s largest utility; and Howard Marks , co-founder of investment firm Oaktree Capital Management.

Persons: Charlie Munger, Michael Lewis, Charlie Munger ’, John, Patrick Collison, Bobby Kotick, Pradeep Khosla, Maria Pope, Howard Marks Organizations: The Wall Street Journal, Activision Blizzard, University of California, Portland General Electric, Oaktree Capital Management Locations: Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland

Microsoft, which owns the Xbox gaming system, closed its $69 billion deal to buy game-maker Activision Blizzard on Friday after fending off global opposition from antitrust regulators and rivals. It marks a career-defining moment for Spencer, who first joined Microsoft as an intern in 1988 and has helmed Xbox since 2014. When the companies announced a planned merger in January 2022, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made clear it would be "critical for Activision Blizzard to drive forward” on its commitments to improve its workplace culture. As of late last year, Activision Blizzard had 13,000 employees, about 72% in North America, according to a regulatory filing. “It is a new day for workers at Activision Blizzard,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. in a statement Friday.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Spencer, “, ”, Gil Luria, Davidson, he’s, Bobby Kotick, who's, Kotick, Satya Nadella, Joe Biden's, ” Luria, George Jijiashvili, Elder, ” Jijiashvili, Claude Cummings Jr, ” Cummings Organizations: Activision Blizzard, Microsoft, Activision, PlayStation, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade, ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Softworks, Communications Workers of America Locations: Southern California, U.S, United Kingdom, San Francisco, Bethesda, North America, Canada

☆ Microsoft closes $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard after lengthy regulatory review
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a blog post . Microsoft has closed its $69 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard , according to a regulatory filing by the company Friday. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will stay on as CEO through the end of the year. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who took the helm in 2014, is aiming to diversify the company's business beyond its core areas such as operating systems and productivity software. WATCH: Microsoft deal with Activision Blizzard set to clear final hurdle

Persons: Phil Spencer, Tony Hawk, It's, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, pushback, Victoria Graham, Activision Blizzard Organizations: Activision, Blizzard, Microsoft, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, European Commission, Markets, Economic, Activision Blizzard, Nintendo, Sony, Nvidia, San, U.S, Appeals, Circuit, Ubisoft, FTC Locations: U.S, San Francisco federal

Plus, it will be “productive for the gaming industry as a whole and healthy for competition in the gaming market,” he said. In the meantime, the U.K. regulator was the last major obstacle to the transaction going through. British regulators had initially blocked the transaction over concerns Microsoft could withhold Activision titles from the cloud gaming market. One factor was the EU’s approval, granted after Microsoft promised to automatically license Activision titles royalty-free to cloud gaming platforms. But the CMA's flip-flopping makes the U.K. regulator look “weak and indecisive,” he said.

Persons: Activision Blizzard, Candy, Overwatch —, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Joshua Chapman, ”, Sarah Cardell, Max von Thun, ” von Thun, Matt O’Brien Organizations: —, Activision, Markets, Microsoft, Xbox, Union, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Ubisoft Entertainment, U.K, PlayStation, European Commission, Open Markets, CMA, AP Locations: Konvoy, U.K, Europe, Providence , Rhode Island

☆ Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick: We always believed the deal would get through
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailActivision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick: We always believed the deal would get throughActivision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, after U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority gave the green light to Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion takeover of the gaming firm, removing the last major hurdle for the deal to close.

Persons: Bobby Kotick Organizations: Activision, Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority

LONDON (AP) — British competition regulators gave preliminary approval Friday to Microsoft’s restructured $69 billion deal to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard, easing a final global hurdle that paves the way for one of the largest tech transactions in history to go through. The updated offer “opens the door to the deal being cleared,” the watchdog said, though there are lingering concerns. “The CMA’s position has been consistent throughout — this merger could only go ahead if competition, innovation and choice in cloud gaming was preserved," CEO Sarah Cardell said. Crucially, it got a thumbs-up from the 27-nation European Union after agreeing to allow users and cloud gaming platforms to stream its titles without paying royalties for 10 years. The CMA then put its original decision on hold and opened a new investigation into the revamped proposal.

