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[Three]

No, not quite.
Do you know how many games are released at year? Do you know how many game studios there are?

A finite one would be where we have a certain amount of oil in the ground. BP then buys out the other biggest oil reserves in the world.
You can't just invent a new oil reserve.
In games however, new studios are set up every other week. New game IPs come out every year. New game dev talent graduates from college every year.

In the drinks example I gave nothing stops a company creating new drinks but it would be investigated and stopped regardless. Not because drinks aren't finite but because of the size and brand of the drinks they make. Fanta, Coke, Pepsi, Sprite, 7UP, etc all owned by them. You can't expect to just set up a new beverage company and hope to compete. just as a new game studio set up every other week no matter how many weeks pass are unlikely to compete with CoD. Regulators don't look at whether there is finite resources, they look at what it means for competition and how likely or easy it is for that IP/brand to be replaced. How much market power it has.

 

[ArcaneNLSC]

This thread needs to be on Netflix.

Nah Netflix would fuck it up maybe HBO they are better at epic dramas

 

[Gaelyon]

The use of the word "Publisher" is just used to try and make it seem a bigger deal than it us.
Bungie is a Publisher. I didn't see everyone screaming about Sony buying a Publisher.
So ABK is a company with 11 game studios.
They make games for PC, mobile and console.
If Bungie, Nixx, Valkyrie, Bluepoint, Housemarque and Firesprite were all owned by a fictional company called Bob's Publishers, and Sony bought them all at once instead of individually, would it mean more than buying them one at a time? Would you then be against Sony buying them?
The result is the same.

Neither Sony or Nintendo could spent $70 B for acquisitions (or anything else) ever. In fact you could add all their studios from PS1 time up to today and you would still be far away from 70 B. Sony can't bring dozens of billions to buy studios/publishers even in a decade. And MS has said that it wasn't even their last buy. That's the scale, it does make a difference.

 

[Nothing1234]

The use of the word "Publisher" is just used to try and make it seem a bigger deal than it us.
Bungie is a Publisher. I didn't see everyone screaming about Sony buying a Publisher.
So ABK is a company with 11 game studios.
They make games for PC, mobile and console.
If Bungie, Nixx, Valkyrie, Bluepoint, Housemarque and Firesprite were all owned by a fictional company called Bob's Publishers, and Sony bought them all at once instead of individually, would it mean more than buying them one at a time? Would you then be against Sony buying them?
The result is the same.

You don't seem to be able to understand the weight of the studios and IP MS bought vs Sony.

I think so too. On a personal level, seeing Phil talking about game exclusivity on "case by case basis" pre-closure of the deal and then immediately pivoting to making games exclusive post-closure was frustrating to see. It's good to see that we weren't the only ones paying attention to that little bit of subterfuge.

New Zenimax games won't be on PlayStation and that's fine. They should have just said that from day one.

 

[bitbydeath]

The use of the word "Publisher" is just used to try and make it seem a bigger deal than it us.
Bungie is a Publisher. I didn't see everyone screaming about Sony buying a Publisher.
So ABK is a company with 11 game studios.
They make games for PC, mobile and console.
If Bungie, Nixx, Valkyrie, Bluepoint, Housemarque and Firesprite were all owned by a fictional company called Bob's Publishers, and Sony bought them all at once instead of individually, would it mean more than buying them one at a time? Would you then be against Sony buying them?
The result is the same.

I didn't mean in terms of studio size but revenue.

 

[laynelane]

New Zenimax games won't be on PlayStation and that's fine. They should have just said that from day one.

Agreed that they should have been straightforward about it from day one. But they weren't and that helped allay concerns of regulators and the general public which aided the Zenimax deal going through. Now that same behavior is having a negative impact on the ABK deal and that is a positive thing to see.

 

[DForce]

The use of the word "Publisher" is just used to try and make it seem a bigger deal than it us.
Bungie is a Publisher. I didn't see everyone screaming about Sony buying a Publisher.
So ABK is a company with 11 game studios.
They make games for PC, mobile and console.
If Bungie, Nixx, Valkyrie, Bluepoint, Housemarque and Firesprite were all owned by a fictional company called Bob's Publishers, and Sony bought them all at once instead of individually, would it mean more than buying them one at a time? Would you then be against Sony buying them?
The result is the same.

