Microsoft Really, Really Wants You To Know It’s Okay With Unions

Microsoft has yet to give up on getting the proposed purchase of World of Warcraft developer and publisher Activision to go through. Over the past several months they’ve put in a lot of effort trying to convince regulators like the FTC that the deal won’t cause any harm to other companies – like Sony, which has been the primary voice against the buyout. As most of Sony’s opposition hinges on the idea that Microsoft would make the shooter title Call of Duty exclusive to Xbox and Gamepass, Microsoft has been busy offering deals intended to prove that’s not the case.

Now, following Zenimax Media’s vote to unionize, the company is trying another route. The company, in partnership with the union Communications Workers of America (CWA), published an ad in The Washington Post (and shared on The Verge) stating their acceptance of unions. The text reads, “As we enter a new year, we remain committed to creating the best workplaces we can for people who make a living in the tech Sector. When both labor and management bring their voices to the bargaining table, employees, shareholders, and customers alike benefit.” The ad then goes on to talk about how they’d like to bring the same philosophy to Activision Blizzard when the nearly $70 billion deal goes through.

The post then directly addresses the FTC, noting that they “aren’t asking [the agency] to ignore competition concerns,” but rather that they “believe it’s important to explore solutions that protect competition and consumers while also promoting the needs of workers, economic growth and American innovation.” It will be interesting to see if the play works.