Reuters
Biden faces uphill battle in spat with Microsoft over Activision deal
The Biden administration may struggle to convince a judge to stop Microsoft Corp’s $69 billion bid for “Call of Duty” maker Activision, because of the voluntary concessions offered by the tech giant to allay fears it could dominate the gaming market, antitrust experts said. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which enforces antitrust law, asked a judge to block the transaction on Thursday, arguing that the merger would allow Microsoft’s Xbox to get exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo consoles and Sony’s PlayStation out in the cold. The Biden administration has sought to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement, with the FTC and Justice Department challenging many more deals than most recent predecessors in industries as disparate as publishing, a variety of medical fields, defense and home hardware.
