Microsoft and Activision bizarrely demanded to see employee records and performance reviews from PlayStation executives to fight a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) lawsuit. The US regulator filed a lawsuit to block the acquisition, after which Microsoft subpoenaed Sony and other companies to help it defend its case.
Microsoft and Activision send Sony a list of irrelevant requests
As detected by Axios, Sony sent its response to Microsoft’s subpoena and asked the court to vacate or limit the subpoena. The redacted response can be found on the FTC’s website, which reveals that Microsoft wants Sony to hand over the records and performance reviews of employees of PlayStation management because they could “frankly” include information about PlayStation business. .
Sony accused Microsoft of “blatant harassment”, arguing that the personal files are irrelevant to the case. Sony’s motion to quash/limit subpoena also reveals that Microsoft wants files related to seven PlayStation executives, including SIE CEO Jim Ryan, PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst, and Global Marketing Director, Eric Lempel.
Microsoft also wants files belonging to former PlayStation executives and wants a search by SIE’s in-house attorney. To go further, the maker Xbox demanded ten-year-old information regarding PlayStation activity.