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[splattered]

Which makes one wonder why MS is fighting so hard over a side show then?

By your logic, MS would have immediately agreed with regulator concerns and divested Acti day one and this deal would be done.

MS is not going to divest Activision, why do you keep saying that? They will sign binding contracts for COD and maybe some other franchises and move forward on the deal. Blizzard and King are not worth the asking price alone, Activision will come along with the deal whether you like it or not. If they were actually made to divest Activision then yeah, i'd say the deal is dead but we aren't there yet.

 

[jm89]

So you want PS to get it on their sub service and not have to pay a fair price for it. I understood you the first 2 times.

Fair price will be decided by regulators and this price may not be something MS like but will keep things fair for the market.

 

[pasterpl]

"If the US approves CMA will accept?"

Ladies and gentleman I present to you Resetera Copium. Not from concentrate, 100% inorganic, premium cope.

Still waiting for those numbers from you with exact numbers %of layoffs across XGS. Or was it another made stat? Just admit it and we can move along.

 

[ToadMan]

We have different definitions in what is considered a "dead" deal here then.

I see. So what do you see as a “dead” deal then?

 

[reksveks]

I see. So what do you see as a “dead” deal then?

The deal being dropped completely.

 

[ToadMan]

Still waiting for those numbers from you with exact numbers %of layoffs across XGS. Or was it another made stat? Just admit it and we can move along.

I’m still waiting for you to provide an example of an FTC loss when a deal goes through it’s administrative court process.

Since you’re asking for receipts, let’s see yours.

 

[Topher]

I see. So what do you see as a “dead” deal then?

I think there is a pretty massive difference in saying the deal is "dead" and saying "the deal is dead in its current form". I think to most, a "dead" deal means there is no deal. Microsoft walks away from all this with nothing. Microsoft making concessions to regulators is a long way from the deal being "dead". It is the same deal, just amended.

 

[Astray]

All PR campaigns by Microsoft on this deal tend to end with egg on their face, so I'm just waiting until the other shoe drops.

Also I don't think it's a very good idea to basically reiterate the same things you already announced ages ago. It kinda tips your hand tbh.

 

[pasterpl]

I’m still waiting for you to provide an example of an FTC loss when a deal goes through it’s administrative court process.

Since you’re asking for receipts, let’s see yours.

Provided you with multiple examples when they lose with their internal ALJ’s, then they win in their appeal court. Doesn’t change a fact that you were suggesting that all cases are going through smoothly. Internal ALJ’s can be against FTC and win. Then usually federal court appeal decides against FTC.

 

[ToadMan]

The deal being dropped completely.

I see.

So you feel that MS acquiring ABK without concessions is the same deal as MS buying BK and divesting A for example?

Had that been announced last year there’d have been much less arguing and it’d have been done by now.

And yet that is still the preferred outcome for the regulators at this stage a more likely outcome than a sudden about face by 3 different review agencies.

Nah. The deal as announced is dead. At best one might describe what comes of this negotiation as version 2 - but by implication, v1 is expired.

 

[ToadMan]

Provided you with multiple examples when they lose with their internal ALJ’s, then they win in their appeal court. Doesn’t change a fact that you were suggesting that all cases are going through smoothly. Internal ALJ’s can be against FTC and win. Then usually federal court appeal decides against FTC.

No you didn’t…. Not a single one because…

The FTC hasn’t lost a case in its administrative court process.

 

[Hendrick's]

The Spiderman false equivalences are back.

Nice selfie. I always pictured more drool though.

 

[digoutyoursoul]

For fuck sake

 

[Reckheim]

For fuck sake

Instead of blaming management, lets blame Sony.

They had 20 years and basically unlimited budget.

 

[FIREKNIGHT2029]

For fuck sake

I love how the same fanboys that say MS will buy Ubisoft, Capcom, SEGA and Square Enix if this deal falls apart are the same people trying to convince us that Microsoft is an underdog. These idiots can’t stay consistent with their messaging. Also reminds me of Microsoft’s inability to stay consistent with their messaging.

 

[legacy24]

is this the first time Jim and Phil will be in the same room?
who do you guys think will throw the first punch?

 

[digoutyoursoul]

Instead of blaming management, lets blame Sony.

They had 20 years and basically unlimited budget.

Exactly. Sick of people like him and that fart Jez Corden pushing shite narratives. People would be forgiven for thinking they were parody accounts at this point.

Call them out on it and people automatically assume you’re a PlayStation fanatic, which I’m not at all.

