SEVEN different law firms have launched investigations into Activision Blizzard's decision to sell itself to Microsoft, over claims Activision's board decided to sell up to escape sexual discrimination lawsuits facing the company.

In a statement announcing its investigation, San Diego law firm Johnson Fistel said: "It appears that the Activision board may have been motivated to sell the company to

Microsoft in order to escape personal liability arising from these lawsuits."

The law firms will look into whether the games developer breached its fiduciary duties in agreeing to sell itself to Microsoft for $95 per share, after analysts put out price targets of more than $100 for each share in the firm. Microsoft's $69bn (£50.9bn) acquisition is the most valuable in video game history.

Johnson Fistel said it aims to investigate "whether the board obtained the best price possible for

Activision shares of common stock."

The allegations come after a California government agency filed a lawsuit against Activision in July 2021, which alleged the firm promoted a "frat boy culture" which resulted in female employees experiencing "constant sexual harassment."

The watchdog said the firm "fostered a sexist culture and paid women less than men," as it claimed women were "subjected to constant sexual harassment, including groping, comments, and advances."

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