Meta has asked the Federal Trade Commission to dismiss its complaint about its acquisition of Within. Supernatural, a rhythm game-turned-workout app created by the Los Angeles virtual reality firm, is a legitimately excellent use of VR in our opinion. It’s understandable why Meta wants to buy the company, but the FTC is concerned that it may be an anticompetitive acquisition.
Despite the FTC’s complaint, Meta filed a request in the Northern District of California court to proceed with the transaction. The FTC initially claimed that the acquisition would reduce competition in the VR fitness market. “Meta already participates in this broader market with its Beat Saber app, as does Within with its premium rival app Supernatural,” the agency wrote. The two companies are currently competing against each other to add new features and attract more users, a competitive rivalry that would be lost if the acquisition were allowed to proceed.” The FTC, however, filed a new complaint last week that removed these allegations.