 

[SneakersSO]

I was surprised that MS decided to tout the Nintendo deal again. I thought I woke up in a time paradox today. Anyway, the Nintendo deal doesn't really affect the CMA's misgivings about this deal, nor does it affect the EC's either. I get why they are touting it again though; gotta use what you have. I just don't think that the frontline they are fighting for this deal on, PR and using public support as a pressure campaign, is working overall.

The want to wield the Nintendo deal to essentially showcase what won't happen (CoD expanding to Nintendo users in a regular basis) should the deal not go through, when the reality is that ATVI could just as easily begin putting out CoD on the Switch or Switch successor should they want to. Its a really odd thing to behold, since MS won't be providing anything towards the actual expansion of platform support - its something ATVI will have to do entirely on their own, and that they could also do it right now independently, if they chose to do so.

 

[demigod]

is this the first time Jim and Phil will be in the same room?
who do guys think will throw the first punch?

Phil will probably throw the punch first and hit himself.

 

[Little Chicken]

I would've much rather Sony had not started talks with Microsoft.

I wanted to see all their dirty laundry aired

 

[Topher]

For fuck sake

 

[Pelta88]

Still waiting for those numbers from you with exact numbers %of layoffs across XGS. Or was it another made stat? Just admit it and we can move along.

 

[SneakersSO]

I would've much rather Sony had not started talks with Microsoft.

I wanted to see all their dirty laundry aired

Sony has to at least appear somewhat open to potential remedials from MS in front of the regulators; None of the regulators are shifting to kill the deal outright, and are instead just creating concessions and offering MS the option to pursue them (or drop the deal). None of the current regulatory bodies, besides the FTC seemingly but that is gonna be a protracted court battle onto itself, are seeking to simply kill the deal with exploring some form of remedies to get it through. If Sony, who is the chief opposer in front of all of these regulators, are simply opting for no deal whatsoever, this leaves the regulator, who is trying first to get concessions for them, as being the only ones seeking this outcome. It would leave the regulators alone in their position, and they'd be far more willing to prefer being on someone's side than fighting this fight on their own.

 

[FoxMcChief]

I took a step back and took my Xbox hat off. Man, both sides seem dumb, lol.

 

[Aguero9320]

Mandating that it has to be on PS+ on day 1 in my opinion is pretty unfair to MS. Mandating that they do it and not be compensated the fair price is even more unfair. But like I said, I don't expect anything fair from this after some of these arguments.

Sony wouldn't want it on PS+ day one, right? They don't believe in that as a business model...

 

[Punished Miku]

Sony wouldn't want it on PS+ day one, right? They don't believe in that as a business model...

I have no idea. Another reason it felt like a bizarre leap to me. But yeah, good point.

 

[ToadMan]

MS is not going to divest Activision, why do you keep saying that? They will sign binding contracts for COD and maybe some other franchises and move forward on the deal. Blizzard and King are not worth the asking price alone, Activision will come along with the deal whether you like it or not. If they were actually made to divest Activision then yeah, i'd say the deal is dead but we aren't there yet.

So far, the CMA has proposed divestment.

So while it may suit you to assume, behavioral remedies are not evident at this stage.

Regardless, any behavioral remedy would by definition need to be equivalent in outcome and enforcement to divestment.

So it is divestment in practice or divestment in effect. If you believe MS pulls out if divestment is enforced, then logically you’d have to believe MS pulls out if a behavioral remedy to the same degree as divestment is enforced.

 

[Pelta88]

Thread ban for opposing idas pro XBOX thought...

 

[Sanepar]

MS is not going to divest Activision, why do you keep saying that? They will sign binding contracts for COD and maybe some other franchises and move forward on the deal. Blizzard and King are not worth the asking price alone, Activision will come along with the deal whether you like it or not. If they were actually made to divest Activision then yeah, i'd say the deal is dead but we aren't there yet.

Do u understand is not them who decides that and it is regulators right?

 

[Banjo64]

Instead of blaming management, lets blame Sony.

They had 20 years and basically unlimited budget.

Buy Rare, do fuck all with them.

Release a first party Bungie because you don’t want to give them creative freedom.

Close Lionhead.

Buy 14+ studios within the span of 5 years, including Zenimax and all of their associated IP like Doom, TES and Fallout.

And still we have shills crying. I now understand why Kretos exploded with rage.

