LONDON: Microsoft and British regulators won more time from a court Monday as the US tech company uses a rare second chance to overcome opposition to its $69-billion bid for video game maker Activision Blizzard.

Judge Marcus Smith conditionally approved a joint request from Microsoft and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to delay the appeal that the company set in motion after the CMA initially rejected the deal. The regulator later pushed back its final decision so it can consider Microsoft's argument that new developments mean its blockbuster purchase of the 'Call of Duty' game maker should go through.