Four U.S. senators are urging the FTC to review Microsoft’s $68.7 billion acquisition of video game giant Activision Blizzard. In a letter to the group to chairman Lina Khan, the senators raised concerns that the planned acquisition would undermine Activision Blizzard’s alleged misconduct, The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Thursday. A call for accountability”.
We are deeply concerned about the consolidation of the tech industry and its impact on workers,” the letter reads. Cory Booker and Rhode Island Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse.
In January, Microsoft announced plans to take over scandal-plagued Activision Blizzard. The deal would make Microsoft the world’s third-largest video game maker and give it franchises for games like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. Microsoft has also pledged to reshuffle Activision Blizzard, which is known to have a toxic work culture and faces allegations of harassment and discrimination. The deal already faces lawsuits from shareholders.
On Wednesday, a judge approved an $18 million settlement between Activision Blizzard and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The settlement ends a lawsuit filed by the EEOC in September that accused the video game company of violating employees’ civil rights by subjecting them to sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination and retaliation.
Activision Blizzard said Thursday that Microsoft supports its efforts to create a proper workplace. An Activision Blizzard spokesperson said in an emailed statement: “The company is committed to providing a safe and fair work environment for all employees, in addition to investing significant resources to ensure we create a model for the industry.
Microsoft and Activision Blizzard The transaction between the two will not disrupt any actions that the Activision Blizzard leadership team has implemented throughout 2021 and will continue into 2022 to improve our workplaces.”
Microsoft VP Lisa Tanzi also added that the company believes Activision Blizzard will continue to make improvements and that Microsoft is committed to making further progress after the deal closes.