 

[ToadMan]

I think there is a pretty massive difference in saying the deal is "dead" and saying "the deal is dead in its current form". I think to most, a "dead" deal means there is no deal. Microsoft walks away from all this with nothing. Microsoft making concessions to regulators is a long way from the deal being "dead". It is the same deal, just amended.

So MS announced the acquisition of ABK - if it ends up with just BK, is that the same deal to you? That’s the favored CMA outcome as far as we know today.

No COD, no IW…. And no $70bn price tag.

Because to me - that is not the same deal as announced last year at all. As far as I can tell, the deal announced last year cannot exist without a total reversal of position by 3 regulatory bodies.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

How can he offer a deal for an asset his company does not yet legally own?

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

From what I heard 343 was gutted so that would be more than 50 ppl

Nobody realy knows how many people got sacked in the gamingdivision cous MS wont speak about . At the day they annouced the delays, there was an email that stated that they would be lay offs in the gaming division but that Email was deleted the same day. So MS keeps it under raps...i wonder why....

 

[Topher]

So MS announced the acquisition of ABK - if it ends up with just BK, is that the same deal to you? That’s the favored CMA outcome as far as we know today.

No COD, no IW…. And no $70bn price tag.

Because to me - that is not the same deal as announced last year at all. As far as I can tell, the deal announced last year cannot exist without a total reversal of position by 3 regulatory bodies.

The same deal? No. Is that a "dead deal"? Also no.

 

[Sanepar]

For fuck sake

This guy, Parris, Jeff Grubb, Tom Warren are all on MS paycheck?

Being a fan is one thing but these guys, special this one. It is another level.

I don't doubt era is on MS paycheck too.

 

[pasterpl]

You.

There is a context here that you seem to be side stepping.

Microsoft's PR was that the XBOX division was thriving. "GP is profitable for us" or "Halo is doing fine with 20 million players" etc etc. It's only because of this acquisition that we as consumers have got a peak behind the curtain. And the reality of XB, VS the fantasy XBOX execs live in via PR, is abysmal.

Going by percentage of the workforce being laid off as opposed to heavy lay-offs in the division they claimed was doing great is a different factor entirely.

So what is that % in the gaming division?

 

[GHG]

For fuck sake

Klobrille shooting his shot so he has a chance of being quoted by Microsoft lawyers in the courtroom documents.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Becuase Microsoft have said they will. So as the new owners they will assign development funds to the Nintendo version...something Activision hasn't done in an entire generation.

It's possible now becuase Microsoft are going to make it happen.

Pretty simple, really.

Activision always had enough money to put COD on the Switch. They have COD on mobile devices for goodness sake, they could use that as a basis for the Switch version.

Again, MS is NOT a requirement for getting COD on Nintendo platforms. ABK's laziness in providing the resources needed to bring the game to a console virtually as popular as PS4 globally, is what prevented it.

MS are going to "make" it happen but they are also basically signing an agreement for an asset they don't even have yet. Regulators could interpret it as MS trying to box them into a decision, on something that is at the end of the day a behavioral remedy on Microsoft's own terms. It can be interpreted as them sidestepping the regulatory process and decision.

Klobrille shooting his shot so he has a chance of being quoted by Microsoft lawyers in the courtroom documents.

Seems like he wants a promotion from unpaid marketer to unpaid lawyer.

 

[Nothing1234]

Thread ban for opposing idas pro XBOX thought...

Reset Era General Manager has ABK stocks btw.

 

[Represent.]

Disgusting that they want to bring it to switch.

Fucking cross gen trash was bad enough… Now we have to deal with the fucking SWITCH as the lowest target? For 10 YEARS

I still take zero qualms in saying MS doesn’t give a damn about putting out top tier, quality products.

All about being able to play everywhere in their “ecosystem”. Horrid.

I dont know how a single person could be in favor of this deal, especially if you love the COD franchise. Or competition in general.

If you want to see studios push boundaries, being on switch is a death sentence. Point blank.

 

[Loxus]

For fuck sake

It would be hilarious if the deal goes through and Microsoft still fails to gain ground in market share in the end.

 

[Pelta88]

So what is that % in the gaming division?

You're not reading the conversation. My point was the firing of personnel from a division Microsoft said was not just doing great, but growing.

 

[Aguero9320]

The same deal? No. Is that a "dead deal"? Also no.

Under the parameters proposed in this (I won't use the term ridiculous again) thread, no originally proposed deal has ever been done in history. Only new deals, because every single comma that's amended means the original deal was dead and this is now a new deal, presumably completely unrelated to the original.

I guess if that helps people feel better and claim they were right, that's okay.

