Barbara
# US Judge Denies Preliminary Injunction in Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard
In a significant development, a US District Court judge has turned down the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) request for a preliminary injunction that aimed to temporarily halt the closure of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard in the United States. The judge’s decision, based on a thorough examination of evidence and witness testimony, underscores the Court’s dismissal of the FTC’s claims suggesting the acquisition would have adverse consequences for consumers. This ruling backs the notion that the deal is advantageous for the gaming industry and debunks the FTC’s assertions about console switching, multi-game subscription services, and cloud gaming, emphasizing they do not align with the realities of the gaming market.
# Focus Shifts to the UK as UK Competition and Markets Authority Raises Concerns
Following this significant courtroom verdict, Microsoft is shifting its focus to the United Kingdom (UK) where the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently recommended blocking the deal. Albeit the disagreement with the CMA’s concerns, Microsoft has appealed against its decision and is concurrently exploring potential modifications to address those concerns in an acceptable manner. To prioritize efforts on potential options, Microsoft and Activision Blizzard, together with the CMA, have jointly submitted to the Competition Appeal Tribunal to pause the ongoing appeal, agreeing that it would be in the public interest to do so.
# Aims to Enhance Accessibility and Choice for Players and the Gaming Industry
Since the inception of this acquisition, the Gaming Leadership Team and I firmly believed in its ability to substantially benefit players and the gaming industry as a whole. Our actions have consistently demonstrated our commitment to bringing a broader selection of games to a larger audience across various devices. This commitment includes numerous agreements signed to make Activision Blizzard’s games, Xbox first-party games, and Game Pass accessible to a wider player base than ever before. We take great pride in our efforts to expand player access and choice throughout this process. Notably, the deal has already been approved to proceed in 38 countries, and we remain dedicated to achieving timely resolutions in other jurisdictions.
# Gratitude for the Support and a Vision for the Future
I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has dedicated their time and efforts to support our acquisition. From the very beginning, we embarked on this deal with a clear vision of meeting players where they are, and with today’s decision by the Court, we take a significant stride forward in realizing this vision.
Sources:
– US District Court Judge [source]
– UK Competition and Markets Authority [source]
– Microsoft and Activision Blizzard Joint Submission to Competition Appeal Tribunal [source]