- Bungie only has Destiny and an upcoming new IP
- Valkyrie was a support studio
- Nixx helped port games
- Bluepoint worked mostly on remasters
- Housemarque worked on smaller titles until Returnal
- Firesprite was a small studio and has to prove they're a viable studio that competes with other big developers outside of VR titles

You're comparing that to ABK

Overwatch, Starcraft, World of WarCraft, Diablom, Candy Crush, King, Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero, and more.

Overwatch is bigger than any original IP those other studios have created outside of Bungie.

All of the studios from Sony that you mentioned are even smaller than Zenimax.

Be honest with yourself, dude. lol

 

[GhostOfTsu]

But that's not what you said months ago.

Hey adamsapple you're back! Here, you dropped your shoes

 

[PropellerEar]

But that's not what you said months ago.

Burn

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Microsoft’s Deal for Activision Hinges on Blockbuster Call of Duty

www.bloomberg.com

Everyone on Earth knows that MS is trying to acquire ATVI to deny Call of Duty from Playstation. So now UK is saying you just need to divest CoD to get the deal approved. Haha, money talks and bullshit walks. They've been bullshitting about Lamepass this whole time, now let's see how they respond. I'm guessing they aren't going to accept these terms because why would they? What's ATVI without CoD? WoW? LOL. This deal is fucking dead.

 

[3liteDragon]

 

[jm89]

Thess findings are full of alot negativity, I agree with the notion that CMA mentioning behavioural remedies is just a formality. It's quite clear they don't want this deal going through. Now let's see if MS can pull a rabbit out of the hat.

 

[noise36]

73. A world in which PlayStation dominates xbox is good for competition, but a world in which xbox dominates PlayStation is bad for all gamers.

Sony are laughing all the way to the bank with the protection they are getting from these guys.

 

[bitbydeath]

73. A world in which PlayStaion dominates xbox is good for competition, but a world in which xbox dominates PlayStation is bad for all gamers.

Sony HQ are laughing all the way to the bank with the protection they are getting from these guys.

Sony would also be blocked trying to buy Activision, there's no favourites here, Activision is just that important.

 

[Ar¢tos]

Microsoft’s Deal for Activision Hinges on Blockbuster Call of Duty

www.bloomberg.com

Everyone on Earth knows that MS is trying to acquire ATVI to deny Call of Duty from Playstation. So now UK is saying you just need to divest CoD to get the deal approved. Haha, money talks and bullshit walks. They've been bullshitting about Lamepass this whole time, now let's see how they respond. I'm guessing they aren't going to accept these terms because why would they? What's ATVI without CoD? WoW? LOL. This deal is fucking dead.

What other reason would there be?
All Activision games already release on Xbox, so it's not about the games.
MS takes the same cut as Sony from sales of their games.
Activision is open to negotiations for having their games on gamepass at launch, so it's not about that (Activision is open to anything for money, ANYTHING, no matter how kinky or disgusting!)
The only reason left for MS to buy Activision is to, sooner or later (and we know it is sooner), stop the sales of Activision games on Playstation consoles.
If they said that they want to be able to compete in profit instead of sales, it would make more sense, but its too late to change things now.

 

[Banjo64]

The scope of this investigation and the thorough understanding the CMA have of the market at large and Microsoft's past conduct is pretty amazing considering it was only a 6 month investigation. Wow. Nail on the head with all of that.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

73. A world in which PlayStation dominates xbox is good for competition, but a world in which xbox dominates PlayStation is bad for all gamers.

Sony are laughing all the way to the bank with the protection they are getting from these guys.

I mean, this statement is factually true. MS has never contributed anything good to gaming the past 20 so years of Xbox's existence.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

73. A world in which PlayStation dominates xbox is good for competition, but a world in which xbox dominates PlayStation is bad for all gamers.

Sony are laughing all the way to the bank with the protection they are getting from these guys.

I'm genuinely surprised by that bit from them! It sounds absurd haha Jim has done very well in his meetings by the looks of it.

Edit; also not even a world where MS dominate, a world where Sonys lead is compromised in any way!

 

[freefornow]

Lamepass

You forgot to have M$ somewhere in your post.
Gitgud!

MS has never contributed anything good to gaming the past 20 so years of Xbox's existence.

 

[Elios83]

Thess findings are full of alot negativity, I agree with the notion that CMA mentioning behavioural remedies is just a formality. It's quite clear they don't want this deal going through. Now let's see if MS can pull a rabbit out of the hat.

