Microsoft defeats gamers’ bid to block $69 billion Activision deal in US court

Microsoft Corp evaded a potential early legal obstacle in its $69 billion deal to acquire “Call of Duty” videogame maker Activision Blizzard Inc , when a U.S. judge on Friday refused to allow gamers in a private suit to preliminarily block the acquisition.

The private plaintiffs sued Microsoft in California federal court in December to enjoin the deal, which they called harmful to competition.

U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in San Francisco federal court said in a ruling issued late on Friday night that the video gamers had not shown they would be “irreparably harmed” if the merger were allowed to proceed before she rules on the merits of their case.