Jigsaah
Gold Member
Thanks, much better answer.
Microsoft / Activision Deal Approval Watch |OT| (MS/ABK close)
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Thirty7ven
Banned
Hoeg and others are proof that when you are a fanboy, your views get completely distorted.
It's all about what you stand to gain, for some it's money and that blinds almost anyone to the truth, and for others it's this very very fascinating psychological consequence of out of control brand attachment. Like Hoeg for example, he will say things like he likes MS's strategy of play anywhere even though that's really not the case but because he wants to have a moral compass he will use that defense to pretend what's good for him it's good for others, when the fact is he just wants to see Xbox get a big ass W, because that makes him feel good. It's so weird.
baphomet
Member
It would be wise to stop taking advice from dipshits like Hoeg.
I Master l
Banned
What if Microsoft choses to close the deal and pay CMA a fine?
The fine will be less than the $3 Billion break-up fee so its worth it.
The fine will be less than the $3 Billion break-up fee so its worth it.
Torrent of Pork
Banned
Wait, are we so deep in our fanboy humors that we're calling Rick Hoeg, a man that literally owns his own law firm specializing in M&A, an idiot that doesn't know what he's talking about?
Is that what we're doing now?
Is that what we're doing now?
James Sawyer Ford
Member
Idiocy doesn't go away just because you own a law firm
LordCBH
Member
They can't. The agreement SPECIFICALLY states they need CMA approval.
reinking
Gold Member
You probably know more than I do. What happens on July 18th when the deal is currently scheduled to expire? Is Activision under legal obligation to extend and allow Microsoft to continue appeals?
I Master l
Banned
I am kinda curious where were they when Disney bought Fox? That was equivalent to Microsoft buying Sony
LordCBH
Member
The more and more time passes, the more and more I hate that Disney bought fox.
People often forget how harshly the concessions were for disney to buy fox
1- they had to divest the entire Fox broadcasting TV
2- had to pay Comcast an enormous payout (with interest!) for about 10+ years or something since they co-owned hulu
Unknown Soldier
Member
Disney buying Fox should never have been approved.
Nor T-Mobile buying Sprint.
Comcast shouldn't ever have been allowed to buy NBC Universal in the first place. And NBC should never have been allowed to merge with Universal.
And so on and so forth. The amount of consolidation and concentration of media control and power in the US is beyond absurd. Disney alone controls something like 40% of American media. The rest is now controlled by Comcast (NBC Universal), Warner Bros. Discovery (a complicated mess of spinoffs and mergers), Paramount Global (formerly the split and then re-merged CBS-Viacom), and News Corporation (which no longer controls 20th Century Fox, that's now owned by Disney).
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baphomet
Member
You familiar with how completely fucking wrong he's been about this entire deal?
Owning a law firm doesn't not make someone a dipshit.
If someone's occupation meant they were an expert we'd be in here believing Pachter.
IllegalLemon
Member
Replace the face with that of Phil and you're golden!!!Got a picture of Phil Spender singing to the cma
mansoor1980
Member
jim ryan focused as ever before , dude is a legend
based on the interview i am sure sony is looking at a big japanese publisher or two for purchase
based on the interview i am sure sony is looking at a big japanese publisher or two for purchase
MasterCornholio
Member
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
Is he a barrister or UK Law expert? Maybe his law firm had any first-hand experience with mergers 70bn in size?
Once again, both gynecologist and dentist are doctors that specialized in treating cavities. But their areas of expertise are not exactly the same.
mrmustard
Banned
If he doesn't serve the cause, hell yeah!
Bernardougf
Member
Lawyers doing lobby for money / political reasons and law bending gymnastics to make their case ??? No!! Say it ain't so !!
Banjo64
cumsessed
Are you special lad?The linked article does not point to MP being paid by lobbying on behalf of MS.
"In April, Afolami also launched a report for the group suggesting that a "lack of democratic oversight of regulators is holding back UK productivity and economic growth", with the author listed as an economist at WPI Strategy, with editorial control from MPs on the group. The report was funded by one of WPI's clients, Pension Insurance Corporation, which is on the advisory council of the group and contributed a foreword."
While Microsoft is listed as a client of WPI, it seems that MS worked with them to publish a "White Paper" on "Regional inequalities in health and social care: the power of digital technology to close the gap"
WPI is a specialist corporate advisory and communications agency that helps you navigate today's fast-changing, complex regulatory and political environments.
Which corporation would be paying WPI to funnel money to a UK MP to ask the CMA questions about ABK/MS?
Go on, I'll allow you to draw the line.
ToadMan
Member
feynoob
Banned
Just because you are expert in 1 field doesn't mean you are not stupid.
Guy is stupid, because he doesn't have the knowledge of this deal. All he knows is what we know. He has no access to the black bar info.
ToadMan
Member
I don't know the timing for sure but at a guess the UK was either still part of the EU or unwinding from it so the CMA didn't have jurisdiction.
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
One thing people tend to forget is that this deal is transpiring across multiple different jurisdictions. Even US laws vary from state to state. Even a good US lawyer is a poor UK barrister and good UK barrister is kinda useless in China. That's why all those TV law experts are basically white noise w/o proper substance.
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feynoob
Banned
The only reason MS got the approval in EU is because they have little presence there. Same with China. But that is not the same for UK and US, as they have a huge presence in those markets.
So the scrutiny there would be huge.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
Because nobody cares. The gaming media and journalists are (1) completely ignorant and (2) interested more about their views, clicks, and $$ instead of spreading actual news and correct information.
Based on the above, they have only two options now:
- Reveal the truth, i.e., the deal is essentially dead and the statistical probability is less than 5% based on past records.
