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[SenjutsuSage]

Why sell it when you're going to own it? Makes no sense at all. The idea that this transaction was ever going badly for Microsoft was purely a media creation.

 

[Sanepar]

Its why I game on both so I don't have to deal with who sucks worse

But consolidation doesn't worry u?

 

[Jimmyisback]

Yeah we already know.

 

[Cert.in.Death]

 

[proandrad]

What about selling Blizzard. Please free Blizzard.

 

[Sanepar]

Xbox is objectively the most pro-consumer of the big three.

Microsoft and pro consumer doesn't combine in the same sentence. When they are the underdog naive people can believe on that.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

But consolidation doesn't worry u?

Nothing about gaming worries me

If something stupid happens I will adapt or quit playing in their ecosystem

 

[OverHeat]

Sell the brand…who care just release the franchise with a different name

 

[SneakersSO]

But consolidation doesn't worry u?

I mean, it doesn't worry me, long-term anyway. Most entertainment industries go through periods of consolidation; this isn't even the first time gaming has gone through something like this. Sure, its been like, 25+ years since the last time gaming was in a consolidation era that was quite like this, but it does happen. Film and Music both go through this every 30+ years or so. Gaming just got old enough to go through its own a 2nd time.

Overall, the thing with entertainment industries is that what powers it isn't the names or IP we associate with the makeup of the industry: its the talent and creators. Typically whenever an entertainment industry goes through consolidation, you see a large makeup of talent from that industry starting up new business ventures within it - we are seeing this exact thing playout right now in gaming. In fact, both EA and Activision originally got their start by developers who were feeling displaced due to the last round of consolidation the industry went through, and they formed the then developers, who ultimately became the mega-publishers this industry now revolves around.

This is where you'd post the time is flat circle gif.

 

[demigod]

So which s in here said this was all for King and not CoD?

 

[mansoor1980]

COD should open an onlyfans account

 

[Gambit2483]

What about selling Blizzard. Please free Blizzard.

This is what's known as a "package deal".

 

[BennyBlanco]

Activision is just COD developers and COD support studios now. I hope Phil breaks it up a little bit. Vicarious Visions turning into a COD support studio was a fucking travesty.

 

[bitbydeath]

Nah, by talk I mean even talk about any negotiations. Their stance is THIS SHOULD BE BLOCKED. So of course they aren't going to negotiate at all.

It’s not even up to Sony anyway.
It’s all with the FTC, CMA and EU now.

 

[FoxMcChief]

But consolidation doesn't worry u?

It’s video games bro. It’s not that serious. If things like that worry you, man…..

 

[envyzeal]

I really want this deal to through because even if MS screw this (which I don't think they will) I think Playstation is actually only trying to stall this to get the best possible deal. Having this massive competitor with Bethesda+ABK and so will put good pressure on PS Studios, and history shows that they really deliver when under pressure.

 

[Sanepar]

• Software giant in Brussels showdown with EU officials
• President Brad Smith speaks after day-long hearing on deal

Today Microsoft met with the UK regulator to try to reach a consensus. However, one of the proposals put forward was a restructuring at Activision Blizzard, with Microsoft selling off the Call of Duty franchise to close out the acquisition on time.

Brad Smith, the current president of Microsoft, said he had rejected the proposal presented by the regulator. According to him, there will be no acquisition of Activision Blizzard without the presence of Call of Duty:



According to Smith: "now it is up to the agency to block the purchase or approve the acquisition with the necessary concessions so that Activision Blizzard games can reach more than 150 million people worldwide" Meanwhile, it seems that Sony has returned to oppose the acquisition, not accepting the 10 years of Call of Duty on PlayStation offered by Microsoft.

What is funny about the 150 million people is that nothing prevents ABK to put cod on Switch or any other game. Lile they did with diablo 3 and overwatch This is stupid.

 

[SenjutsuSage]

What exactly is preventing ABK from reaching those 150m people today?

Does he mean Nintendo? Who are they trying to convince us they’re trying to save here?

They simply don't feel they have to and they don't want to bear the expense of doing so. Microsoft, however, will gladly bear the cost of doing so. See how easy that is? That's the whole point of acquisitions. The new owners will do things the previous owners would or could not.

 

[Ozriel]

Well................why wouldn't they? Nothing is stopping them.

Duh. Activision doesn't want to. Same way Take Two doesn't want to either. On their own, they're just fine with the retail model.

