The U.S. Federal Trade Commission is seeking a preliminary injunction to temporarily halt Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a video game maker. The FTC argues that the merger would harm competition in various markets related to gaming consoles, subscription services, and cloud gaming. The commission is concerned that the combination would give Microsoft's Xbox console exclusive access to Activision games, leaving other console manufacturers disadvantaged. Microsoft, on the other hand, claims that making Activision games available on multiple platforms benefits both gamers and gaming companies. The resolution of the FTC lawsuit is crucial for finalizing the deal, which has faced opposition from various antitrust regulators worldwide, including the European Union and British competition authorities.
