The Microsoft takeover offer to buy the video game publisher Activision Blizzard for 69 billion dollars continues to generate buzz, since not only are market regulators against this merger, but now even the same gamers They think it’s a bad idea.
The new blow against the maker of the Xbox console comes from a group of gamers from California, New Jersey and New Mexico, who have filed a private lawsuit in federal court to prevent the technology company from completing the purchase.
The plaintiffs allege that the acquisition of the creator of the popular game “Call of Duty” would give Microsoft a “very great power” with the ability to crush the competition and reduce consumer choice by limiting the availability of content and manipulating prices in their favor.
Joseph Saveri, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a statement that “it is essential to protect the market from monopolistic mergers that will harm consumers in the long term.” If completed, the merger would go down in history as the largest technology deal in the video game industry.
Digital Metrics | 3 empresas concentran 75% de las ventas de smartphones en América Latina
The lawsuit comes weeks after the US Federal Trade Commission filed antitrust case to block the merge process. The sale of Activision to Microsoft also faces the scrutiny of the European Union and of the United Kingdom.
Although Microsoft and Activision have tried to reduce the concerns of the authorities by ensuring that “Call of Duty” and other games will be available for 10 years on the consoles of its rivals (Sony and Nintendo)many believe that the agreement will harm competition.
While Microsoft Chairman Brad Smith says the deal will instead broaden competition creating more opportunities for gamers and developers.