Microsoft will attend a closed hearing next week on February 21 to defend its $69 billion deal for Activision Bizzard before EU antitrust officials according to Reuters. Following this hearing, Microsoft is expected to offer remedies to the deal’s opponents in order for it to pass.
Since the deal’s announcement in January 2022, Microsoft has faced heavy criticism from government regulators and industry competitors, especially its industry rival Sony. Talks to get the deal passed have been slow-moving since then, with many of the deal’s opponents fearing that it could negatively impact industry competition.
The closed hearing was requested by Microsoft itself following a statement of objections being issued towards them from the European Commission following the regulator’s months-long investigation against the deal. Microsoft remained confident of the success of its deal and adamant that it would not be affecting the game industry negatively in any way.
Additionally, Microsoft has previously offered to work with the deal’s detractors to come up with solutions that would benefit everyone, exemplified by its recent 10-year deal with Nintendo for Call of Duty to be available on the industry competitor’s consoles. Microsoft offered the same deal towards Sony who refused to comply.
Previously in January, Microsoft had subpoenaed their rival Sony for information, believing that the company had information that would support the Activision Blizzard deal against the FTC’s lawsuit. Sony has fought against the subpoena, requesting delays and even recently, claiming these subpoenas as harassment from Microsoft. While its unknown what will come out of these subpoenas or if Sony will comply, if they were to go through, Microsoft would most likely use the information gained on this upcoming hearing.
Microsoft is to appear before the court on April 7, 2023, concerning the FTC’s lawsuit, following a complete fact discovery to present all favoring information in their case.