‘Told You So’: Ex-FTC Chair Lina Khan Is Having the Last Laugh Over Xbox’s Activision Acquisition

All that former FTC chair Lina Khan predicted would transpire is indeed transpiring.

Those of you who monitored the saga surrounding Microsoft’s historic nearly-$70 billion procurement of Activision Blizzard will remember Khan was one of the scant voices opposing the transaction.

At that time, she asserted that consolidation would result in price rises and job losses. A protracted legal battle ensued, ultimately leading to the FTC’s defeat and the acquisition proceeding.

Throughout the ordeal, Khan became an increasingly controversial figure, with several outspoken supporters urging her to step aside to facilitate the deal.

Now, following 50% price increases to the subscription service Game Pass, Khan is enjoying the final laugh.

In a post on X (or Twitter), she stated:

“Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision has resulted in notable price hikes and job cuts, negatively impacting both gamers and developers.

As we’ve observed across industries, greater market consolidation and rising prices frequently occur simultaneously.

When leading companies become too-big-to-matter, they can exacerbate conditions for their customers without concern for the repercussions.”

Following the acquisition, Microsoft has terminated thousands of employees within Xbox, and its quest for profitability has led to considerable increases in Game Pass pricing and a dilution of its offerings.

Earlier today, Bloomberg disclosed that including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 in the subscription – a key reason many fans desired the acquisition initially – cost the company over $300 million, with an astounding 82% of the shooter’s full-price sales originating from PlayStation during its launch month in the US.

Hopefully, this unfortunate situation will remain prominent in the minds of gamers the next time a major tech merger captures public attention.