Persons: Sarah Cardell, “, Brad Smith, ”, Bobby Kotick Organizations: Microsoft’s, Activision, The, Markets Authority, Microsoft, Union, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, CMA, Ubisoft Entertainment Locations: British, U.S, Britain

☆ UK regulator says it may clear Microsoft's new Activision Blizzard takeover offer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft submitted a new proposal to U.K. regulators for the takeover of American game publisher Activision Blizzard after its initial proposal was rejected. LONDON — The U.K.'s competition regulator on Friday said Microsoft 's restructured takeover proposal of Activision Blizzard , submitted in August, "opens the door to the deal being cleared." The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority had blocked the Redmond tech giant's initial $69 billion transaction, first put forward in January 2022, on concerns that it would restrict competition in the nascent cloud gaming sector. Critically, cloud gaming could eliminate the need for costly specialized consoles, allowing players to access the games on PCs, mobile phones and TVs. EU officials were first to clear the deal in May, after Microsoft offered concessions to the tune of royalty-free licenses to cloud gaming platforms to stream Activision games that a buyer has purchased.

Persons: —, Brad Smith, We're, Bobby Kotick Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, LONDON, Competition, Markets Authority, Redmond, Activision PC, Activision, Ubisoft Entertainment, CMA, Ubisoft, Netflix, European Union, U.S . Federal Trade Commission Locations: San Francisco

☆ Activision-Blizzard CEO on Microsoft deal: Shareholders are 'overwhelmingly positive' on deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailActivision-Blizzard CEO on Microsoft deal: Shareholders are 'overwhelmingly positive' on dealBobby Kotick, Activision CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the company's deal with Microsoft, if Kotick is enthusiastic about the merger between both companies, and the expectations for what's left until approval in the United Kingdom.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, Kotick, what's Organizations: Activision, Microsoft Locations: United Kingdom

☆ Microsoft and Activision extend their deal deadline
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Washington CNN —Microsoft and Activision have mutually agreed to extend their merger deadline by three months in the face of ongoing negotiations with the UK government that could allow the $69 billion acquisition to close, the two companies announced on Wednesday. The announcement highlights the commitment by both companies to complete the deal after back-to-back court defeats for US regulators who had challenged the merger. The new contractual deadline for consummating the deal will be October 18, the companies said. If the deal fails to close by Sept. 15, the breakup fee could increase to $4.5 billion, the filing said. We’re confident in our next steps and that our deal will quickly close.”In a memo to employees, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick thanked staff for their patience.

Persons: ” Brad Smith, We’re, Bobby Kotick, “, ” Kotick, Phil Spencer, ” Spencer Organizations: Washington CNN, Microsoft, Activision, Securities and Exchange Commission, Markets Authority, CMA, Activision Blizzard, ” Locations: U.S, United States

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick on Microsoft deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Activision-Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick on Microsoft dealBobby Kotick, Activision CEO, joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss the company's deal with Microsoft, if Kotick is enthusiastic about the merger between both companies, and the expectations for what's left until approval in the United Kingdom.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, Kotick, what's Organizations: Activision, Microsoft Locations: United Kingdom

☆ Activision, Microsoft extend deal deadline to secure UK approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-19 | by ( Aditya Soni | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

July 19 (Reuters) - Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) and Microsoft (MSFT.O) on Wednesday extended the deadline for the close of their $69 billion deal by three months to Oct. 18 as the American companies work to secure UK approval for the biggest gaming deal in history. The extension will "provide ample time to work through the final regulatory issues," Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a tweet. Strength in those titles helped Activision beat market estimates for second-quarter net bookings and adjusted profit in the second quarter, it announced on Wednesday. The deadline extension came after the companies had to contend with varying concerns from regulators in the UK and the United States. Microsoft responded to these concerns by offering 10-year licensing deals to rivals after the deal closes.

