Washington, D.C. - Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick are among the witnesses scheduled to testify in a five-day evidentiary hearing set to begin this week on the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) legal bid to block the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft.

The hearing, which will be held before an administrative law judge, will focus on the FTC's claim that the merger would harm competition in the video game industry. The FTC argues that the merger would give Microsoft too much control over the market for popular video game franchises, such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush.

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have argued that the merger would actually benefit consumers by creating a more innovative and competitive video game industry. They say that the merger would allow Microsoft to invest more in developing new games and technologies and that it would create new opportunities for game developers and publishers.

The hearing is expected to be closely watched by the video game industry and antitrust experts. The outcome of the hearing could have a significant impact on the future of the video game industry, and it could also set a precedent for future antitrust cases involving mergers in the tech industry.

Here are some additional details about the hearing:

• The hearing will be held from June 21-25, 2023.
   
• The hearing will be presided over by administrative law judge Timothy J. Dugan.
   
• The FTC is expected to call a number of witnesses, including Nadella, Kotick, and other executives from Microsoft and Activision Blizzard.
   
• The hearing is expected to be open to the public.
   
• The hearing is a major development in the FTC's legal challenge to the merger. The FTC has already filed a lawsuit seeking to block the merger, and the hearing will give the FTC an opportunity to present its case to the judge. The outcome of the hearing could be a major factor in determining whether the FTC is successful in blocking the merger.

It will be interesting to see how the hearing unfolds and what impact it has on the future of the video game industry. The outcome of the hearing could have a significant impact on the way that video games are developed and distributed, and it could also set a precedent for future antitrust cases involving mergers in the tech industry.

Here are some potential implications of the hearing:

• If the FTC is successful in blocking the merger, it could send a message to other tech companies that antitrust regulators are serious about enforcing antitrust laws.
   
• If the merger is allowed to go through, it could give Microsoft a significant advantage in the video game industry.
   
• The outcome of the hearing could also have implications for other industries, such as the music and film industries.
  Overall, the hearing is a major development in the FTC's legal challenge to the merger, and it could have a significant impact on the future of the video game industry. It will be interesting to see how the hearing unfolds and what impact it has on the future of the industry.