Lawsuit By Gamers Claims There's Evidence That Microsoft Is Trying To Eliminate Sony From Market With Activision Blizzard Deal

So Microsoft has been secretly planning to put PlayStation out of business all along?

Well, that’s what a small group of gamers said. Not too long ago, 10 people came together to file an antitrust lawsuit against Microsoft. The lawsuit argues that the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard could result in reduced competition or a monopoly. Initially dismissed due to insufficient evidence, the plaintiffs later submitted an amended lawsuit with redacted information and a strategy memo allegedly sent by Microsoft's head of Xbox game studios to the company's chief financial officer for Xbox. They claim this is evidence that Microsoft's bid for Activision Blizzard is intended to eliminate Sony (PlayStation) from the market.

UPDATE: A Microsoft rep shares a significant update to this. While they still can't divulge the contents of the email, they're able to now say that it was sent in 2019

That means that whatever anti-PlayStation sentiment/strategy it may contain preceded MS' offer for Activision https://t.co/HqbmfbjzD0

— Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) June 20, 2023

Microsoft has responded by stating that the email contents are from 2019, predating their offer for Activision Blizzard. The lawsuit is separate from Microsoft's defense against the US Federal Trade Commission's attempt to block the acquisition, with an evidentiary hearing involving notable figures from Microsoft, PlayStation, Bethesda, and Activision set to take place.