Many months after Microsoft announced its agreement to buy Activision Blizzard for nearly $69 billion ($68.7 billion to be precise), the FTC formally filed a lawsuit to block the deal. The FTC’s official statement included concerns over Microsoft’s ability to suppress competitors in the gaming industry with a major focus on the Call Of Duty franchise. Noting that should the deal go through, Microsoft would be able to block Call Of Duty from being available outside of its own Xbox and PC platforms. Despite Microsoft’s many statements that it would have no intention of doing so. As that would lead to alienating players and losing massive amounts of money in sales. As reported by engadget, both Microsoft and Activision have now filed formal statements in response to the FTC lawsuit.
Microsoft and Activision send a formal statement to the FTC
Both companies have now issued formal statements to the FTC. Microsoft notes that the agency can’t meet its burden of showing the transaction will leave consumers worse off.” This is a sentiment that Microsoft has been adamant about from the beginning. Stating on more than one occasion that the deal would bring more choice to consumers and contrary to the FTC’s beliefs, make games more available to gamers worldwide. Not less. Microsoft continues by highlighting that it sits in third place as a console manufacturer behind Nintendo and Sony. And that its main reason for wanting the acquisition is to expand its presence in mobile games. Mobile is the largest growing segment of gaming and Activision already has a big portion of that market. In Activision’s statement, the publisher says that the FTC is “straying from its underlying purpose to protect competition instead of competitors.