 

[Wulfer]

why would he screw himself by screwing bobby? jim aint even returning his calls , he aint afraid , he is a badass
he will take em all on SOLO

Remember how big Nintendo was in the 80's? (maybe you don't) These are the type of moves that move you from the top if you make the wrong move! Nintendo created Sony in the game space by making the wrong move. If MS gets ABK Sony has a lot of sucking up to do to not only get COD but, any Bethesda titles. (Sure Sony has MS by the balls on COD for now. (Not really) Because MS controls ALL of Bethesda!) I'm sure MS would be willing to make a deal with Nintendo for those Bethesda titles because A) Nintendo see's an opportunity to get back what they've lost. Let us not forget many have wrote off Nintendo as a player for years. (Your see it now on that chart.) Nintendo is one Merger away from being a big fish in the pond and I'm sure like MS they would like to be a big fish! Thinking about the BIG PICTURE, your suggestion screws Sony out of a lot of opportunities they might just need! That's the thing about the Videogame industry just when you think you've figured everything out someone comes in and screws you game plan up.

 

[The_Mike]

But consolidation doesn't worry u?

Given how some in here are cheering for Microsoft going third party, it only seems to worry a few people in here.
That is, if it affects their plastic box negatively.

 

[Calverz]

We are getting so close to the meltdowns on here now.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Why sell it when you're going to own it? Makes no sense at all. The idea that this transaction was ever going badly for Microsoft was purely a media creation.

You're my favourite astroturfer

 

[Deerock71]

Selling Call of Duty to acquire AB? That'd be like selling off the burgers and fries to acquire Five Guys; you still get the peanuts.

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

They simply don't feel they have to and they don't want to bear the expense of doing so. Microsoft, however, will gladly bear the cost of doing so. See how easy that is? That's the whole point of acquisitions. The new owners will do things the previous owners would or could not.

Microsoft isn’t doing this out of charity, it’s still a business. Microsoft would of course love to reach a 150M audience, but the end goal is to eventually do that all on their own terms

Which is why these 10 year contracts are meaningless. Microsoft is wealthy enough to wait it out

 

[Bitmap Frogs]

The mask is finally off: this is about cod, plain and simple.

Specifically it's about using windows, office and azure dollars to sway customers they couldn't earn by you known, actually being good at managing a games platform.

It's about big tech money desestabilizing other markets with their quasi monopolies.

 

[mansoor1980]

Remember how big Nintendo was in the 80's? (maybe you don't) These are the type of moves that move you from the top if you make the wrong move! Nintendo created Sony in the game space by making the wrong move. If MS gets ABK Sony has a lot of sucking up to do to not only get COD but, any Bethesda titles. (Sure Sony has MS by the balls on COD for now. (Not really) Because MS controls ALL of Bethesda!) I'm sure MS would be willing to make a deal with Nintendo for those Bethesda titles because A) Nintendo see's an opportunity to get back what they've lost. Let us not forget many have wrote off Nintendo as a player for years. (Your see it now on that chart.) Nintendo is one Merger away from being a big fish in the pond and I'm sure like MS they would like to be a big fish! So think about the BIG PICTURE your suggestion screws Sony out of a lot of opportunities they might just need!

yo think that jimbo sucking upto to bethesda and activision will do them good in the long run? lol
nice opinion but i dont agree

 

[DenchDeckard]

Now MS are playing hardball, let's see how this plays out.

 

[blastprocessor]

What's the likely hood this deal will happen?

 

[Ozriel]

The idea that this transaction was ever going badly for Microsoft was purely a media creation.

This is absolutely not true. The CMA's objections are really daunting. MS has now offered a significant amount of behavioral concessions, but there's no guarantee that they'll be accepted by the CMA.

It's not going as well as MS would have liked, that's for sure

 

[Wulfer]

yo think that jimbo sucking upto to bethesda and activision will do them good in the long run? lol

No, because the have to suck up to MS who could control both get the picture?

 

[bitbydeath]

Why sell it when you're going to own it? Makes no sense at all. The idea that this transaction was ever going badly for Microsoft was purely a media creation.

 

[DenchDeckard]

This is absolutely not true. The CMA's objections are really daunting. MS has now offered a significant amount of behavioral concessions, but there's no guarantee that they'll be accepted by the CMA.

It's not going as well as MS would have liked, that's for sure

But if it goes through with 10 year deals that's exactly what MS pitched 2 months ago...,

 

[Pejo]

What about selling Blizzard. Please free Blizzard.

Good Blizzard is but a memory. The true talent from Blizzard have been "free" for years now.

 

[Yoboman]

Why so, he (Jim) can screw himself? Let's get upset the two possible and (are) owners of the COD franchise one year before we have to renew our next agreement.

We've seen the deal that Sony has given COD, no way Activision are sacrificing those terms if the deal falls through

 

[mansoor1980]

No, because the have to suck up to MS who could control both get the picture?

sucking upto microsoft is INADEQUATE for sony , GET IT?