There's not much they can do unless they give up on COD.
They'll probably try to suggest an "improved" version of their old 10 years deal as a remedy. But it will be rejected if it doesn't address the cloud and game subscription markets and cannot be legally enforced with 100% efficacy (that's why CMA wants structural remedies)
It's not a surprise that Sony always refused these deals and labeled them as inadequate.
Their legals know what they're doing, Microsoft's not so much.
If MS can't find a way to keep some form of control on COD they will run away from the deal in a couple of months.
Kotick knows it hence why he's so nervous.

 

[DenchDeckard]

I think the deals dead and let it be.

If I was Ms I would take this as a lump on rhe chin and as a fan of this industry I think its probably for the best it doesn't go to them.

Does Ms have any power to just buy king and blizzard? Or just King?

I'd leave cod but that's me.

 

[3liteDragon]

The scope of this investigation and the thorough understanding the CMA have of the market at large and Microsoft's past conduct is pretty amazing considering it was only a 6 month investigation. Wow. Nail on the head with all of that.

I'm actually very impressed by all this as I'm reading through it lol, their understanding of the industry's much better than what I was expecting, gotta hand it to them.

 

[jm89]

I think the deals dead and let it be.

If I was Ms I would take this as a lump on rhe chin and as a fan of this industry I think its probably for the best it doesn't go to them.

Does Ms have any power to just buy king and blizzard? Or just King?

I'd leave cod but that's me.

The question is will activision want to sell king and blizzard? Those are money makers for them.

One option for MS is divest cod/activision and they could get king and blizzard, what the CMA is suggesting as option for the deal to go through.

 

[DForce]

73. A world in which PlayStation dominates xbox is good for competition, but a world in which xbox dominates PlayStation is bad for all gamers.

Sony are laughing all the way to the bank with the protection they are getting from these guys.

Why are you guys blaming the CMA, FTC, and the EU?

Blame Microsoft for not being more competitive.

They have Fallout, Elder Scrolls, Starfield, Halo, Forza, Gears, Sea of Thieves, and Doom but you think that's not enough?

They're trying to stop big tech companies from buying their way to the top.

 

[DenchDeckard]

The question is will activision want to sell king and blizzard? Those are money makers for them.

One option for MS is divest cod/activision and they could get king and blizzard, what the CMA is suggesting as option for the deal to go through.

Yeah I would do that. Say OK we will buy this for x amount of nillion and leave cod alone if its not the reason for the deal.

I would prefer MS just took a step back and invested that money to do a good toe to toe battle with Sony on their own turf.

There's no way they would get shit for signing exclusivity deals now, so give it a go at that again imo.

I could draft up a rough business plan idea to start drafting out on and see what's possible in 10 minutes. But it would be a serious loss leader for years.

 

[Ar¢tos]

73. A world in which PlayStation dominates xbox is good for competition, but a world in which xbox dominates PlayStation is bad for all gamers.

Sony are laughing all the way to the bank with the protection they are getting from these guys.

You are reading it wrong.
"Compete hard to attract users" doesn't mean buying multiplatform studios in bulk to remove content from competitors, it means invest more in first party games, nurture and grow your studios and talent, build relationships over time with independent studios that might lead to friendly acquisitions (instead of Activision style "hostile" takeovers), you know, the Sony way.

---

Has any media site done an anonymous polling of devs from Activision owned studios on their opinion of the merger?

We should get their views too.

 

[reksveks]

I think the deals dead and let it be.

If I was Ms I would take this as a lump on rhe chin and as a fan of this industry I think its probably for the best it doesn't go to them.

Does Ms have any power to just buy king and blizzard? Or just King?

I'd leave cod but that's me.

Legally they would buy ABK and then sell out the bits that they agree with the CMA to obviously after finding a buyer that the CMA won't have an issue with.

The Saudi public investment fund feels like a potential buyer.

I am not sure if the desire is there to sell Activision, I would do it but cause I believe that DMU and EU's DMA in theory gives MS very small and still difficult window to actually have a meaningful app store.

 

[Banjo64]

I'm actually very impressed by all this as I'm reading through it lol, their understanding of the industry's much better than what I was expecting, gotta hand it to them.

Phil Spencer randomly downplaying Game Pass for the first time ever in October is now starting to make sense if they were having dialogue with the CMA about these points.

