It’s official. After months of rumors, the Federal Trade Commission this week voted 3-1 in favor of suing to block Microsoft’s estimated $69 billion acquisitionof video game giant Activision Blizzard.

The forthcoming legal battle represents the most significant antitrust challenge from the Biden-era FTC to date that has, up until now, had few tangible victories to back up its progressive, anti-monopolist rhetoric. The challenge’s success or failures could play a large factor in determining whether or the Bidenadministration can live up to its image as an aggressive antitrust maverick.

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The FTC’s vote to block the Activision acquisition was praised by consumer advocacy groups, some of which had spent months urging regulators to take a more proactive approach towards large acquisition attempts.

“Microsoft’s attempt to acquire Activision is unlawful, and it’s not particularly close,” American Economic Liberties Project Executive Director Sarah Miller said in a statement sent to Gizmodo. “The FTC made the right call. Microsoft’s flurry of last-minute promises to not abuse the market power that they’d gain from this deal reinforce its underlying illegality.”

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