Technologies

Microsoft Tells FTC That $69B Activision Deal Won’t Harm Competition

Response to lawsuit seeking to block the mega-deal argues acquisition is about making Xbox more competitive.

Microsoft on Thursday filed a response to a Federal Trade Commission lawsuit aiming to block its $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, arguing that it won’t hurt competition in the video game industry.

The FTC said earlier this month in its lawsuit challenging the acquisition that the software giant will «harm competition» among game console makers including Sony and Nintendo. Microsoft countered in its filing that the acquisition is about helping its Xbox unit to become more competitive.

«Xbox wants to grow its presence in mobile gaming, and three quarters of Activision’s gamers and more than a third of its revenues come from mobile offerings,» Microsoft said in its 37-page response. «Xbox also believes it is good business to make Activision’s limited portfolio of popular games more accessible to consumers, by putting them on more platforms and making them more affordable.»

The deal, announced earlier this year,is the largest ever for the software maker and also within the videogame industry. Microsoft, which also makes the Xbox video game console,has been speaking with regulators around the world in an effort to gainapproval for its acquisition. Microsoft earlier said it expects tocomplete the deal sometime around the summer of 2023.

The FTC’s move against Microsoft marks one of the US government’s biggest efforts to take on the tech industry, which has witnessed companies like Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Alphabet and Meta becoming some of the most highly valued companies on the planet. Amid all that growth, competitors and regulators have been asking whether the tech industry has too much power and whether companies have been acting as monopolies.

The agency argued in its Dec. 8 lawsuit against the software giant’s acquisition of the Call of Duty maker, saying Microsofthad used earlier acquisitions to make several high-profile upcoming titles like the space exploration game Starfield and the vampire shooting game Redfall exclusive to devices powered by its software. Microsoft said it offered Sony the right to sell the military shooter as part of its PlayStation Plus service, but»Sony refuses to deal,» Microsoft said in its filing.

«The acquisition of a single game by the third-place consolemanufacturer cannot upend a highly competitive industry,» Microsoft saidin its response. «That is particularly so when the manufacturer hasmade clear it will not withhold the game. The fact that Xbox’s dominantcompetitor has thus far refused to accept Xbox’s proposal does notjustify blocking a transaction that will benefit consumers.»

Microsoft said it hopes an amicable resolution can be found that benefits all in the industry.

«Even with confidence in our case, we remain committed to creativesolutions with regulators that will protect competition, consumers, andworkers in the tech sector,» Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president and vicechair, said in a statement.

Activision CEO Bobby Kotick also defended the deal in a separate statement Thursday, saying that»There is no sensible, legitimate reason for our transaction to beprevented from closing.»

The FTC didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Monday, July 21

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 21.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

My favorite Mini Crosswords are ones that take me on a little journey. Today, I learned something new about Hawaii and also basked in a nostalgic moment while thinking about a childhood board game. Need an assist with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Ceremonial band
Answer: SASH

5A clue: First official state hand gesture, following a 2024 Hawaiian bill
Answer: SHAKA

6A clue: Deck with the Major and Minor Arcana
Answer: TAROT

7A clue: Just love
Answer: ADORE

8A clue: Boardwalk has the highest one on a Monopoly board
Answer: RENT

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Cool place to be on a sunny day
Answer: SHADE

2D clue: Name that might come first during an alphabetical roll call
Answer: AARON

3D clue: Hybrid athletic garment
Answer: SKORT

4D clue: Just loathe
Answer: HATE

5D clue: One whose name is in lights
Answer: STAR

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for July 21, #771

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for July 21, #771.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Hey, Seinfeld fans, today’s NYT Connections puzzle is right up your alley. That makes the blue category fun, but that purple category got me, as always. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times now has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group, to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Top it off.

Green group hint: Liquid can change forms.

Blue group hint: Big salad, puffy shirt.

Purple group hint: A certain symbol.

Answers for today’s Connections groups

Yellow group: Additional perk.

Green group: Phase transitions for liquids.

Blue group: Concepts from «Seinfeld.»

Purple group: What ‘ can indicate.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is additional perk. The four answers are bonus, extra, gravy and icing.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is phase transitions for liquids. The four answers are condensation, freezing, melting and vaporization.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is concepts from «Seinfeld.» The four answers are Festivus, regifting, shrinkage and yada yada.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is what ‘ can indicate. The four answers are contraction, foot, possessive and quote.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for July 21, #301

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 21, No. 301.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Golf knowledge is a weak point for me, so I struggled a little with today’s Connections: Sports Edition. It’s nice to see an appearance from one of the best team names in minor league ball. Hello, Yard Goats fans. Stuck? Check out our hints and get the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Don’t skip this step.

Green group hint: Par for the course.

Blue group hint: Constitution state.

Purple group hint: Not bored.