(NEWSnet/AP) — A federal judge has handed Microsoft a major victory by declining to block its looming $69 billion takeover of video game company Activision Blizzard.

The Federal Trade Commission sought to temporarily block the merger before the agency's in-house judge can review it in August. Regulators say it will hurt competition.

U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley said in a ruling that the Federal Trade Commission, which enforces antitrust laws, has not shown a likelihood it would prevail if it took the case to trial.

This means the merger could happen as soon as next month. Microsoft is slated to pay Activision a $3 billion breakup fee if the deal doesn’t close by July 18.

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