Microsoft Settles Video Gamers’ Lawsuit Over Activision Takeover

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Microsoft Corp. has settled a lawsuit from a group of gamers who attempted to halt the company’s acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard for $69 billion last year.

The specifics of the settlement remain undisclosed. According to a court filing dated Monday, both parties have agreed to dismiss the lawsuit and will be responsible for their own costs and fees.

The lawsuit was initiated in 2022 in a U.S. federal court in San Francisco by 10 individual gamers who are enthusiasts of Activision Blizzard’s popular franchises, including Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo.

The agreement took nearly 22 months to finalize, illustrating the concerns among competitors and government regulators regarding Microsoft’s potential to utilize its expanding collection of games to suppress competition. This case is part of a larger trend of industry consolidation that has raised alarms among independent game developers, who fear they may be overlooked as resources in the industry gravitate towards established blockbuster franchises.

Microsoft has not provided immediate comments regarding the settlement on Tuesday.