Last week, after a long wait, white smoke appeared. Microsoft wins lawsuit against FTC over acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Now there seems to be a new threshold.

The FTC announced last night that they would be appealing the decision by Judge Jacqueline Corley. And that’s quite striking considering that the FTC themselves indicated early on in the case that they agreed to have Corley as judge. The goal of the FTC still seems to be asking for an extension of the so-called initial decision (takeover blockade for short). A possible decision on this will not be made until August, while Microsoft’s deadline is July 18th.

If this deadline is not met, an amount of three billion dollars must be transferred to Activision Blizzard. Therefore, it is very important for Microsoft to prevent this and arrange a takeover before next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the UK is also looking for a solution with the CMA. Microsoft indicated that it strongly disagrees with the CMA’s views, but would still like to look into possible adjustments. After the decision, the CMA initially indicated that they wanted to find a solution to their dispute with Microsoft. CMA rejects Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Surprisingly, it later indicated on Wednesday that any adjustments could also lead to new investigations.

Meanwhile, Microsoft has provided a response through Vice President Brad Smith. In a conversation with The Verge, he said that they were very disappointed with the FTC because they were pursuing such a weak case. Additionally, he indicated that Microsoft would resist any new attempts to thwart the takeover.

Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard also provided a response. CCO Lulu Cheng Meservey said she assumed the acquisition could go ahead in 39 countries, including the Americas. He also hopes to fight clear and strong cases again. Former Xbox CEO and current President of Blizzard Entertainment Mike Ybarra needs fewer words on this matter. He replied with the words: Your tax dollars are working.