As the gaming industry grows as one of the biggest forms of mass-media consumption, mergers and acquisitions are becoming increasingly common so that the largest companies can maintain their positions at the top. Easily the biggest case of this in recent events has been the Activision Blizzard acquisition made by Microsoft, which has become the biggest acquisition in the industry’s history. So far, that move has not faced any major hurdles, save for reminders of the ongoing allegations and lawsuits made towards Activision Blizzard. However, it seems that some US Senators have penned a letter raising concerns over the company’s purchase.

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren has released the new letter backed by her and fellow US Senators on her official government website. The letter written by Warren, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, New Jersey Senator Corey Booker and Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse has been specifically addressed to FTC Chairwoman Lina Kahn. Surprisingly, the letter is not primarily focused on or concerned with the potential monopoly that Microsoft might hold over the gaming industry with this acquisition. Instead, the Senators mainly take umbrage with Activision Blizzard’s ongoing allegations of toxic workplace behavior and their inability to properly address it. As the letter states:

We are deeply concerned about consolidation in the tech industry and its impact on workers, and this proposed merger has already hurt workers at Activision Blizzard in their fight for a stable job and a safe working environment. The FTC should consider the history described above when assessing the anticompetitive effects that this gigantic merger may produce, and carefully determine the meaning of Microsoft’s promise to “not stand in the way” of unionization efforts.”

Aside from the ongoing allegations and lawsuits, the letter specifically references the various actions the company has allegedly taken to prevent their employees from unionizing. As for the toxic workplace culture, the letter makes mention of all the allegations, and suggests that so far Activision Blizzard has not taken enough action to correct these issues. As such, the US Senators seem worried that the acquisition will distract the company from making the proper corrections, or at worst allow the company to get away with these horrific behaviors. While this letter may not have much direct impact on keeping the deal from closing (which may already be at least a year away), but it can put pressure on the FTC to pay closer attention to the deal and enforce stricter parameters that hopefully fix theses systemic issues at the company. Time will tell if this helps make change happen for the better at Activision Blizzard, but a payload that big takes a cooperative team to get to its goal point.

What do you guys think about this letter penned by US Senators concerned about the Activision Blizzard acquisition? Let us know in the comments below! Be sure to stay tuned for the latest Activision Blizzard news, such as CEO Bobby Kotick likely leaving the company after the acquisition closes, here on Don’t Feed the Gamers! Follow us on Twitter to see our updatest the minute they go live!