At one point, Lina Khan attempted to block the deal but was unsuccessful.
According to Lina Khan, the former chair of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the Microsoft–Activision Blizzard acquisition is damaging to the broader gaming industry.
In the wake of Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision, the industry saw steep price increases and widespread layoffs, which harmed both players and developers. As we’ve observed across many sectors, greater market consolidation often goes hand in hand with rising costs. When a few firms become overwhelmingly dominant, they tend to deprioritize customers and act without sufficient regard for the fallout.
Earlier, Microsoft revised its Xbox Game Pass pricing, increasing the Ultimate tier by 50% to $360 per year.
Source: iXBT.games