Phil Spencer wrote a message to Microsoft employees following a major hearing victory today in which the Redmond-based company opposed the FTC over its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
“Today, a US District Court Judge ruled against the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction that would have temporarily blocked our acquisition of Activision Blizzard in the United States. We are grateful that, after reviewing the evidence and testimonies, the court rejected the FTC’s claims that our acquisition caused harm to consumers. The facts have shown that the deal is beneficial for the industry and that the FTC’s statements about console switching, multi-game subscription services and the cloud do not reflect the realities of the gaming market.”
“After today’s decision, our focus has shifted to the UK. As you may know, a few months ago the UK Competition and Markets Authority recommended that the deal be banned. We disagree with the CMA’s concerns and have filed an appeal against its decision. However, at the same time, we are evaluating how to change the position in order to solve the problems of the CMA in a way that the latter finds acceptable. To prioritize potential options, Microsoft and Activision have agreed with CMA that it is in the public interest to suspend the appeal now, and we and CMA have filed a joint request with the Competition Court of Appeal.”
“From the beginning, the team and I believed that this acquisition would bring significant benefits to gamers and the gaming industry. Since the announcement of our intentions, we have demonstrated our commitment to delivering more games to more people on more devices. This includes several agreements signed to make Activision Blizzard games, native Xbox games and Game Pass available to more gamers than ever before. I’m proud of our efforts to expand player access and choice throughout the process. The agreement is already authorized in 38 countries and we will continue to work on timely resolution in other jurisdictions. Thank you to everyone who has dedicated their time and dedication to supporting our acquisition. We entered into this deal with the clear intention of serving players wherever they are, and with today’s court ruling, we have been able to take an important step forward in realizing that vision.”
