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The Biggest Deal in Gaming is Under Fire From U.S. Senators

posted by Fnord666 on Monday April 04 2022, @05:04PM   Printer-friendly
from the torpedoes-in-the-water! dept.

upstart writes:

The Biggest Deal In Gaming Is Under Fire From U.S. Senators:

Four U.S. senators have torpedoed Microsoft's $69 billion deal for Activision. They believe that the consolidation of the high-tech industry and corporate culture of gender misconduct at Activision could expand by the transaction. Democrat senators think that the planned takeover could undermine employees' calls for accountability over alleged gender and sexual harassment at the game developer.

Senators Elizabeth Warren (D), Bernie Sanders (I), Cory Booker (D), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D) are distraught with the fact that Robert Kotick, chief exec of Activision, will remain at the helm of the game company until closing in 2023. With the same head, the culture of misconduct will not go away, they assume. Another point they are concerned about is the consolidation of the high-tech industry in general and its impact on the workforce. Given their concerns, they wrote a letter to the Federal Trade Commission in an attempt to block the deal.

"We are deeply concerned about consolidation in the tech industry and its impact on workers," the letter obtained by the Wall Street Journal reads. "This lack of accountability, despite shareholders, employees, and the public calling for Kotick to be held responsible for the culture he created, would be an unacceptable result of the proposed Microsoft acquisition."

[...] The senators demand that FTC oppose the deal if it finds that it can worsen the negotiating position between workers and companies (in this case, Microsoft represents both entities).

Previously:
Microsoft Set to Purchase Activision Blizzard in $68.7 Billion Deal

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  • (Score: 2) by MIRV888 on Monday April 04 2022, @11:14PM (3 children)

    by MIRV888 (11376) on Monday April 04 2022, @11:14PM (#1234877)

    We've arrived once again. You can count a number of companies on your fingers that effectively have monopolies on their markets.
    Historically our current economic predicament reminds me of the late 1800's just before Teddy.
    As long as I can still get an original rom of Pitfall I'm all good.

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  • (Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 04 2022, @11:51PM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 04 2022, @11:51PM (#1234884)

    Unlike Socialism where oligarchical dictatorships are (covers ears) unheard of.

    • (Score: 2) by MIRV888 on Tuesday April 05 2022, @06:33AM (1 child)

      by MIRV888 (11376) on Tuesday April 05 2022, @06:33AM (#1234927)

      Europe, Canada, Japan, New Zealand & Australia would disagree.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 05 2022, @12:34PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 05 2022, @12:34PM (#1234960)

        They may, however, none of those countries nor any of the countries in Europe is Socialist.