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one of the most powerful agencies in the United States, will block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it intended to acquire Activision for her just under $70 billion. It turned out to be the biggest deal in gaming history. This immediately caused a lot of backlash from regulators, politicians, and players. There were concerns that Duty could become an Xbox exclusive.
Microsoft has addressed these concerns by stating that it plans to treat Call of Duty as if it had Minecraft still exists and is well supported on PlayStation and other devices. Still, some people are not convinced. Microsoft has apparently tried to ensure that Call of Duty will continue to release on PlayStation for another decade, but that may not matter.
the FTC will likely block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision through an antitrust lawsuit, which would be very damaging. It’s important to note that Politico said it wasn’t guaranteed, but FTC officials are “skeptical” of Microsoft’s claims to back the deal. The agency is concerned that games like Call of Duty, which could become Xbox exclusives, could gain an unfair advantage over the PlayStation, leaving players with fewer choices and options.
“Any suggestion that this deal could lead to anti-comp effects is completely ridiculous. It’s because they’re doing it,” Joe Christinat, a spokesperson for Activision, told Politico. “We are committed to continuing to work with regulators around the world to advance the deal, but will not hesitate to fight to defend the deal if necessary.”
It remains to be seen how this deal will turn out. Regulators in countries such as Brazil have already approved the deal, so opinions are divided at a global level. Either way, we’ll likely hear more in the coming weeks to see if the FTC blocks the litigation deal.