Microsoft insists Call of Duty will be playable on PlayStation as long as the platform exists
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Thursday that it has filed a lawsuit to
block Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard,
alleging that it could suppress competitors for its
Xbox
game consoles and its growing gaming subscription business.
The FTC
voted 3-1 in favor of the lawsuit
after a closed-door meeting, with all three Democratic commissioners voting in favor and the lone Republican voting against.
A fifth seat on the panel is vacant following the departure of another Republican earlier this year.
The FTC's complaint points to Microsoft's previous game acquisitions, especially well-known developer
Bethesda Softworks
and its parent company
ZeniMax,
as an example of how Microsoft made some popular game titles exclusive despite assuring regulators Europeans who had no intention of doing so.
"Microsoft has already shown that it can and does want to withhold content from its rivals in the gaming industry," said
Holly Vedova,
director of
the FTC's Office of Competition.
"Today we seek to prevent Microsoft from taking control of a major independent game studio and using it to undermine competition in multiple fast-growing and dynamic gaming markets."
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