It’s been a rather tumultuous period for Microsoft since announcing its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. While the deal has passed regulators in Saudi Arabia and Brazil, it’s caught up in the United Kingdom by the Competition and Markets Authority. The European Commission has also launched an in-depth probe into the deal.
Recently, Lulu Cheng Meservey, executive vice president for corporate affairs and CCO at Activision Blizzard refuted suggestions that it could be anti-competitive. “Seeing a lot of speculation about Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Any suggestion that the transaction could have anti-competitive effects is absurd,” she tweeted.
“This merger will benefit gamers and the US gaming industry – especially as we face stiffer competition from abroad. We’re committed to continuing to work cooperatively with regulators around the globe to allow the transaction to proceed, but won’t hesitate to fight to defend the transaction if that’s needed.”
It’s unclear who the “stiffer competition from abroad” refers to, but it’s probably not The Embracer Group. Meservey’s statement followed a report by Politico, which spoke to three sources about the US Federal Trade Commission potentially filing an antitrust lawsuit to block the acquisition. It’s not certain, as the FTC’s commissioners have yet to meet with lawyers from the companies or vote on a complaint.
Nevertheless, staff are reportedly skeptical of the presented arguments. In the meantime, Sony and Microsoft have been trading statements back and forth on Call of Duty’s importance. While the former feels franchises like Battlefield can’t compete, the latter says Call of Duty players don’t drive platform adoption. Stay tuned for more updates in the meantime.