Yet another party is taking steps in opposition to Microsoft’s Activision-Blizzard acquisition, but instead of it coming from an organization or corporation, it instead originates from a private consumer lawsuit. And just recently, a California judge turned down Microsoft’s bid to freeze the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of ten concerned gamers, was originally issued last year (via Reuters). The ruling by Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley will be followed up by a March 23 bid by the plaintiffs of said lawsuit.

The case made in this private lawsuit is similar to that of the Federal Trade Commission‘s (FTC) own case, wherein Microsoft stands to gain an unfair advantage in the video game industry, which may result in increased prices and a reduction of consumer choice.

Microsoft already has its hands full with other concerns surrounding the Activision-Blizzard deal. Google and Nvidia have both expressed concerns over the deal, and an alleged antitrust warning is currently in the works by the European Commission (EC). Even Activision-Blizzard, the company that’s being acquired, can’t get a break, with tensions between NetEase following the Chinese company’s refusal to extend ActiBlizz’s game services in China.

In spite of these recent complications, Microsoft maintains that the deal is “beneficial” for the industry. 

Source: Reuters