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/p...ign-ups-slowing-down-on-console/1100-6508670/

Issue for Xbox is that when you act in a reactive way you don't look sincere.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

Yeah, this deals dead I reckon. I have to say I am quite surprised given Sony's healthy lead as market leader, but the CMA seem to think that Sony having this lead is more beneficial than them being under more market pressure. I personally disagree and think it sounds contrary to what you think would logically create greater competition and in the industry.

Anywho, curious to see where MS go from here. Will they put that 70bn into use elsewhere for Xbox? Or will they revise their aggressive strategy with GP and acquisitions in general. If it's the latter this decision could have unintended consequences for competition in the interactive games market.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Anywho, curious to see where MS go from here. Will they put that 70bn into use elsewhere for Xbox?

It goes back in a safe with a sticky note saying "for everyone except Phil"

 

[MasterCornholio]

Looks like Bethesda did some damage here.

 

[mrmustard]

Will they put that 70bn into use elsewhere for Xbox?

It won't be 70bn anymore when the deal fails.

 

[Ar¢tos]

Yeah, this deals dead I reckon. I have to say I am quite surprised given Sony's healthy lead as market leader, but the CMA seem to think that Sony having this lead is more beneficial than them being under more market pressure. I personally disagree and think it sounds contrary to what you think would logically create greater competition and in the industry.

Anywho, curious to see where MS go from here. Will they put that 70bn into use elsewhere for Xbox? Or will they revise their aggressive strategy with GP and acquisitions in general. If it's the latter this decision could have unintended consequences for competition in the interactive games market.

This suggestion might be kinda crazy for MS mentality, but they could grow the studios they own into multiple teams per studio, attract new talent to learn from the main team, then morph those new teams into new studios and give them their own projects. At the same time, they could grow relationships with independent studios and eventually propose buy them.
The productive long hard way, instead of the expensive quick way.

 

[DenchDeckard]

Just brainstorming.

I genuinely think MS should have a 5 year plan to do a serious dent. Or maybe 10 years with current dev cycles.

I think the problem with MS is they just are a bit too unlikeable to the general public.

I'm going for a weird metaphor here so bear with me lol.

It's like xbox are the kid that says the wrong things and comes across as something is a little off. Like they don't quite fit in but their parents are loaded as fook so people hate on them because they try to be cool but don't pull it off.

The thing is when people do actually give them a try they realise, actually this kid ain't that bad he overall probs means well but man he keeps putting his foot in his mouth. He thinks about people such as the adaptive controller for disabled people etc but man here he is relying on his parents again.

Sony are like the popular kid that shows up to every game hardly saying a word and just consistently scores. Their performance ties up to their silent cool approach. And have earned their praise....every now and again they pay the reff off though but everyone let's it fly hahaha.

Ms kid is the guy that misses nearly ever shot but plays well in other parts of the field and scores a banger every now and again but just isn't consistent enough.

I dunno. That's a morning metaphor of trying to make businesses like people lmao.

 

[MasterCornholio]

73. A world in which PlayStation dominates xbox is good for competition, but a world in which xbox dominates PlayStation is bad for all gamers.

Sony are laughing all the way to the bank with the protection they are getting from these guys.

According to the CMA there's a right way to become market leader and a wrong way of becoming market leader. They argue that Microsoft isn't correct with their strategy of obtaining market share by buying a major publisher without some serious concessions.

 

[Astray]

If they were clear about Bethesda intentions before approval, this deal might have been approved with minimum behavioral remedies.

If they didn't announce a release date for Starfield that they could not meet, their intentions to make that exclusive might not even be known yet (and wouldn't be used against them).

If they didn't gas light everyone about mobile, then no-one would be able to say you can still achieve your primary goal without COD.

I said it before, but Starfield is probably the single most important game of this generation. Not just in terms of being a potential big IP, but also because of the conversations and agendas swirling around it, and how Microsoft's publishing decisions when it comes to it have affected their frying of a much much much bigger fish.

 

[noise36]

"Compete hard to attract users" doesn't mean buying multiplatform studios in bulk to remove content from competitors, it means invest more in first party games, nurture and grow your studios and talent, build relationships over time with independent studios that might lead to friendly acquisitions (instead of Activision style "hostile" takeovers), you know, the Sony way.

Why are you guys blaming the CMA, FTC, and the EU?

Blame Microsoft for not being more competitive.

