The EU had already approved the deal in May.
(Photo: imago images/Future Image)
san francisco After the British competition authority, the US supervisory authority FTC is also taking concrete steps against the mega takeover of video game maker Activision by Microsoft. The FTC will seek a ban on the $69 billion takeover in court, Bloomberg news agency and the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
Microsoft responded positively. “We welcome the opportunity to plead our case in federal court,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft vice chairman and president, in a statement. “We believe that accelerating the process in the US will ultimately lead to more choice and competition in the marketplace.”
Microsoft and Activision are among the largest companies in the global computer games industry. The Microsoft group has built up a large business around its Xbox games console. Activision is behind widespread game titles such as “Call of Duty” or “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater”.
Microsoft’s intended purchase of Activision would be the largest takeover in the gaming industry. Microsoft would become the world’s third-largest manufacturer in the business, behind Tencent from China and Sony from Japan.
Competitors fear that the takeover would give Microsoft too powerful a position. Antitrust authorities in the UK have blocked the takeover. The EU competition authorities, however, have approved the company purchase.
The US competition authority FTC had already taken action against the deal in December. The authority had expressed concerns that Microsoft could use the company purchase to restrict access to Activision games on other platforms. Playstation, among others, has expressed concerns that its own console platform could suffer from the takeover. The proceedings between the FTC and the two companies were scheduled to begin in August.
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