"The FTC was not responsible for uploading Microsoft's plans": Says FTC's Director of Public Affairs

The last two days have been a traumatic experience for Xbox after Microsoft's plans for its Xbox controllers and games were out overnight. The community witnessed one of the biggest leaks in gaming history thanks to the FTC vs. Microsoft case documents. On Monday, the Court uploaded the case documents provided by Microsoft public, including Xbox's upcoming design for its consoles and the games they planned to unveil. 

The Court has redacted the documents, and Douglas Farrar, Director of Public Affairs at FTC, maintained that the leak wasn't FTC's mistake but Microsoft's.

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Clarification From FTC After Massive Leaks on Past Mails and Future Xbox Consoles and Games

Two weeks back, on 07 September 2023, the Court asked Microsoft to provide a set of documents with a "secure cloud link." After the orders, Microsft shared the link with the Court on 14 September 2023, and then the Court uploaded the information on the internet page. According to FTC, it was Microsoft since they provided "non-public information" to the Court, which led to the massive leak.

Jacqueline Scott Corley judges FTC's antitrust suit to stop Microsoft's plan to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc. After the leaks circulated all over the internet, Microsoft notified the Court that the information shared was confidential, and the Court took down the trial exhibits and asked Microsoft to resubmit the exhibits by 22 September 2023. The order says:

The parties shall simultaneously file a written certification signed by all parties, and non-parties whose information is contained in the admitted trial exhibits, verifying they have reviewed the exhibits and certify they contain only public information in accordance with the Court's orders. 

Even though the exhibits have been retracted, Microsoft's plans are all over the internet. The leaks consisted of Phil Spencer's game plan to acquire the Japanese giants Nintendo alongside newer designed Xbox consoles. Xbox also plans to establish itself in hybrid cloud gaming by 2028.