The U.S. Federal Trade Commission Is Looking To Block The Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Merger

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is preparing to throw a wrench in Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. According to news site Politico, the commission is looking to file a federal antitrust lawsuit against the companies to block the deal.

“The investigation remains ongoing, but much of the heavy lifting is completed, including depositions of Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella and Activision head Bobby Kotick,” Politico’s sources revealed. If the FTC decides to move forward with the case, it could happen as early as next month.

Various government agencies across the world have been scrutinizing the high-profile merger between the two video game giants since it was announced back in January due to concerns over platform exclusivity and monopoly, particularly when it comes to the widely-popular Call of Duty franchise. Microsoft, however, continues to assure the community that it will still support Activision Blizzard games on PlayStation consoles should the deal push through.

As for Sony, the company fears that the deal will drastically affect their ability to compete in the video game market, although if the FTC does file suit the merger could end up falling through entirely. The terms of the deal will have to be renegotiated if it isn’t completed by July 2023 and a lawsuit filed in December or January will likely delay the process past the said deadline.