 

[GHG]

Disgusting that they want to bring it to switch.

Fucking cross gen trash was bad enough… Now we have to deal with the fucking SWITCH as the lowest target? For 10 YEARS

I still take zero qualms in saying MS doesn’t give a damn about putting out top tier, quality products.

All about being able to play everywhere in their “ecosystem”. Horrid.

I dont know how a single person could be in favor of this deal, especially if you love the COD franchise. Or competition in general.

If you want to see studios push boundaries, being in switch is a death sentence. Point blank.

The Series S made it clear they aren't interested in technological progression.

Their version of industry control would result in absolute stagnation. That's mirrored by the fact that every other industry they've ever gained control of has resulted in that exact scenario.

For them it's all about maximum market penetration at any cost (series s, cloud, etc) and for an industry based around entertainment that's a death sentence.

 

[analog_future]

Disgusting that they want to bring it to switch.

Fucking cross gen trash was bad enough… Now we have to deal with the fucking SWITCH as the lowest target? For 10 YEARS

I still take zero qualms in saying MS doesn’t give a damn about putting out top tier, quality products.

All about being able to play everywhere in their “ecosystem”. Horrid.

I dont know how a single person could be in favor of this deal, especially if you love the COD franchise. Or competition in general.

If you want to see studios push boundaries, being in switch is a death sentence. Point blank.

These titles will be on Switch 2, not Switch. COD already comes out on base Xbox One/PS4, and the Switch 2 will certainly be more powerful than either of those consoles.

 

[GHG]

These titles will be on Switch 2, not Switch. COD already comes out on base Xbox One/PS4, and the Switch 2 will certainly be more powerful than either of those consoles.

COD has always had an extended cross-gen period, but not a perpetual one.

 

[MasterCornholio]

Phil will probably throw the punch first and hit himself.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Indeed not a good sign from them.
It means they're not willing to offer anything more than the 10 years thing which is considered to be not enough and far less than what CMA (and probably EU as well) asked.

Yep and at least the FTC & CMA have already said that behavioral remedies (and in FTC's case, additionally behavioral remedies that are tied to push good ESG) are not of their interest. Too hard to enforce, virtually impossible to monitor.

CMA hasn't stopped anything. Activision can still release COD on Nintendo platforms if they want to. They probably will if its possible and makes financial sense.

It's made financial sense since 2019. Same year they introduced COD to mobile devices.

The minimum requirements for both Android & iOS seem like it should run on a Switch at 30 FPS just fine with some tuning & optimization.

I know you are trying to be sarcastic, but they really don't know what they are doing. Otherwise, this would have been smooth sailing, wouldn't it?

Also, Brad Smith is the guy who compared Sony with Blockbuster (dead) and Microsoft/Xbox with Netflix (the killer of Blockbuster), which helped CMA establish that this acquisition is anti-competitive.



And Brad is also the guy that the CMA quoted twice -- and both instances damaged Microsoft's case.

The first statement threw out Microsoft's claim that this acquisition is primarily for King and the want to compete against Google and Apple. His second statement helped CMA discard Nintendo as a direct competitor, leaving only Sony as the affected party in the gaming console market. lol.

So, yeah, Brad really doesn't know what he is doing lol. That's why they are losing this case.

That's not the only reason they're losing but goodness, Brad really put his foot deep in his own mouth with these statements. And he's doing it again today

I love this clown circus that is Microsoft lawyers, professional and Twitter variety alike

Steam already has call of duty.
Given Microsoft also released Halo Infinite and Age of Empires 2 DE and their other games day one on steam probably doesn't shake Gabes pants.

Microsoft doesn't see Steam as a competitor the same way they see Sony.

Funny that FH 4 costs 70 euro but 5 60 euro. They found out people on pc doesn't pay next gen tax.

Seems like people on PC barely want to pay anything for their games. Steep discounts shortly after launch, using 3P sites like CDKeys Day 1, a lot of the base are still on years-old low-spec GPUs and integrated graphics. Then there's the piracy problem.

So yeah I guess they don't want a next gen tax when they already don't want to pay much at all for the actual games. Expensive GPUs & CPUs though? Yeah a good 10% will put out big for those!

 

[Spyxos]

is this the first time Jim and Phil will be in the same room?
who do guys think will throw the first punch?

Looks like the deal is almost through.

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

It is not dead and u know that. If us and approves. Cma will accept. Everything depends what happens today and all point EU will approve.

Yeah shure..... When you realy believe that you are kind of delusional.