Meta delays Within acquisition amid VR antitrust claims

Meta has delayed its acquisition of virtual reality studio Within by a month, agreeing not to close the deal until January 31st. The agreement was noted in a court filing reported on by Reuters this morning, extending a temporary restraining order agreed to in August. The news comes as the two sides face off in court over whether Meta is unlawfully monopolizing the nascent VR industry.

The FTC sued Meta in July to stop the acquisition of Within, which makes the popular VR fitness service Supernatural. It argued that Meta’s acquisition reduced competition in the potential “killer app” category of fitness apps, a claim Meta denies. Meta has previously acquired several other VR studios, including the developers of Beat Saber, a game with...

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