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

Do you believe the deal will be approved?


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Vognerful

Member
That's exactly what a lot of people have been calling on and the FTC did exactly what they needed to do. Get it out of him that either this is fully legally binding to the organization, which many said wasn't true based on his word alone, or expose that there are loopholes to his oath that Microsoft can exploit. The other angle being that Spencer said they would put CoD on PS as long as Sony allows it. Not giving any clarity on if that means a conceivable scenario where Microsoft offers them bullshit terms and Sony declines, to which then Microsoft would use that as another loophole.
So who said that?

MS' lawyer?
I am sorry but I felt that the problem was that the lawyer wanted him to make the statement on Diablo, similar to CoD, not CoD specifically.

That is why he did not answer.
 
I hope the FTC replaces this dude lawyer; he didn't seem very confident in questioning Phil Spencer, very sorry to say :(

EDIT: Before anyone misconstrues, I mean in terms of him needing to be reminded by Phil Spencer on a question that was asked (allows the witness to assume a dominant position during the testimony to drive things more to their favor), and the judge cutting him off (gives an impression of weakness).

If he comes back up later hopefully things like those are avoided.
 
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Ogbert

Member
His testimony is meaningless as a commitment if he gets overridden or changes his mind. Doesn’t matter what game he’s talking about.
I need to tune back in.

Who is stating this? Is it an assertion by the FTC lawyer, or a question?

As a point of basic law, the idea that the head of Xbox gaming can make a categorical representation to the domestic US regulator, under oath, but that this does not bind the underlying corporate entity is absurd.

Although I hold my hands up. If this doesn't apply in the US, then that legal system is fucking wild.
 
I mean it was a weird thing. Why he would promise anything about that when it would fall under Sony's responsibility to stream games through their cloud service?

That is technically true, but I think the FTC lawyer meant in terms of Sony qualifying as having access to providing cloud versions of COD games in their service the way various companies have been for the UK market (and I would assume, through automatic free cloud licenses similar to the cloud providers the EC seemingly amended MS's behavioral remedies to include).

Yea, this didn't go the FTC's way. Phil's evasive skills were simply to slick. The lawyer didn't get the necessary ammo needed to win this case, the rest of the days are basically just a formality at this point.

You think this is about a simple "gotcha" when the "gotcha" is about a lot of small lies that get spotted and build up into a snowball. Step up to the 4D chess level, stop playing checkers.
 

tmlDan

Member
Did the FTC Lawyer really compared third party deals with an Acquisition? Lmao
No, he was questioning the need for an acquisition that required 70 billion dollars when they could spend a fraction, like Sony, to purchase third party exclusivity.

His claim is that since Sony can do it why can't you? instead you spend a large sum that Phil calls an Investment/compared it to a house mortgage
 
the FTC's lawyers come across very sloppy even if they have what it seems a good line of reasoning....i dont think they making as strong points as they could have.
The FTC is completely out of their league here. Competent lawyers would have won this case already unfortunately.

Plus the judge's son works for Microsoft, this was probably already in the bag for MS before this show trial even started.
 

NickFire

Member
I need to tune back in.

Who is stating this? Is it an assertion by the FTC lawyer, or a question?

As a point of basic law, the idea that the head of Xbox gaming can make a categorical representation to the domestic US regulator, under oath, but that this does not bind the underlying corporate entity is absurd.

Although I hold my hands up. If this doesn't apply in the US, then that legal system is fucking wild.
He’s testifying to his future plans as he sits in that chair. If plans change and they can prove he lied today there’s possible trouble. If they can’t prove a lie was made then changed plans mean no trouble. That’s just the way it is on this side.
 

Varteras

Member
Although I hold my hands up. If this doesn't apply in the US, then that legal system is fucking wild.

The FTC is a regulatory body with no real power, that could be owned by one political party, currently run by a Biden-appointed chair. The case is being presided over by a Biden-appointed judge in a highly Democratic region of the US, whose son works for Microsoft. We get wild over here.
 

Nydius

Member
You think this is about a simple "gotcha" when the "gotcha" is about a lot of small lies that get spotted and build up into a snowball. Step up to the 4D chess level, stop playing checkers.
He's the guy I had in mind when I wrote my previous post about "this ain't law & order". He's got it in his head that there has to be a smoking gun and then Jack McCoy gets his conviction. Doesn't work that way in real life, but yet he's still popping in here parroting his same "Phil won! It's over! Acquisition is done!" trash.
 
He's the guy I had in mind when I wrote my previous post about "this ain't law & order". He's got it in his head that there has to be a smoking gun and then Jack McCoy gets his conviction. Doesn't work that way in real life, but yet he's still popping in here parroting his same "Phil won! It's over! Acquisition is done!" trash.

Probably thinks that way due to too many Hollywood movies, TV shows and never being in a real courtroom :/
 

dotnotbot

Member
He's the guy I had in mind when I wrote my previous post about "this ain't law & order". He's got it in his head that there has to be a smoking gun and then Jack McCoy gets his conviction. Doesn't work that way in real life, but yet he's still popping in here parroting his same "Phil won! It's over! Acquisition is done!" trash.

98% of posts on Era are like that. They have no clue what's this all about. Already posted some example on how it looks like from an expert perspective who isn't emotinally tied to one or the other side:

HFO5w5q.png
 
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