U.S. judge temporarily blocks Microsoft acquisition of Activision

A U.S. judge late on Tuesday granted the Federal Trade Commission's request to temporarily block Microsoft Corp.'s acquisition of Activision Blizzard

File photo of the Microsoft logo with Activision Blizzard games characters | Photo Credit: REUTERS

A U.S. judge late on Tuesday granted the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) request to temporarily block Microsoft Corp.'s acquisition of Activision Blizzard and set a hearing next week.

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The court scheduled a two-day evidentiary hearing on the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction for June 22-23.

The court said the temporary restraining order "is necessary to maintain the status quo while the complaint is pending (and) preserve this court’s ability to order effective relief in the event it determines a preliminary injunction is warranted."