Microsoft is in one corner of the ring, the US state in the other, and the dispute also affects hundreds of millions of Swedish pensions.
As many already know, Microsoft wants to buy game operator Activision Blizzard, which would give Microsoft the rights to games like ‘Call of Duty’, ‘World of Warcraft’ and ‘Candy Crush’.
The Japanese Sony and Nintendo fear from their horizon that games disappear from their platforms.
At the same time, the US government believes that Microsoft is outgrowing competitively, which the European Commission has also said and is reportedly issuing a statement on the matter.
Similar concerns have been heard from Japan and Australia.
All while the FTC trade authority in the US is trying to stop the deal (see link below the article). According to the plan there will be a trial, but apparently not before August.
Swedish pension money invested in Activision Blizzard
This he states The newspaper Näringsliv, TNand claims that the Swedish Seventh AP Fund is also involved to the fullest degree and has taken Microsoft to court in the US.
The Seventh AP Fund, which manages the premium pensions of most Swedes, holds about SEK 730 million in Activision Blizzard, according to TN, and believes Microsoft is capitalizing on the opportunity and buying the company at a bargain price.
The Seventh AP Fund’s criticisms also concern Microsoft trying to protect the CEO of Activision Blizzard Bobby Kotic from allegations made against the company about a corporate culture characterized by misconduct, sexual abuse and boyhood culture, writes TN.
Read also: The regulator wants to stop Microsoft’s purchase of Activision [Dagens PS]