 

[Wulfer]

sucking upto microsoft is INADEQUATE for sony , GET IT?

Then you anit gettin no coke, get it!

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

What is funny about the 150 million people is that nothing prevents ABK to put cod on Switch or any other game. Lile they did with diablo 3 and overwatch This is stupid.

I mean clearly something is preventing it, otherwise there would be CoD on Switch right now. Maybe ABK doesn’t see a benefit in porting CoD Mobile to Switch. Maybe they don’t want to deal with the cloud services required to put out a modern port. Or something else. Either way, MS is looking to change that.

In a recent interview on The Verge's podcast Decoder, Spencer claimed that Activision was primarily bought for its mobile juggernaut, Candy Crush.

Everything they say is a lie.

Did I miss someone and they actually did agree to sell Candy Crush? Because then what you posted might be a lie. But saying the deal was primarily for one IP but also not wanting to sell off another IP isn’t a lie.

This place is really adorable at times with the Xbox FUD, but the most remarkable aspect of it is the need to twist and turn everything Xbox or Phil says into “omg he lied!!!”. Like Jesus people, this isn’t high school. Who fucking cares.

 

[Ozriel]

But if it goes through with 10 year deals that's exactly what MS pitched 2 months ago...,

The Nvidia deal as well as their pronouncements that they'd do deals with Cloud players is also a significant concession and seems to directly address some of the CMA's objections with respect to Cloud gaming.

That's what's new.

 

[mansoor1980]

Then you anit gettin no coke, get it!

 

[Thirty7ven]

Is this what the kids call foreshadowing?

 

[Elios83]

If they're not bluffing here and they are really not considering internally a plan B with more concessions than the 10 years deals they want everyone to sign, they're going to crash badly against the CMA at the very least.

 

[mckmas8808]

Duh. Activision doesn't want to. Same way Take Two doesn't want to either. On their own, they're just fine with the retail model.

And why would you think that is? Why would companies like Take-Two and Activision be fine with the current retail model, whereas Microsoft isn't?

 

[bitbydeath]

The mask is finally off: this is about cod, plain and simple.

Specifically it's about using windows, office and azure dollars to sway customers they couldn't earn by you known, actually being good at managing a games platform.

It's about big tech money desestabilizing other markets with their quasi monopolies.

Yup, sounds like it’s about using Azure in combination with COD to break into other markets. (NVIDIA/Nintendo)

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

If they're not bluffing here and they are really not considering internally a plan B with more concessions than the 10 years deals they want everyone to sign, they're going to crash badly against the CMA at the very least.

“Completely inadequate on so many levels”

Jimbo

 

[Unknown?]

I mean clearly something is preventing it, otherwise there would be CoD on Switch right now. Maybe ABK doesn’t see a benefit in porting CoD Mobile to Switch. Maybe they don’t want to deal with the cloud services required to put out a modern port. Or something else. Either way, MS is looking to change that.



Did I miss someone and they actually did agree to sell Candy Crush? Because then what you posted might be a lie. But saying the deal was primarily for one IP but also not wanting to sell off another IP isn’t a lie.

This place is really adorable at times with the Xbox FUD, but the most remarkable aspect of it is the need to twist and turn everything Xbox or Phil says into “omg he lied!!!”. Like Jesus people, this isn’t high school. Who fucking cares.

Microsoft is not going to change anything. If they aren't doing it now they won't be doing it under Microsoft. The only way they would is to get the deal approved and they'll pull it asap.

 

[Ozriel]

And why would you think that is? Why would companies like Take-Two and Activision be fine with the current retail model, whereas Microsoft isn't?

You realize you're arguing my own point?

 

[splattered]

The mask is finally off: this is about cod, plain and simple.

Specifically it's about using windows, office and azure dollars to sway customers they couldn't earn by you known, actually being good at managing a games platform.

It's about big tech money desestabilizing other markets with their quasi monopolies.

I don't think it's just about COD but rather getting everything that was supposed to be a part of the deal in the first place. Of course they're going to want COD. Just like they're going to want blizzard and king and the rest of everything that's supposed to come along with Activision. They're fighting to keep everything they purchased, wouldn't you?

 

[mckmas8808]

You realize you're arguing my own point?

Am I? I'm honestly not sure we are on the same page.

 

[Ozriel]

Microsoft is not going to change anything. If they aren't doing it now they won't be doing it under Microsoft. The only way they would is to get the deal approved and they'll pull it asap.

So because Activision isn't putting their games on subscription services day one, or making them available for cloud streaming, You think Microsoft isn't going to put their games on Gamepass, post purchase?

Make it make sense.