Persons: Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Chavi Mehta, Yuvraj Malik, Devika Organizations: Activision, Microsoft, Reuters, HK, Sony, Diablo, FTC, Nintendo, PlayStation, CMA, Sony Group, Xbox, Thomson Locations: United States, Bengaluru

☆ FTC says it will appeal to block Microsoft-Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

On Wednesday, the agency filed to appeal a federal judge's decision to deny a request for a preliminary injunction that would have prevented the deal from closing. CNBC reported earlier on Wednesday that FTC could bring the judge's decision to the 9th Circuit appeals court. The FTC declined to comment on its legal response to the judge's decision. We're confident the U.S. will remain among the 39 countries where the merger can close," an Activision Blizzard spokesperson wrote in an email. WATCH: Activision CEO Bobby Kotick: Would be surprised if the FTC wastes taxpayer money on appeal

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, Corley, Bobby Kotick, CNBC's Julia Boorstin, I'd, Kotick, Brad Smith, haven't, We're Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision, U.S, Northern, Northern District of, FTC, CNBC, Wednesday Activision, Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California, United Kingdom, U.S

☆ Activision CEO Bobby Kotick: Would be surprised if the FTC wastes taxpayer money on appeal
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailActivision CEO Bobby Kotick: Would be surprised if the FTC wastes taxpayer money on appealCNBC's Julia Boorstin joins 'Closing Bell' with Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, to discuss the future of the Microsoft deal after a major ruling in the acquisitions favor this week.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, CNBC's Julia Boorstin Organizations: Activision, Microsoft

☆ Microsoft-Activision deal not yet game on
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Karen Kwok | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Britain’s antitrust regulator also indicated it was open to new concessions, but the parties will have to renegotiate their deal and get it approved. Two developments on Tuesday increased the odds of Microsoft getting the deal down the line. That’s a rapid change of tone from May, when the watchdog concluded blocking the Microsoft-Activision deal is the “only effective and proportionate way forward." As a result, Activision’s share price jumped 11% on Tuesday, its narrowest spread to Microsoft’s $95-a-share offer since the deal was announced. The agency's concern was that the deal would potentially preclude the availability of those videogames on other platforms.

Persons: hasn’t, Satya Nadella, it’s, ”, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Lauren Silva Laughlin, Sharon Lam Organizations: Reuters, Federal Trade Commission, Activision Blizzard, Microsoft, Markets Authority, Activision, FTC, CMA, Financial, Thomson Locations: U.S, San Francisco

WASHINGTON, July 11 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday that Microsoft may go forward with its planned acquisition of videogame maker Activision Blizzard, turning aside antitrust enforcers' request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop the $69 billion deal. The FTC had originally asked the judge to stop the proposed deal, arguing it would give Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), maker of the Xbox gaming console, exclusive access to Activision (ATVI.O) games including the best-selling "Call of Duty." The deal would be the largest for Microsoft and the biggest in the history of the videogame business. The FTC's complaint had cited concerns about loss of competition in console gaming, as well as subscriptions and cloud gaming. And while much of the testimony in the recent trial focused on "Call of Duty," Activision produces other bestsellers like "World of Warcraft," "Diablo" and the mobile game "Candy Crush Saga."

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, Douglas Farrar, we'll, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, Diane Bartz, Caitlin Webber Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Britain's, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Microsoft Corp, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo, Sony Group, Activision Blizzard, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: U.S, San Francisco

☆ Microsoft-Activision deal moves closer as judge denies FTC injunction request
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A federal judge in San Francisco has denied the Federal Trade Commission's motion for a preliminary injunction to stop Microsoft from completing its acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard. The judge was deciding whether to grant the FTC's request for an emergency injunction to prevent the deal from closing. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick both testified, as did executives from Alphabet, Nvidia and Sony. Kotick said during the hearings that the Activision Blizzard board didn't see how the deal could continue if the judge were to grant the preliminary injunction. "After today's court decision in the U.S., our focus now turns back to the UK.

Persons: isn't, Jacqueline Scott Corley, Bobby Kotick, Brad Smith, we've, Satya Nadella, we'll, Kotick, Smith Organizations: Federal, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, FTC, Competition, Markets Authority, Court, Activision, U.S, Northern, Northern District of, PlayStation, Nvidia, Sony, Federal Trade Commission, CMA Locations: San Francisco, United Kingdom, Northern District, Northern District of California, Europe, U.S

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