Microsoft Corp. has reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought by a group of gamers seeking to block its acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. The terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but both parties have agreed to dismiss the lawsuit and cover their own costs and fees, as indicated in a court filing dated Monday.
The lawsuit was initiated in 2022 in a U.S. federal court in San Francisco on behalf of 10 individual gamers who are fans of Activision Blizzard’s popular titles, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo.
The acquisition deal, which took nearly 22 months to finalize, raised concerns among competitors and government regulators about Microsoft potentially leveraging its expanding portfolio of games to stifle competition. This transaction is part of a broader trend of industry consolidation that has raised apprehensions among independent game developers who fear being marginalized as the industry focuses its resources on established blockbuster franchises with proven track records.
In response to the settlement, Microsoft issued a statement confirming that 'the parties have resolved the litigation.' The resolution of this legal dispute marks a significant development in the gaming industry landscape and paves the way for Microsoft to proceed with its acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
