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Gamer’s Suit Against Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Deal Is Dismissed

By  |  March 21, 2023

An antitrust lawsuit filed against Microsoft by a group of gamers last year has now been dismissed by a Judge due to the complaint “not plausibly” alleging anticompetitive effects, reported Reuters.

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    The ‘Gamers’ Lawsuit’, which was first brought to court in December 2022, was filed by a group of 10 gamers from California, New Mexico, and New Jersey. The consumer antitrust suit was over its $69 billion proposed purchase of “Call of Duty” maker Activision Blizzard. The plaintiffs, however, were given 20 days to refine their legal challenge.

    On Tuesday, a federal judge in San Francisco issued an opinion that the plaintiff’s lawsuit challenging the proposed acquisition lacked sufficient evidence to prove their claim of potential harm to competition. The court concluded that the litigation was unsupported by any substantive allegations.

    Related: Microsoft Offers Concessions To EU Over Activision Blizzard Deal

    “Plaintiffs’ general allegation that the merger may cause ‘higher prices, less innovation, less creativity, less consumer choice, decreased output, and other potential anticompetitive effects’ is insufficient,” wrote US District Judge Jacqueline Corley.

    The decision to dismiss the gamer’s suit does not affect the US Federal Trade Commission’s regulatory challenge to this deal. Microsoft announced its bid last year, and it also faces competition scrutiny in the EU and UK. Microsoft has denied the deal would harm video game competition.