From Channel Futures
Will the FTC’s Lawsuit Succeed in Blocking Microsoft-Activision Deal?
By Jeffrey Schwartz
The Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal has suffered a setback, with the Federal Trade Commission’s lawsuit seeking to block it. The FTC’s complaint, filed on Thursday, promises to delay the proposed acquisition, but Microsoft is confident it will prevail...
Nevertheless, experts believe the FTC might have an uphill battle in winning its case against Microsoft. Even if it doesn’t win the case, the FTC could be seeking to discourage other large deals, according to Steve Weber, a professor at the University of California Berkley School of Information.
“The FTC has been very explicit that they’re looking for cases right now to prosecute,” Weber told Channel Futures. “I think [FCC commissioner] Lina Khan feels she must do something to instantiate her view that competition policy as a whole needs a big shake-up. It doesn’t matter if she wins or loses, but rather that she drives the debate in a different direction.”
Steven Weber is a professor emeritus of the I School, retiring last year. He previously served as the faculty director at the Center for Long Term Cybersecurity (CLTC).
