Legal Expert Weighs In , on Legality of Microsoft's Acquisition , of Activision Blizzard.<br />Legal Expert Weighs In , on Legality of Microsoft's Acquisition , of Activision Blizzard.<br />IGN reports that a legal expert says<br />Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard <br />is not likely to run afoul of antitrust laws. .<br />IGN reports that a legal expert says<br />Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard <br />is not likely to run afoul of antitrust laws. .<br />Recently, Microsoft acquired Bethesda, <br />another major studio and one <br />of the industry's leading game developers. .<br />Recently, Microsoft acquired Bethesda, <br />another major studio and one <br />of the industry's leading game developers. .<br />According to IGN, that acquisition passed antitrust regulation <br />because it was a vertical integration where a content distributor, <br />like Xbox, purchased a content producer or game studio. .<br />IGN reports that David Hoppe, a Managing Partner at the <br />San Francisco-based Media and Tech law firm, Gamma Law, <br />says the Microsoft Activision deal operates on the same principle. .<br />IGN reports that David Hoppe, a Managing Partner at the <br />San Francisco-based Media and Tech law firm, Gamma Law, <br />says the Microsoft Activision deal operates on the same principle. .<br />The acquisition is another example<br />of so-called ‘vertical integration’ in <br />the video game industry — a console <br />manufacturer (distributor) acquiring <br />a game developer (producer), David Hoppe, Managing Partner at Gamma Law, via IGN.<br />Of course, this is the largest such <br />deal in games industry history, <br />but U.S. courts have historically been <br />unwilling to apply restrictive antitrust <br />principles to vertical transactions, David Hoppe, Managing Partner at Gamma Law, via IGN.<br />According to Hoppe, despite the probable<br />legality of the deal, consolidation of <br />this magnitude could harm the industry. .<br />Hoppe suggests that the clear winners are , “likely to be Activision executives, who benefit <br />from a major diversion of attention from a huge, <br />potentially existential crisis, and undoubtedly have the <br />assurance of rich exit packages at the appropriate time.”.<br />Hoppe suggests that the clear winners are , “likely to be Activision executives, who benefit <br />from a major diversion of attention from a huge, <br />potentially existential crisis, and undoubtedly have the <br />assurance of rich exit packages at the appropriate time.”.<br />IGN reports that Microsoft's acquisition <br />of Activision Blizzard is scheduled <br />to be finalized by June of 2023. .<br />IGN reports that Microsoft's acquisition <br />of Activision Blizzard is scheduled <br />to be finalized by June of 2023.
