Microsoft Stands By Activision Acquisition

"We have huge confidence in our case," Microsoft president Brad Smith told AFP.

The US Federal Trade Commission has sued to block the $69 billion buyout of the maker of the blockbuster "Call of Duty" and "Candy Crush" games.

The European Union has launched a probe into whether the deal would make popular games exclusive to Microsoft, the maker of the Xbox console.

But Smith noted that rival Sony had a larger share of the game console market with its PlayStation and said Microsoft would make titles available on both machines.

"If you really ask what will promote competition, what will bring more opportunities both for game developers and gamers, we strongly believe that this kind of acquisition where we have more first-party titles and are committed to making them available for on Sony PlayStation for the next decade, is good for competition, good for consumers," Smith said.

"So I feel good about our prospects going to an administrative law judge."

Smith appeared this past week at the US-Africa Leader Summit in Washington where Microsoft unveiled plans to use satellite technology to bring internet to millions of Africans who are off the grid.