The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued an opinion Wednesday affirming a denial of a preliminary injunction the FTC had sought for Microsoft's now-completed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

SAN FRANCISCO (CN) — Microsoft’s merger with gaming giant Activision Blizzard took a leap forward Wednesday after a Ninth Circuit panel ruled that a federal judge was correct in rejecting the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to block the deal after a trial in 2023.