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© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Microsoft brand is seen on a smartphone positioned on displayed Activision Blizzard brand on this illustration taken January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photograph
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A choose has set Jan. 3 for the primary pre-trial listening to within the Biden administration’s case in opposition to Microsoft (NASDAQ:) over its $69 billion bid to take over “Name of Obligation” maker Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:).
The Federal Commerce Fee (FTC), which enforces antitrust regulation, requested a choose to dam the transaction earlier this month, arguing that the merger would permit Microsoft’s Xbox to get unique entry to Activision video games, leaving Nintendo consoles and Sony (NYSE:)’s PlayStation out within the chilly.
Microsoft has countered that the deal would profit players and gaming corporations alike, providing to signal a legally binding consent decree with the FTC to supply “Name of Obligation” video games to rivals together with Sony for a decade.
Microsoft made the argument in a submitting geared toward convincing a choose on the FTC to permit the deal to proceed.
The case is an indication of the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden taking a muscular method to anti-trust enforcement. However antitrust specialists say the FTC faces an uphill battle to persuade a choose to dam the deal, due to the voluntary concessions provided by Microsoft to allay fears it may dominate the gaming market.
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