US gamers are trying to block Blizzard’s takeover of Activision | Technique
A group of American players headed to the court. They want to block Microsoft game developer Activision Blizzard, known for its game series Call of dutytakes over.
In their complaint, the players claim that the acquisition gives Microsoft “enormous power in the PC gaming business”. This may also hinder Microsoft’s competitors.
In the lawsuit, gamers say they fear Microsoft may limit the amount of games that come out. They also fear that consumers’ freedom of choice may be limited by the takeover.
Microsoft itself is a big name in the gaming world. The company makes Xbox gaming PCs and also develops many games on its own. Microsoft has $69 billion (about 65 billion euros) left for Activision Blizzard.
The planned acquisition has already drawn the company’s criticism from rival Sony. The PlayStation maker fears that Activision Blizzard games will soon only be played on Xbox.
Regulators are also concerned about the takeover. The US competition watchdog, the FTC, launched the merger case earlier this month to prevent. In addition to the US authorities, Europe is also looking into the acquisition through the arch can.
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