After months of uncertainty, the United States Federal Trade Commission has officially filed a lawsuit to stop Microsoft from its $68.7 billion dollar purchase of Activision Blizzard. The attempt to block the acquisition is because the FTC believes that it would allow Microsoft to suppress competitors, especially due to the fact that Microsoft already acquired ZeniMax and made their IPs exclusive to Microsoft platforms despite stating to antitrust authorities that they would not do that.

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking to block technology giant Microsoft Corp. from acquiring leading video game developer Activision Blizzard, Inc. and its blockbuster gaming franchises such as Call of Duty, alleging that the $69 billion deal, Microsoft’s largest ever and the largest ever in the video gaming industry, would enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its rapidly growing subscription content and cloud-gaming business.

Microsoft says that it is prepared to take things to court and prove that its purchase of Activision will help competition rather than hurt it. They also made offers to Valve, Nintendo, and Sony that would allow for Activision's Call of Duty franchise to be available on competing platforms for up to 10 years.

Source

 

[pedro702]

So its going to court where i dont see microsoft loosing but lets see what happens, im guessing it will take years to solve now lol

 

[CeeDee]

Microsoft decided to make several of Bethesda's titles including Starfield and Redfall Microsoft exclusives despite assurances it had given to European antitrust authorities that it had no incentive to withhold games from rival consoles.

Shit, y'know they've got a good point here.

 

[Kioku]

Oh man, who could have seen this coming...

 

[The Catboy]

Finally! Seriously, Microsoft can’t keep buying everything, it’s legitimately a problem

 

[ShadowOne333]

Where was the FTC when Disney purchased Marvel, Lucasfilm and Fox again?

 

[RAHelllord]

Where was the FTC when Disney purchased Marvel, Lucasfilm and Fox again?

Under the control of Trump, which staffed it with people that weren't interested in stopping giant mergers. Biden's picks on the other hand do indeed want to use the FTC to prevent more mergers that would hurt customers.

 

[HellGhast]

Should have stopped the Bethesda acquisition coz they have better ip's.

I as a PlayStation user no longer have access to the next Doom, Rage, Quake, HellBlade, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, DisHonored, Prey, Star-Field, etc.

 

[Hells Malice]

Sony must've paid a pretty penny for this one.

Hope Microsoft wins. They've been doing good by the companies they've bought so far and gaming as a whole has benefited. Probably the best thing that could happen to Activision is kicking their teeth in with new bosses.

The FTC so transparently only goes after things when they're paid to do so

 

[DinohScene]

I remember people crying that Microsoft would ruin Minecraft :')

 

[SylverReZ]

I remember people crying that Microsoft would ruin Minecraft :')

Yes, I remember that.

 

[linuxares]

Where was the FTC when Disney purchased Marvel, Lucasfilm and Fox again?

After visiting Disney World, they sailed out to the private Yachts together with the shareholders of these studios and Disney themselves.

 

[KingVamp]

If this fails, would Activision just be broken up between companies instead?

 

[The Catboy]

I remember people crying that Microsoft would ruin Minecraft :')

To be fair, that was fresh off fucking up Rare and Skype at the time. My issue is Microsoft trying to create an monopoly, again. As well, Activision using a buyout to avoid their legal issues and controversy.

 

[1B51004]

I remember people crying that Microsoft would ruin Minecraft :')

i mean
they didn't ruin it (if anything, they prolly saved it when the deal was initially struck), but the state it's in right now isn't really any better
like having cancer whilst under a coma or something

 

[guisadop]

hope microsoft wins, sony needs to get their shit together

 

[ShadowOne333]

Under the control of Trump, which staffed it with people that weren't interested in stopping giant mergers. Biden's picks on the other hand do indeed want to use the FTC to prevent more mergers that would hurt customers.

I didn't know Trump was president back in 2009 and reelected in 2012. But sure, mate.

 

[Valwinz]

Is pathetic that Sony needs COD this much that they willing to sue to stop the deal

 

[SylverReZ]

@Chary needs to fix this.

 

[sombrerosonic]

Should have stopped the Bethesda acquisition coz they have better ip's.

I as a PlayStation user no longer have access to the next Doom, Rage, Quake, HellBlade, The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, DisHonored, Prey, Star-Field, etc.

Ill miss Fallout very much