A US federal judge issued an order on Tuesday, temporarily blocking Microsoft’s acquisition of the video game company Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion, to give more time for an antitrust review of the deal. 

The US and UK Regulators have taken action against the acquisition, while several other countries have approved the acquisition. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sought a restraining order and injunction in a court filing on Monday to stop Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision in response to news reports that the companies were closing the deal “imminently”. 

San Francisco District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley ruled for a temporary restraining order. The judge said that her order “is necessary to maintain the status quo” while the Federal Trade Commission’s legal cases against it are still pending. The hearing on the commission’s request for an injunction is set for June 22 and 23, and the merger can only occur five days after the hearing’s decision. 

In a written statement on Tuesday, Microsoft said the hearing is “accelerating the legal process” to help the merger move forward sooner.