WASHINGTON, Dec 30 (Reuters) – A decide has set Jan. 3 for the primary pre-trial listening to within the Biden administration’s case towards Microsoft (MSFT.O) over its $69 billion bid to take over “Name of Responsibility” maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O).
The Federal Commerce Fee (FTC), which enforces antitrust legislation, requested a decide to dam the transaction earlier this month, arguing that the merger would enable Microsoft’s Xbox to get unique entry to Activision video games, leaving Nintendo consoles and Sony’s PlayStation out within the chilly .
Microsoft has countered that the deal would profit avid gamers and gaming firms alike, providing to signal a legally binding consent decree with the FTC to offer “Name of Responsibility” video games to rivals together with Sony (6758.T) for a decade.
Microsoft made the argument in a submitting aimed toward convincing a decide on the FTC to permit the deal to proceed.
The case is an indication of the administration of US President Joe Biden taking a muscular method to anti-trust enforcement. However antitrust specialists say the FTC faces an uphill battle to persuade a decide to dam the deal, due to the voluntary concessions provided by Microsoft to allay fears it might dominate the gaming market.
Reporting by Alexandra Alper; enhancing by Grant McCool
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