Gamers file another lawsuit against Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition

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After a U.S. judge, last month dismissed an earlier iteration of the antitrust complaint, a group of video gamers on Monday launched a new legal challenge to Microsoft’s $69 billion deal to acquire developer for popular FPS title ‘Call of Duty,’ Activision Blizzard.

The initial lawsuit was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in March because she found that it lacked sufficient evidence to support arguments that the purchase would impair industry competition.

While the first lawsuit was dismissed, the judge said that plaintiffs could file a new one to challenge the company. Although, the court can still review amended cases and decide to dismiss them.

According to Reuters, redacted claims from internal Microsoft papers, such as a strategic plan and other business reports that were delivered directly to the board of directors, were included in the new 73-page complaint. Additionally, data from Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc., a rival, was included in the case.

Speaking on the lawsuit, a spokesperson from Microsoft said, “The amended complaint contained unsupported and implausible claims about the deal’s effect on competition.” The company plans to bring people access to more games through the Activision deal.

According to lawyers for Microsoft, the initial defense heavily depended on erroneous legal justifications based on out-of-date Supreme Court decisions. “The plaintiffs waited 11 months after the transaction was announced to file their lawsuit and then wasted several additional months filing an implausible complaint,” the lawyers added.

The previous lawsuit was filed in December 2022, claiming that the $69 billion deal will disrupt the gaming market. The lawsuit alleged that the acquisition will give Microsoft too much power in the gaming market space, which can eliminate competition and create unfair prices.

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