The Federal Trade Commission wants more data about the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard deal

One of the biggest stories of the gaming industry this year has been Microsoft’s announcement that it intends to acquire Activision Blizzard and all of the studios pertaining to it for a record-setting $68.7 billion. With Activision Blizzard’s many issues and the massive amount of high caliber gaming studios it would give Microsoft Gaming, the deal has been under quite some scrutiny since it was announced. Now, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has asked Microsoft and Activision Blizzard in relation to its anti-trust review of the deal.

The FTC request for more data and information on the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard came fairly recently, as reported by Reuters. Reportedly the Federal Trade Commission has asked both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard for more data in relation to their upcoming $68.7 billion deal. The deal is expected to close somewhere around the start of Microsoft’s 2023 fiscal year, but there are a lot of details to nail down between now and then. One of those things is getting the go-ahead from the FTC for the deal to go through without suffering claims of anti-trust activity.

Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard raises anti-trust regulatory eyebrows as it stands to give Microsoft control of massive franchises like Warcraft, Overwatch, and Call of Duty.

Regardless, Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard currently looks like it will go through unless something changes drastically. After that, there are plenty of further questions in the air, such as what happens to controversial and problematic Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, who has downplayed and dismissed sexual harassment and workplace toxicity scandals throughout the company since they took on major heat throughout 2021, including a major lawsuit. There are also questions as to what happens with popular franchises like Call of Duty once its contracts with PlayStation come to their current end.

Nonetheless, getting the go-ahead from the FTC is likely the biggest thing on both Microsoft and Activision Blizzard’s minds right now. It will remain to be seen what the FTC determines as a result of the data it receives. Stay tuned as we continue to follow this story for further updates.