{"id":25515,"date":"2022-12-23T02:38:21","date_gmt":"2022-12-23T02:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/23\/microsoft-responds-to-lawsuit-that-seeks-to-block-its-takeover-of-activision\/"},"modified":"2022-12-23T02:38:21","modified_gmt":"2022-12-23T02:38:21","slug":"microsoft-responds-to-lawsuit-that-seeks-to-block-its-takeover-of-activision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mailinvest.blog\/index.php\/2022\/12\/23\/microsoft-responds-to-lawsuit-that-seeks-to-block-its-takeover-of-activision\/","title":{"rendered":"Microsoft responds to lawsuit that seeks to block its takeover of Activision"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Microsoft Corp. has filed a response to a lawsuit from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that seeks to block its $68.7 billion takeover of computer games maker Activision Blizzard Inc.<\/p>\n

Microsoft announced that it had entered an agreement to acquire Activitision in January<\/a>, with antitrust concerns emerging not long thereafter on both sides of the Atlantic. Along with being sued by New York State<\/a> and facing probes into the deal in both the U.K.<\/a> and European Union<\/a>, the FTC announced on Dec. 8<\/a> that it had filed suit to prevent Microsoft from completing its proposed purchase.<\/p>\n

The FTC argued in the lawsuit<\/a> that\u00a0allowing the acquisition to be completed would harm market competition, specifically in two areas \u2013 video game consoles and cloud gaming. Activision makes games for multiple platforms, including Microsoft\u201ds Xbox devices with the FTC concerned that Microsoft could block Activision from creating games for competing platforms once the acquisition was completed.<\/p>\n

The Wall Street Journal reports<\/a> that Microsoft said in its defense that it is not the videogame industry\u2019s top console company or software developer and that the acquisition is aimed at becoming more competitive through its Xbox video gaming unit.<\/p>\n

\u201cXbox wants to grow its presence in mobile gaming and three-quarters of Activision\u2019s gamers and more than a third of its revenues come from mobile offerings,\u201d Microsoft said in response to the FTC\u2019s lawsuit.\u00a0\u201cXbox also believes it is good business to make Activision\u2019s limited portfolio of popular games more accessible to consumers by putting them on more platforms and making them more affordable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Microsoft argues that the transaction would not harm competition in the video game industry and that it would not engage in anticompetitive behavior as it trails its rivals in console sales and has a limited presence in mobile game development.\u00a0 Notable Activision franchises include Call of Duty (pictured above) and the mobile game Candy Crush.<\/p>\n

Leading into the FTC\u2019s lawsuit, Microsoft had offered to keep Call of Duty games accessible to rival consoles such as Sony Group Corp.\u2019s PlayStation through a legally binding consent decree to challenge antitrust concerns. \u201cThe acquisition of a single game by the third-place console manufacturer cannot upend a highly competitive industry,\u201d Microsoft said at the time. \u201cThat is particularly so when the manufacturer has made clear it will not withhold the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Microsoft could offer the FTC further commitments on top of its existing Call of Duty offer to avoid litigation, but any such offer may be rebuffed due to concerns that the government would have to invest in resources to enforce them.<\/p>\n

While the antitrust concerns appear legitimate, the FTC\u2019s chances of winning its lawsuit are not clear-cut. The Journal report notes that the deal is for a \u201cvertical merger,\u201d with Microsoft wanting to buy a company in its supply chain instead of a direct competitor. A case involving a direct competitor would be more clear-cut.<\/p>\n

Presuming the suit is not settled, the case is scheduled to be heard in the FTC\u2019s administrative court in August.<\/p>\n

Image: Activision<\/h5>\n
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