Federal Trade Commission's request to pause Microsoft's $69 billion takeover of Activision during appeal denied by judge

A federal judge in Northern California has denied a request from the Federal Trade Commission to pause Microsoft's $69 billion deal to buy Activision Blizzard while the FTC appeals the acquisition.

U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley ruled Tuesday that Microsoft's pending takeover of the video game giant can move forward, against the FTC's wishes.

In court filings Wednesday, the FTC said it was appealing Corley's decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. However, in an order issued Thursday, Corley denied the FTC's motion to put Microsoft's purchase of Activision, maker of the popular "Call of Duty" game series, on hold while that appeal moves forward.