US FTC asks court to block Microsoft from closing Activision deal

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asked a U.S. judge to block Microsoft from closing on its $69 billion deal to acquire Activision Blizzard, warning that the companies could move forward after Friday.

The FTC sued the companies on Monday in San Francisco and sought a temporary restraining order, warning that if the deal was consummated the combined company could "begin altering Activision’s operations and business plans, accessing Activision’s sensitive business information, eliminating key Activision personnel, changing Activision’s game development efforts, and entering into new contractual relationships on behalf of Activision."