Microsoft And FTC First Pre-Trial Hearing Set For 3rd January

Microsoft took the initiative to buy the enormous behemoth, Activision Blizzard back in January of last year for a staggering $68.7 billion, making it Microsoft’s largest acquisition. Still, ever since, the trip to Microsoft has not been easy.

Microsoft’s decision to purchase Activision Blizzard has faced a lot of difficulties as they have been opposed by large corporations like Google and Sony and have come under fire from several regulatory bodies like the FTC recently sued Microsoft for giving itself an unfair advantage over its rivals.

The first pre-trial hearing between Microsoft and the FTC will occur on January 3.

According to a former FTC commissioner, Terrell McSweeny, the FTC has an uphill battle with Microsoft, and Reuters also claims in their report that the FTC may find it challenging to prove its thesis in court, so it looks like the FTC would be in for a challenge.

Regarding the FTC’s decision to sue Microsoft, Microsoft said that the FTC’s approach to the Activision Blizzard merger is unconstitutional because it violates Articles II and III and their Fifth Amendment right to equal protection.

Previously, Microsoft has also suggested fixes, such as a 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo consoles and keep bringing it to PlayStation consoles beyond the Sony and Activision deal.

Furthermore, the deal has been greenlit in Chile recently, as they join Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Serbia in allowing the deal to go through, giving Microsoft relief.

We do not know the outcome of this case, but we are looking forward to it. This is the limited information we have for now, but we will be looking for more news regarding the Microsoft-Activision merger in the future.

On that note, what do you think about Microsoft and FTC’s first trial hearing taking place on January 3? Let us know in the comments section.

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Avinash Jaisrani

[News Reporter]

Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.