Microsoft plans to take over the video game maker for $69 billion.
(Photo: AP)
Bangalore According to a newspaper report, the US antitrust authority FTC is taking a closer look at Microsoft’s multi-billion takeover of the “Call of Duty” video game manufacturer Activision Blizzard. The FTC is considering an antitrust lawsuit to prevent Microsoft’s $69 billion takeover bid for Activision Blizzard, the Politico newspaper reported on Wednesday, citing three people familiar with the matter. The FTC auditors are skeptical of the companies’ arguments. A lawsuit against the deal is not yet a done deal, two of the three insiders told the newspaper. “We are committed to continuing to work with regulators around the world to facilitate the transaction, but we will have no hesitation in defending the acquisition if necessary,” said an Activision Blizzard spokesman. Any suggestion that the transaction could lead to anti-competitive effects is “completely absurd”.
The takeover bid is also under scrutiny in Europe. The EU regulators launched a comprehensive investigation earlier this month and warned of restrictions on competition. The FTC and Microsoft did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment.
As part of the games industry’s biggest deal in history, Microsoft announced in January that it wanted to take over Activision Blizzard with computer games hits like “Call of Duty” and “Candy Crush” for around 69 billion dollars.
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