Earlier this year, Microsoft announced its intention to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. The announcement was a huge surprise to the video game industry, and there are some real concerns about its potential impact. US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Sheldon Whitehouse and Cory Booker expressed some of those concerns in a letter to Federal Trade Commission Chair Lena Khan. There have already been reports that the Federal Trade Commission is reviewing the purchaseBut senators also want the FTC to look into Activision Blizzard’s cultural issues, and whether this deal will lead to bigger problems. Senators also cite concerns about what this could mean for competition, unions, and more.
“As this proposed transaction moves forward with its review process, the FTC must assess whether the ways in which these companies have failed to protect the rights and dignity of their workers are motivated by monopoly power or amount to anti-competitive harm in our labor market , and if so, if the merger would exacerbate these problems, You read the message.
Given the sheer scale of the Activision Blizzard purchase, it’s no surprise to see senators calling for more scrutiny of the deal. fact, Congressman Jerry Nadler expressed similar concerns in January. However, the above message does not necessarily mean that your proposed purchase from Microsoft may be at risk; Instead, it just means there can be more interest in making sure the deal benefits employees and the industry as a whole.
The culture surrounding Activision Blizzard has gained a lot of focus over the past year, as allegations have begun to emerge about racism, sexism, and the company’s “little boy” culture. As these allegations surfaced, many in the industry called for CEO Bobby Kotik to resign. It remains to be seen how Microsoft’s acquisition may affect the company, but there appears to be strong employee optimism. However, the deal won’t expire until 2023, so it may be a while before we know where things are headed.
Do you think Microsoft’s purchase of Activision Blizzard will be approved by the FTC? Do you think company culture will improve under Microsoft? Tell us in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at Tweet embed To talk about all things gaming!
[H/T: Video Games Chronicle]