Redmond accused of monopolising a market! How shocking
First the FTC threw a legal wrench in the works, and now a group of gamers has filed a class action lawsuit in California to stop Microsoft from purchasing Activision Blizzard.
It seems Redmond just can’t catch a break in its attempts to close a $69 billion acquisition of the World of Warcraft maker, which 10 gamers claim [PDF] would violate section 7 of the Clayton Act, which prohibits mergers that would substantially lessen competition.
The defendants argue that Microsoft and Activision Blizzard are significant rivals in the video game development, publishing and distribution markets, and that the purchase would harm free-market competition.
„The proposed acquisition may give Microsoft far-outsized market power in the video game industry and may enable Microsoft to foreclose rivals to critical inputs and important markets,“ the defendants said in the suit.
The consolidation would make it the third-largest gaming company by revenue in the world, as Microsoft has previously purchased 24 different gaming studios, including Minecraft maker Mojang Studios, KotOR makers Obsidian Entertainment and Hellblade maker Ninja Theory.
