Microsoft settles video gamers' lawsuit over Activision takeover

The Microsoft logo and a scene from Activision 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare' are shown in this photo in New York on June 21, 2023. (Richard Drew / AP Photo)

SAN FRANCISCO — Microsoft Corp. has settled a lawsuit from a group of gamers who sued to try to stop the company from buying video game publisher Activision Blizzard for US$69 billion last year. Terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

The lawsuit was filed in 2022 in a U.S. federal court in San Francisco on behalf of 10 individual gamers.

The gamers are fans of Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty franchise and other popular titles such as World of Warcraft, Overwatch and Diablo.

The deal took nearly 22 months to close, reflecting concerns from rivals and government regulators that Microsoft could use its growing collection of games to stifle competition.