Gamers Lawsuit Accused Microsoft of Conspiring to Eliminate Sony's PlayStation

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Microsoft finds itself entangled in multiple legal battles, proving that its fight knows no rest. While the tech giant prepares to challenge the block on its proposed acquisition of Activision-Blizzard in both the UK and the United States, it also faces a smaller yet significant side battle—a lawsuit brought forth by a group of gamers.

The lawyers representing the gamers recently unveiled an alleged internal email exchange between Matt Booty, the Head of Microsoft Xbox Game Studios, and Tim Stuart, Microsoft's CFO for Xbox. Although the exact contents of the email remain redacted, it is said to contain "uncontroverted evidence" that Microsoft aimed to eliminate its main competitor, Sony PlayStation, from the market.

Microsoft has countered the claims by stating that the email was sent in 2019 and is unrelated to the acquisition of Activision-Blizzard in early 2022. However, when approached by Axios, the company refused to disclose the complete contents of the email.

ThoughtsUnboxed recognizes the frustration Sony's fans may feel due to the potential buyout of Activision-Blizzard. Nevertheless, it is essential to remember that Sony and Nintendo have maintained a strong grip on the Japanese gaming market by securing exclusivity rights to popular Anime Game Genre titles on their respective consoles. Moreover, Sony's PlayStation consoles have consistently outsold Microsoft's Xbox consoles in recent years, with the gap between them steadily widening. Sony itself has acquired game studios and released games exclusively for its platform. Microsoft, on the other hand, with its deeper pockets, is attempting to secure a substantial number of studios in one full sweep. Regardless of the outcome of this acquisition, one thing is clear: Microsoft often finds itself at a disadvantage while its competitors seem to receive preferential treatment. It is important to recall how Google and Apple forced Microsoft out of the mobile space not too long ago.

Sources:

Axios

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