Microsoft / Activision Deal Approval Watch |OT| (MS/ABK close)

Do you believe the deal will be approved?


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They've made a complaint intent to sue pending Microsoft answer in the next two weeks. Which will then begin immediately in their own internal process but they haven't sued to actually block the merger from happening. Microsoft can still continue on doing its merger. The FTC didn't seek to stop it outright meaning they would have actually had to go to court to defend their position they opted to not do so. Instead they're using thier internal process to delay and hope Microsoft just stops or that the other regulators throw them a lob.

They don't need to seek an injunction while they're still under investigation by the other parties. They didn't do it with the ARM case either.
 
They've made a complaint intent to sue pending Microsoft answer in the next two weeks. Which will then begin immediately in their own internal process but they haven't sued to actually block the merger from happening. Microsoft can still continue on doing its merger. The FTC didn't seek to stop it outright meaning they would have actually had to go to court to defend their position they opted to not do so. Instead they're using thier internal process to delay and hope Microsoft just stops or that the other regulators throw them a lob.

That's normal procedure.

"If a consent agreement cannot be reached, the FTC may issue an administrative complaint and/or seek injunctive relief in the federal courts. The FTC's administrative complaints initiate a formal proceeding that is much like a federal court trial but before an administrative law judge: evidence is submitted, testimony is heard, and witnesses are examined and cross-examined. If a law violation is found, a cease and desist order may be issued. An initial decision by an administrative law judge may be appealed to the Commission."

"In some circumstances, the FTC can go directly to federal court to obtain an injunction, civil penalties, or consumer redress. For effective merger enforcement, the FTC may seek a preliminary injunction to block a proposed merger pending a full examination of the proposed transaction in an administrative proceeding. The injunction preserves the market's competitive status quo."

 
Man, this guy is trying to make it political but come on, is it really that surprising that a $2.5 trillion company isnt being allowed to acquire THE biggest console publisher worth $75 billion?

If anything we should be breaking up Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and other trillion dollar companies. If MS is allowed to buy a $75 billion company, whats stopping Alphabet from swooping in and buying Sony which is currently worth just $100 billion for the ENTIRE company.
The way Apple works so closely with Sony for their CMOS sensors, I am surprised they haven't tried to acquire Sony by now. They would be the supplier to Samsung's phone cameras just as Samsung supplies their screen panels.
 
You aren't a lawyer either and you LIVE in this thread posting your takes like you're some kind of authority non-stop. Why don't YOU take a break instead of acting like you're a mod.
Its very simple.
I am eating food, watching documentary video, and dont waste my time that much.

Right now, I am eating food, after I had a break laying down on my bed.
 
They played the same dumb game with the CMA.
Years ago I was at a company were we needed to pick a cloud provider for some work we had coming up. We gave everyone a chance via a RFP process. Microsoft didn't get the contract. They not only pulled that whole you didn't give us a chance to show you why you needed to pick us but basically lobbied our VP of operations to force us to give them another month explaining to us why we were making a mistake not picking them. They still didn't get the contract but It was unreal just how arrogant they can be. It's cultural.
 
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That's because FTC guidance is for divestiture and not consent decrees. FTC already knows enforcement is difficult given the size of these companies. By divesting there is literally separation by it being a different company having control. Purposely dense while acting reasonable.
 
Stocking up on popcorn for the trial, appeal, and then SCOTUS.
lol - it won't last that long - once all the political glad handing and news cycle runs it's course, bribes paid, and concessions are made this will move faster than a greased cat through a room full of german shepherds ...
 
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So, you are highlighting MS's failure? They don't need to be rewarded the gobbling up of the historic 3rd party industry for life, due to their failures. In fact, this illustrates why it's not in the industry's best interest due to those shortcomings to curate and produce what they have so far with over 20 studios and partnerships.
 
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59 to 60 heh? Global market but I thought this was about the U.S market? Also what's the difference between Journey and COD, judge pls it's 1-1!

Don't show the judge those revenue numbers or anything, nor those subscription numbers, nor those MAU!
😂

Judge, Xbox is like the small mom and pop shop trying to live the American dream believe
 
That's because FTC guidance is for divestiture and not consent decrees. FTC already knows enforcement is difficult given the size of these companies. By divesting there is literally separation by it being a different company having control. Purposely dense while acting reasonable.
There won't divestiture. MS would abandon this deal, if that were to happen.
 
So, you are highlighting MS's failure? They don't need to be rewarded the gobbling up of the historic 3rd party industry for life, due to their failures. In fact, this illustrates why it's not in the industry's best interest due to those shortcomings to curate and produce what they have so far with over 20 studios and partnerships.
I don't think the ftc cares if xbox is doomed, but if the company have the monopoly of the gaming matket
 
Sony has 70% of the market but you've yet to release any exclusive block buster games from Zenimax, Obsidian, Double Fine, Ninja Theory etc. Don't you think those percentages could change soon? This two faced bull shit makes it hard to root for MS. Just be honest fam.
 
