© Archyde.com. Federal Commerce is investigating Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is conducting an antitrust investigation into Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, according to a source familiar with the details of Bloomberg News, putting the deal in the hands of an agency that pledged to implement stricter control over these deals.
The committee will supervise the investigation into whether the acquisition is harmful to competition, instead of the Ministry of Justice, according to an informed source who is not authorized to speak publicly regarding this investigation.
The two bodies share responsibility for conducting antitrust investigations into merger deals, and often reach an agreement regarding who to investigate the deal.
FTC Chair Lina Khan has long advocated a tougher approach to reviewing deals, especially those from big tech companies that she says can consolidate their dominance in one area of activity to gain greater strength in other markets.
The Federal Trade Commission, under Khan, sought to block two major takeover deals – the Nvidia (NASDAQ:) bid for Arm Ltd, and the Lockheed Martin deal. to buy Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings.
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:) declined to comment on the subject of the investigation, and the Federal Trade Commission did not respond to a letter seeking comment.
The Active Vision (NASDAQ:) investigation will focus on the integration of the Activision game portfolio into Microsoft hardware and systems.
Regulators will closely examine the possibility that Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision might harm competitors by limiting their access to the company’s major games.
US and EU officials approved Microsoft’s latest big acquisition, the $17 billion purchase of voice-recognition software company Nuance Communications, last summer, and the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority is still reviewing that. The deal so far.
Source: Eastern Economy
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