Canada’s Department of Justice has determined that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the creator of Call of Duty, will likely result in reduced competition in certain areas of the gaming industry, as stated in a court filing on Thursday.
In a letter dated Wednesday, the Department informed Microsoft’s US attorneys that it had communicated with Microsoft’s and Activision’s attorneys in Canada, expressing concerns about decreased competition in “gaming consoles and multigame subscription services (including cloud gaming).”
On Thursday, the letter was entered into the record of a US federal court proceeding initiated by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is seeking a temporary halt to the proposed transaction, allowing an FTC judge time to evaluate the deal. Closing arguments for the proceeding are scheduled for later today.
Microsoft has been eager for a prompt decision in the court battle prior to the deal’s termination date of July 18. A ruling may be delivered as early as next week.
In response, Microsoft stated that it is collaborating with antitrust regulators to address these concerns.
“We have been notified by the Canada Competition Bureau that they will continue monitoring our acquisition of Activision Blizzard even after the expiry of the formal waiting period that prevents the completion of the deal,” stated a Microsoft spokesperson.
In addition, Microsoft’s bid to acquire the developer of Call of Duty is facing opposition from British competition authorities. Microsoft’s appeal to the Competition Appeal Tribunal in Britain is scheduled for July 28.
© Thomson Reuters 2023
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