The PlayStation brand and market dominance is built on exclusive content, from buying up studios and moneyhatting exclusives, to developing exclusive content and forcing people to buy a PlayStation console to play it.

CMA, EU , FTC have no problem with any of this because its how the last couple of decades have gone, its good for gamers apparently, but if xbox buys up studios to develop content which isn't exclusive to xbox console, as can also be played on PC or cloud, its bad for all gamers.

 

[baphomet]

Yeah, this deals dead I reckon. I have to say I am quite surprised given Sony's healthy lead as market leader, but the CMA seem to think that Sony having this lead is more beneficial than them being under more market pressure. I personally disagree and think it sounds contrary to what you think would logically create greater competition and in the industry.

Anywho, curious to see where MS go from here. Will they put that 70bn into use elsewhere for Xbox? Or will they revise their aggressive strategy with GP and acquisitions in general. If it's the latter this decision could have unintended consequences for competition in the interactive games market.

After all the regulatory scrutiny for anti competitiveness this deal has put not just Xbox, but daddy Microsoft through, you can bet your ass they won't be attempting to continue to buy any publishers in the near future.

That 70Bn goes back in the daddy's wallet.

 

[POKEYCLYDE]

Anywho, curious to see where MS go from here. Will they put that 70bn into use elsewhere for Xbox?

To put in perspective how much this deal is worth, Microsoft could buy Kadokawa, Square Enix and Capcom at double what they're worth (a 100% premium) and ONLY reach 35 billion, roughly half of what this ABK deal is worth.

They said they were still looking to acquire after ABK, I don't see why they'd abandon the strategy. Even if they only kept 1/3 of the 70B for Xbox acquistions, they can do a lot with 22B.

 

[3liteDragon]

As an Xbox gamer, MS buying ABK does nothing for me. It gives me no extra content, nor does it give Xbox more exclusive content. MS were banking on COD going into GP as a way to drive sales, but in the end they even offered COD to Sony to put into Plus.

I really don't care if the deal goes through.

It is quite something to see your stance on this now compared to 2 months ago...

It's about fucking time.
Microsoft has been trying to play nice guys with Sony while Sony hates Xbox and would want nothing better than for it to die.
I'm not knocking Sony for their stance. Playstation is Sony. It's all they have. They were late to the PC party, have no mobile presence. It's console or bust for Sony.
They are protecting that at all costs.
Microsoft on the other hand was talking shit like a rising tide lifts all boats, thinking Sony thought like them.
Microsoft are so worried about negative press. They dared making Tomb Raider a timed exclusive and the pro Sony media shit on them.
They were so timid they never went after a third party AAA game ever again. Meanwhile Sony was out their trying to get everything they could afford.
Microsoft sets up gamepass as a unique selling point.
Rather than Sony matching it they just change their contracts to say that publishers can put their games on GP unless they put it on PS+ as well.
Fucking Microsoft had to give Sony Deathloop on PS+ and will have to give them Ghostwire as well just to put it on Gamepass.
They then go to the FTC and CMA and bitch about Gamepass and how it will help Microsoft dominate the industry and they can't be allowed to put COD on it.
So Phil is 100% correct. Rather than Sony competing and putting their first party games on PS+ they strive to try and kill gamepass.
The good thing about all of this is that MS has finally woken the fuck up and worked out that Sony fucking hates them and is trying to screw them over at every pass.
And good on Sony for doing that, buisnes is buisness.
Now Microsoft says FU to Sony.
They could easily pull the rug out from under Sony's feet.
Take Minecraft off Playstation.
Minecraft and Fortnite are the pied piper of gaming.
The new generation of gamers (young kids getting their first gaming console) get one to play Minecraft and Fortnite (excusing Nintendo here).
Not having Minecraft on Playstation will absolutely hurt Sony in console sales. This would fuck them over and Sony deserve it.
Gloves off MS.
This shit is streetbeefs now.

 

[DForce]

The PlayStation brand and market dominance is built on exclusive content, from buying up studios and moneyhatting exclusives, to developing exclusive content and forcing people to buy a PlayStation console to play it.

CMA, EU , FTC have no problem with any of this because its how the last couple of decades have gone, its good for gamers apparently, but if xbox buys up studios to develop content which isn't exclusive to xbox console, as can also be played on PC or cloud, its bad for all gamers.

Microsoft has paid for time exclusive deals ever since they entered the console market, and they have exclusive deals going into this generation.

