The soap opera Microsoft-Activision is enriched with a new and curious chapter. After the FTC sued Microsoft to prevent the acquisition from going through, now the Redmond giant must deal with another similar situation that, like other players, would not involve any antitrust organ.

Specifically, a group of gamers repeatedly denounced Microsoft’s deal Activision Blizzard, putting the company in a tough position in the industry. In 2013, the lawsuit was only filed against Microsoft. The plaintiffs claim they play Activision productions on multiple platforms, not just PlayStation, but also Xbox.

Microsoft has one of the biggest and most popular game industry ecosystems. This contract would make it a difficult choice, leaving it with the highest number of iconic franchises and must-have games, group said. of players who, among the most negative aspects of the agreement, cite higher prices, less innovation, less creativity, less choice for consumers, and many other anticompetitive effects.

The plaintiffs also list all the acquisitions made by the Xbox Game Studios from 2014 until 2020. There is no shortage of error: the lawsuit cites Rare acquired in 2022, when in true the English studio started to become part of Microsoft’s stable in 2002, after years of service by Nintendo.

After being trying to understand the way the American giant plans to bring for those people, a story about the colossal deal worth nearly 70 billion dollars continues to take shape for a moment. In Europe, the antitrust authorities expect the rivals of Microsoft to express themselves on the acquisition of Activision, sending a questionnaire with hundreds of questions.