Microsoft's big game: 10 gamers try to stop Activision Blizzard takeover

It has been news for several months now that Microsoft is trying to acquire, for nearly $70 billion, the entire Activision Blizzard.
Obviously the move does not please many people, Sony in the first place who fears that they will have to suffer the monopoly of the rival company. As of today, however, Microsoft also has other "enemies": 10 gamers worried about the future of their favorite games, who have decided to file yet another Antitrust lawsuit against the Redmond giant.

The group of 10 gamers claims that Microsoft's acquisition will make it harder for them to find games that suit their preferences, as well as limit competition in the market. If the deal goes through, Microsoft would control a large portion of the video game market and own many iconic franchises such as Call of Duty, Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch and... Candy Crush Saga. This would allow it to have "an unrivaled position in the gaming industry, leaving it with the largest number of must-have games."

The lawsuit then cites fears that Microsoft could and would make the Call of Duty franchise exclusive to PC and Xbox consoles, as the company has already done such a thing when it acquired ZeniMax Media for $7.5 billion last year

A study confirmed these fears, with statistics showing that 46 percent of PlayStation and Nintendo users would be ready to switch to Xbox Game Pass once the acquisition is completed. This would leave out other services such as PlayStation Plus and Nintendo Switch Online, which could have a huge impact on how gamers buy their games in the future.

Whether or not this federal antitrust lawsuit will succeed in stopping Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard remains to be seen. However, studies conducted confirm gamers' concerns about monopolistic practices and exclusivity agreements, and it is clear that there are legitimate concerns that must be addressed if our industry is to remain competitive and open to all. We look forward to a decision!