According to an FTC official, Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan met with the chiefs of various antitrust enforcers, including Britain’s, last week, but no deals were mentioned.
Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) $69 billion acquisition of “Call of Duty” creator Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) was denied by Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority on Wednesday, citing concerns about cloud gaming competition.
On Thursday, the FTC official responded to game-maker CEO Bobby Kotick’s claim to CNBC that the U.S. agency had pressured Britain’s CMA to halt the transaction.
The FTC has complained about stopping the purchase. Microsoft will challenge both regulators.
“I was surprised to learn that Lina Khan and the CMA head met a week and a half ago in Washington,” Kotick added. Legally, you can’t disclose current litigation. I’m unsure.”
“I think that’s what you’re seeing now is that the CMA is being used as a tool by the FTC to be able to create these kinds of outcomes, and it this isn’t the way they’re supposed to be operating,” he added.
The FTC officer who attended the virtual conference but was not authorized to comment on the record stated that no mergers or other active probes were discussed.
FTC denies all misconduct.
“The FTC did not conspire with the CMA or any other international authority on any proposed merger examination. “Independent antitrust regulators can make their judgments when a deal appears blatantly anti-competitive,” stated spokesperson Douglas Farrar.
The agency collaborates with other antitrust enforcers “and has for decades under both Republican and Democratic Chairs, a practice long welcomed by the business community,” Farrar said. We never delegate authority.”
Microsoft President Brad Smith said the CMA’s judgment “had shaken confidence” in Britain as a tech hub and was “probably the darkest day in our four decades in Britain.”
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