So, you are highlighting MS's failure? They don't need to be rewarded the gobbling up of the historic 3rd party industry for life, due to their failures. In fact, this illustrates why it's not in the industry's best interest due to those shortcomings to curate and produce what they have so far with over 20 studios and partnerships.

Some gamers have become so histerical with the prospect of getting CoD day one on gamepass that they convinced themselves that this enormous market consolidation is better for them in the long run.

As if Gamepass was going to stay at $100/year the moment Microsoft blows Playstation out of most 3rd party offerings, especially after spending $80 billion buying those 3rd parties.
People are completely delusional on this.
 
Man, this guy is trying to make it political but come on, is it really that surprising that a $2.5 trillion company isnt being allowed to acquire THE biggest console publisher worth $75 billion?

If anything we should be breaking up Apple, Amazon, Google, Microsoft and other trillion dollar companies. If MS is allowed to buy a $75 billion company, whats stopping Alphabet from swooping in and buying Sony which is currently worth just $100 billion for the ENTIRE company.

Oh no big companies and big numbers, better jerk the knee.

I've posted similar before but let us take a look at 10 years in gaming with some ballpark numbers?

$200B annual turnover X 10 years = $2 Trillion, not even accounting for inflation or growth.

MS spent $69B buying ActiBliz.

ActiBliz gross revenue is at the top end $8B annually X 10 years = $80B.

Are you actually saying 4% of the industry over 10 years is domination and should be blocked? Really? Remember we're talking about gross, not net here.

Now take my post about ID@Xbox. To current date they directly funded and supported 4,600 developers globally in 94 countries.

ActiBliz total employees tops out at about 9,500 staff. ID@Xbox alone has already supported and grown the market by 50% of the Activision buyout in the previous 10 years under MS/Xbox.

Talk about heading to gaming carbon neutral. Posters claims about blocking on grounds of gobbling up talent are factually wrong as well.


Your statement is false and not factual. Right now, the buyout is being looked at, as it should. We will see what comes.


EDIT: If you really want to see how these regulators miss the show entirely and don't create a unified front like industry does, due to government compartmentalisation, then look at the why and how of MS bought ActiBliz. The same goes for any of these global giants, it's tax reduction. They have huge profits and cash reserves that they need to write down. Above I described that it's gross revenue, however much of this deal is based around tax avoidance or reduction or grants or credits etc. You'd be surprised the levels their accounting/auditing firms go to on the balance sheets. Basically they save so much on tax from other company profits they HAVE to spend massive cash investments such as ActiBliz. Otherise they just give money to governments, they prefer to own things and keep their money essentially; through the loopholes of a global companies vs disparate world governments and regulators.

If the regulators actually knew how to work in industry and not politics you'd see less buyouts vs creation of studios. Good things take time, I reckon games would come out better in the latter industry and tax framework.
 
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https://www.gamesradar.com/xbox-say...aystation-has-almost-5x-more-exclusive-games/
More to the point, Smith claims PlayStation commands 286 exclusive games while Xbox only holds 59, though it's unclear how exactly these numbers were tabulated. Nevertheless, Smith says a judge will "have to decide whether going from 59 to 60 is such a danger to competition that he should stop this [acquisition] from moving forward." It's even more unclear how Microsoft acquiring all of Activision Blizzard would gain Xbox just one exclusive game, as Smith seems to imply, let alone how that would be the sole consequence of the deal.

I like how Brad is presenting this as "Sony has over 250 exclusives t our 59, but if MS gets 60 instead clearly the industry will implode" making the argument that MS is incredibly smaller than it is.

However, he does have a point that Sony controls more exclusives, not sure where he's getting 286 from unless he's combining PS4 with PS5 but not combining Xbox One with Series.
 
Oh no big companies and big numbers, better jerk the knee.

I've posted similar before but let us take a look at 10 years in gaming with some ballpark numbers?

$200B annual turnover X 10 years = $2 Trillion, not even accounting for inflation or growth.

MS spent $69B buying ActiBliz.

ActiBliz gross revenue is at the top end $8B annually X 10 years = $80B.

Are you actually saying 4% of the industry over 10 years is domination and should be blocked? Really? Remember we're talking about gross, not net here.

Now take my post about ID@Xbox. To current date they directly funded and supported 4,600 developers globally in 94 countries.

ActiBliz total employees tops out at about 9,500 staff. ID@Xbox alone has already supported and grown the market by 50% of the Activision buyout in the previous 10 years under MS/Xbox.

Talk about heading to gaming carbon neutral. Posters claims about blocking on grounds of gobbling up talent are factually wrong as well.


Your statement is false and not factual. Right now, the buyout is being looked at, as it should. We will see what comes.
Sweet sweet napkin math.
 
https://www.gamesradar.com/xbox-say...aystation-has-almost-5x-more-exclusive-games/


I like how Brad is presenting this as "Sony has over 250 exclusives t our 59, but if MS gets 60 instead clearly the industry will implode" making the argument that MS is incredibly smaller than it is.

However, he does have a point that Sony controls more exclusives, not sure where he's getting 286 from unless he's combining PS4 with PS5 but not combining Xbox One with Series.
giphy.webp
 
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