- Sell hopium so people keep listening to them and stay engaged and hopeful that the deal is still on. As long as the deal is still "on" people are interested in what's next, they will keep listening to their podcasts, giving them views, clicks, and $$.
ToadMan
Member
Yeah what if?
Here's a clue - MS would be liable for 5% of their worldwide revenues.
I'll let you work out how much that comes to.
In addition Microsoft Ltd and Activision Blizzard Ltd are UK companies. You may research the significance of that for yourself.
Bernoulli
M2 slut
most of those only report news that suits their audience
for example you see foesspatonts when he tweets any thing about something unrelated to ABK he gets no likes, but the moment he posts some hopium its liked and shared by them
same for houg law dude, he magically ignored the CMA block and when he does videos about other topics no one cares, but when provides them with copium they all come
i tried this and it actually works, i tweeted on an account with no followers under a CMA news about lina khan meeting nonsense saying that this good news and the deal will go through and i got a crazy amount of likes, if you say the opposite they report you and attack you
feynoob
Banned
This deal is huge in gaming industry, so you get few idiots thinking their words matter.
I am one of those idiots who thought this deal was slam dunk due to MS/Xbox console share, while cloud was small.
Bernardougf
Member
"Hello this is xboxlover and philspencerapologyst youtube channels, we would like to hire you to do a piece saying why the MS and ABK merger will go through"
Lawyer 1 "My hour is 1.000 dollars"
"Done! And you can only say reasons why it will go through ok ?"
Lawyer 1 " sure you paying me Ill say OJ Simpson is innocent if you freaking want me to"
........
Little advice.. lawyers are not holders of the truth, they are defenders of the hired point of view/case and interpreters of the part of the law that is convenient to their case. They are their to win the case not to spread the gospel truth
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Banjo64
cumsessed
Exactly. Why even bother getting the deal ratified anywhere if you can just circumvent regulation that easily? The people saying it are simply stupid.
PaintTinJr
Gold Member
Thinking back to the CMA committee (steer) meeting, it is maybe worth considering Cardell's use of Google being pro-active to come and resolve issues/concerns and roll out the (UK CMA discussed) solution worldwide was more than just an anecdote.
As much as we all see anti-trust threats from Google's powerful position, on balance the CMA and other regulators might still view them as a better company in regards of being advocates of Open Source, side loading and being less aggressive in the vertical merging anti-trust risks like this case, and the way Stadia did try to compete and pay its own way.
So they might feel google represent the best of a bad bunch to keep Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Meta in check, and the CMA mentioning their positive work with Google might have been them directly signalling to Microsoft the natural overlapping competition Google represent to them if they don't get on the same page and rollback their 90's MO.
The old enemy of my enemy dance.
As much as we all see anti-trust threats from Google's powerful position, on balance the CMA and other regulators might still view them as a better company in regards of being advocates of Open Source, side loading and being less aggressive in the vertical merging anti-trust risks like this case, and the way Stadia did try to compete and pay its own way.
So they might feel google represent the best of a bad bunch to keep Microsoft, Apple, Amazon and Meta in check, and the CMA mentioning their positive work with Google might have been them directly signalling to Microsoft the natural overlapping competition Google represent to them if they don't get on the same page and rollback their 90's MO.
The old enemy of my enemy dance.
feynoob
Banned
A guy who is clouded by a clout and he thinks he is special.
feynoob
Banned
The important question is why go for regulation, if you can simply ignore someone like CMA?
If it was that easy, arm deal would have happened. And guess who was the most vocal against that deal?
Ar¢tos
Member
The FTC court conclusion or CAT sending it back to CMA matters very little now. The deal is beyond dead, it's a putrid decomposing corpse full of maggots now.
The CMA can't just change their ruling, specially for government pressure since they are fully independent.
In July the deal can be redone, but ATK will very likely ask for 90bn and 7bn fee for cancelling. Why would MS risk that, wait with their hands tied for 1-2 years, blocked from buying any other studio, until the CAT and FTC court decision comes out, and that decision is most likely against them? All this while leaving Sony to buy whatever small studios they want for 1-2 years without any fear of counter offers from MS.
Sure they could grow the studios they have, but MS is more the type of "why cook at home when I can go to a restaurant?".
MasterCornholio
Member
Is there anything that stops them from getting more studios while they work with the appeal process?
ShaiKhulud1989
Gold Member
The merger this big basically a huge pause button for all M&A and marketing activities for both ATVI and MS.
Edmund
is waiting for Starfield 7
MS doesn't go to the restaurant. They buy the whole fucking chain of restaurant.
Ar¢tos
Member
Yes, they can't do acquisitions while the merger is waiting for the regulators approval or result of appeals.
feynoob
Banned
And it can result in unwanted attention for this deal. Plus they need all the manpower that they can get.
jm89
Member
That was a good watch. I love how gaz the entire time is trying to get some support from this lawyer that MS can isolate the UK, he politley rejects his nonsense.
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feynoob
Banned
Does this mean CMA can do 180* on their final decision?
Bernoulli
M2 slut
Wow look at the comments
They are mad saying they are siding with CMA
And mad about PS showcase that hasn't even happened wtf
jm89
Member
Lmao you can't be serious? The investigation is over my dude, only way it gets opened up again is after a successful appeal, as has been mentioned by people more knowledgable.
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Bernoulli
M2 slut
Yes possible
But unlikely
feynoob
Banned
That was a dig for the 180* turn on console slc.
MasterCornholio
Member
Is that what some are hoping for now?
I think its pretty much done unless they win the appeal and then the CMA can choose different remedies for it to go through. Like divestment for example.
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