FTC sues Microsoft to delay Activision Blizzard purchase

The FTC has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft in an effort to prevent the company from buying Activision Blizzard, a deal that was to be closed at $68.7 billion. This lawsuit has come after weeks of conversations around Sony, Microsoft, and regulators over the future and competition concerns of Call of Duty. Speaking about the same, FTC said this acquisition would “enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its rapidly growing subscription content and cloud-gaming business.” 

“Microsoft has already shown that it can and will withhold content from its gaming rivals,” said the FTC’s Bureau of Competition director, Holly Vedova, in a statement. “Today we seek to stop Microsoft from gaining control over a leading independent game studio and using it to harm competition in multiple dynamic and fast-growing gaming markets.”

Speaking to The Verge about this, Microsoft’s Vice Chair and President, Brad Smith, said “We continue to believe that this deal will expand competition and create more opportunities for gamers and game developers,” 

“We have been committed since Day One to addressing competition concerns, including by offering earlier this week proposed concessions to the FTC. While we believed in giving peace a chance, we have complete confidence in our case and welcome the opportunity to present our case in court,” he added

Microsoft offered Sony a 10-year deal on the game, however, the company has not accepted the offer as of now.

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