Microsoft says it’s ready for a court battle after FTC sues to block Activision deal
Microsoft has said it’s ready to present its case in court after the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) launched a lawsuit to block its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
On Thursday the US regulator said it was attempting to block the $68.7 billion deal because it believed it would enable Microsoft to “suppress competitors” to its Xbox consoles and its subscription content and cloud gaming business.
In an official response to the news, Microsoft president Brad Smith said the company was confident in its case and would attempt to prove that the deal was not anti-competitive.
“We continue to believe that this deal will expand competition and create more opportunities for gamers and game developers,” he said. “We have been committed since Day One to addressing competition concerns, including by offering earlier this week proposed concessions to the FTC.
“While we believed in giving peace a chance, we have complete confidence in our case and welcome the opportunity to present our case in court.”
Smith’s sentiments were echoed by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, who addressed the FTC’s decision to file a lawsuit to block the merger in a letter sent to employees on Thursday.
“This sounds alarming, so I want to reinforce my confidence that this deal will close,” he wrote. “The allegation that this deal is anti-competitive doesn’t align with the facts, and we believe we’ll win this challenge.
“Thanks to the hard work by all of you every day, we’re on a strong path, bringing epic joy to players around the world with what I believe are the greatest games in the industry. At the same time, the competitive landscape is shifting, and, simply put, a combined Microsoft-ABK will be good for players, good for employees, good for
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