Group of gamers are suing Microsoft ‘to stop the Activision Blizzard takeover’

A group of ten people has filed a lawsuit against Microsoft to stop its acquisition of Activision Blizzard. According to the prosecutors, Microsoft will have too much power if the acquisition goes through.

Since the announcement of the acquisition worth about $ 68.7 billion, the intended deal has been widely criticized, often from market regulators and authorities such as the European Commission and the FTC. As far as is known, however, it is the first time that a group of individuals has taken legal action against the acquisition of Activision Blizzard.

The plaintiffs allege: “If Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is allowed to go ahead, the games industry would lose substantial competitive opportunities. This would give Microsoft disproportionate market power with the ability to hinder competitors, limit output and inflate prices,” the prosecutors claim. Bloomberg Law from court documents. Microsoft repeats previous claims in a statement; the deal would promote competition and “create more opportunities for gamers and game developers.”

It is according to one analysis of FOSS Patents on the other hand, it is unlikely that the lawsuit will actually be heard. The case in question looks more like a class action lawsuit and, according to the medium, could be settled by Microsoft because of the ‘inconvenience’ of the case. Paying off such a case may be cheaper and easier than offering a good defense in an actual lawsuit.