- Screwing up Halo Infinite wasn't Sony's fault.
- Delaying Starfield wasn't Sony's fault.
- Hyping up Crackdown as the next big thing only for it to bomb wasn't Sony's fault.
- Unable to create new IPs wasn't Sony's fault.
- Going through year long drought wasn't Sony's fault

The list goes on.

The way Microsoft is handling its studios is the reason why they're unable to put out games to draw people to their platform.

Xbox fans have said for years that exclusives didn't matter and that it's all about the most powerful console and multiplatform titles, and now they're begging for more exclusives to compete against Sony. lol

 

[Bo_Hazem]

 

[3liteDragon]

After all the regulatory scrutiny for anti competitiveness this deal has put not just Xbox, but daddy Microsoft through, you can bet your ass they won't be attempting to continue to buy any publishers in the near future.

The one potential good thing to come out of this. It's funny to me that they weren't expecting to give concessions for this to go through, and now they're getting dragged in the mud for an acquisition this size. Glad to see it happen.

 

[aries_71]

I said it before, but Starfield is probably the single most important game of this generation. Not just in terms of being a potential big IP, but also because of the conversations and agendas swirling around it, and how Microsoft's publishing decisions when it comes to it have affected their frying of a much much much bigger fish.

Was Fallout 4 such as a big thing? I mean compared to a COD?

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

According to the CMA there's a right way to become market leader and a wrong way of becoming market leader. They argue that Microsoft isn't correct with their strategy of obtaining market share by buying a major publisher without some serious concessions.

These sort of suggestions always sound strange to me. It implies some sort of 'sportsmanship' in business.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

After all the regulatory scrutiny for anti competitiveness this deal has put not just Xbox, but daddy Microsoft through, you can bet your ass they won't be attempting to continue to buy any publishers in the near future.

That 70Bn goes back in the daddy's wallet.

Perhaps. Or perhaps they'll look at less 'important' IP's / studios to acquire?

 

[xHunter]

Microsoft has paid for time exclusive deals ever since they entered the console market, and they have exclusive deals going into this generation.

- Screwing up Halo Infinite wasn't Sony's fault.
- Delaying Starfield wasn't Sony's fault.
- Hyping up Crackdown as the next big thing only for it to bomb wasn't Sony's fault.
- Unable to create new IPs wasn't Sony's fault.
- Going through year long drought wasn't Sony's fault

The list goes on.

The way Microsoft is handling its studios is the reason why they're unable to put out games to draw people to their platform.

Xbox fans have said for years that exclusives didn't matter and that it's all about the most powerful console and multiplatform titles, and now they're begging for more exclusives to compete against Sony. lol

Plus there is almost no marketing in europe. Meanwhile you have this for sony:

This is why them getting the Fifa MTX exclusive for 4 years did next to nothing for them.

 

[PaintTinJr]

The scope of this investigation and the thorough understanding the CMA have of the market at large and Microsoft's past conduct is pretty amazing considering it was only a 6 month investigation. Wow. Nail on the head with all of that.

It is one of the major benefits of the UK being integral to the creation of today's games industry and being an old, wealthy, small island nation(+NI),and being densely populated, it means sectors like the games industry have legends(like Ian Livingston) that are well known and available to meet up easily and still provide invaluable insight, knowledge and guidance to help our government - of the time - locally improve the industry and market with politics left out of it.

 

[Ar¢tos]

The PlayStation brand and market dominance is built on exclusive content, from buying up studios and moneyhatting exclusives, to developing exclusive content and forcing people to buy a PlayStation console to play it.

CMA, EU , FTC have no problem with any of this because its how the last couple of decades have gone, its good for gamers apparently, but if xbox buys up studios to develop content which isn't exclusive to xbox console, as can also be played on PC or cloud, its bad for all gamers.

Yes... MS is buying Activision so Activision can make multiplatform games, because that is absolutely not what they are already doing....

 

[bitbydeath]

After all the regulatory scrutiny for anti competitiveness this deal has put not just Xbox, but daddy Microsoft through, you can bet your ass they won't be attempting to continue to buy any publishers in the near future.

That 70Bn goes back in the daddy's wallet.

Sony might aggravate them to go spending again.

Sony has $10 billion left to spend on acquisitions through 2023

Sony's latest financials confirm it has roughly $10 billion left of its total $18 billion budget to spend on strategic buyouts.

www.tweaktown.com