Independent Game Developers Back Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

A coalition of independent game developers has expressed support for Microsoft's proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. According to Axios, the comments were submitted in court documents filed with the Ninth District Circuit of Appeals in California as part of the FTC's lawsuit against Microsoft. The group, comprising Curve Games, Finji, Iam8bit, and Strange Scaffold, argues that the acquisition would ultimately lead to the inclusion of Call of Duty games in Game Pass, thereby enhancing the subscription service's performance and creating opportunities for indie developers. The collective noted, 'A larger Game Pass subscriber base increases the likelihood that users will discover and play indie games they might have otherwise overlooked, which in turn can lead to broader adoption of these games.' The brief also highlighted the success of indie games on Game Pass, citing Iam8bit's Escape Academy, which attracted 1.5 million users, and Curve Games' Human Fall Flat, which drew 14.2 million players via the service.