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

Do you believe the deal will be approved?

  • Yes, will be approved without changes.

    Votes: 221 24.9%

  • Yes, will be approved but with structural changes to ABK.

    Votes: 102 11.5%

  • Yes, will be approved but only with behavioral concessions.

    Votes: 262 29.6%

  • No, will not be approved.

    Votes: 301 34.0%
  • Total voters
    886
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
havoc00

havoc00

Member
DeepEnigma said:
He can now "assault" all the women and "women" too.
Click to expand...
I cant believe Bobby's good deeds never get mentioned

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.

Kotick revealed Tuesday that he gave out his personal phone number to 10,000 workers and said he “encouraged every single employee that has a concern that relates to their health care” to contact him. A “few hundred” have reached out so far, he told CNBC.

Kotick said that luckily only a “small number” of the video game-maker employees have contracted Covid-19. He’s using the pandemic to bolster the company’s health care options, including making private doctors available, paying for some employee drug co-pays, and offering telehealth options.

www.cnn.com

Activision Blizzard CEO gives his personal phone number to 10,000 employees | CNN Business

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.
www.cnn.com www.cnn.com
 
TrueGrime

TrueGrime

Member
sainraja said:
A recurring monthly cost which is a higher yearly cost vs. a one-time payment, or if you really want to be annoying about it, then a yearly payment?
People who are buying the full deluxe edition will likely still have to buy that with game pass.

I don't see how it will be less. You might want to explain that.
Click to expand...

It's not less if you're talking about just one game and discount the value of the games that are on the service next to their full price counterparts. Value, price, and "paying less" is very subjective and comes down to the individual. Why is this even still a question and how many times does it need to be reiterated?

If CoD is the only game you play and people are now making it out like it's the only game on the planet now, you're probably going to buy the game outright. This might be a silly notion for some, but I don't think that any one gamer just plays CoD. Even the fucking professionals dabble in more than one game.

For the tens of millions already subscribed, it's just another $70+ game added to the portfolio of games and yes you do have to pay for the premium edition, but that's also discounted as Starfield's P. Edition was $100 and the upgrade was $35 for GP subscribers.
 
sainraja

sainraja

Member
TrueGrime said:
It's not less if you're talking about just one game and discount the value of the games that are on the service next to their full price counterparts. Value, price, and "paying less" is very subjective and comes down to the individual. Why is this even still a question and how many times does it need to be reiterated?

If CoD is the only game you play and people are now making it out like it's the only game on the planet now, you're probably going to buy the game outright. This might be a silly notion for some, but I don't think that any one gamer just plays CoD. Even the fucking professionals dabble in more than one game.

For the tens of millions already subscribed, it's just another $70+ game added to the portfolio of games and yes you do have to pay for the premium edition, but that's also discounted as Starfield's P. Edition was $100 and the upgrade was $35 for GP subscribers.
Click to expand...
If I say something it is not set in stone. I think I should let you guys know that. I was simply saying or wondering how many people—and there are many—without Game Pass, who play COD right now, who will be swayed over and PAY more to play the same game they have been playing for less.

If it needs to be spelled out to you, outside of this forum, there are people who have a PlayStation as their main and only console and others who have an Xbox as their main. People on PlayStation by default don't have Game Pass. Their cost to play COD (and it looks to remain that way for at least 10 yrs) is about $140 including online access. Those same people on Xbox are paying about $130 including online access. Their cost to play COD would go up putting Game Pass in the picture.

I was saying it will be interesting how this plays out going forward. Not making any claims. You are free to make your own.
-
As for those who only play COD, well there are people like that too, I know some of them.
 
U

Unknown Soldier

Member
havoc00 said:
I cant believe Bobby's good deeds never get mentioned

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.

Kotick revealed Tuesday that he gave out his personal phone number to 10,000 workers and said he “encouraged every single employee that has a concern that relates to their health care” to contact him. A “few hundred” have reached out so far, he told CNBC.

Kotick said that luckily only a “small number” of the video game-maker employees have contracted Covid-19. He’s using the pandemic to bolster the company’s health care options, including making private doctors available, paying for some employee drug co-pays, and offering telehealth options.

www.cnn.com

Activision Blizzard CEO gives his personal phone number to 10,000 employees | CNN Business

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.
www.cnn.com www.cnn.com
Click to expand...
People like to attack Bobby but without him, Activision would not ever have become the success it is today. If Bobby retires after this acquisition completes, MS is not going to find it easy to replace him or manage ABK on their own. Judging from the failure to manage their other 27 studios they already own, it's going to be a very fast and bad downhill trip.
 
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MarkMe2525

MarkMe2525

Banned
havoc00 said:
I cant believe Bobby's good deeds never get mentioned

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.

Kotick revealed Tuesday that he gave out his personal phone number to 10,000 workers and said he “encouraged every single employee that has a concern that relates to their health care” to contact him. A “few hundred” have reached out so far, he told CNBC.

Kotick said that luckily only a “small number” of the video game-maker employees have contracted Covid-19. He’s using the pandemic to bolster the company’s health care options, including making private doctors available, paying for some employee drug co-pays, and offering telehealth options.

www.cnn.com

Activision Blizzard CEO gives his personal phone number to 10,000 employees | CNN Business

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.
www.cnn.com www.cnn.com
Click to expand...
What a guy
 
James Sawyer Ford

James Sawyer Ford

Member
havoc00 said:
I cant believe Bobby's good deeds never get mentioned

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.

Kotick revealed Tuesday that he gave out his personal phone number to 10,000 workers and said he “encouraged every single employee that has a concern that relates to their health care” to contact him. A “few hundred” have reached out so far, he told CNBC.

Kotick said that luckily only a “small number” of the video game-maker employees have contracted Covid-19. He’s using the pandemic to bolster the company’s health care options, including making private doctors available, paying for some employee drug co-pays, and offering telehealth options.

www.cnn.com

Activision Blizzard CEO gives his personal phone number to 10,000 employees | CNN Business

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.
www.cnn.com www.cnn.com
Click to expand...

I wonder how many Dick pics Kotick got from his toxically masculine workforce?
 
MarkMe2525

MarkMe2525

Banned
sainraja said:
If I say something it is not set in stone. I think I should let you guys know that. I was simply saying or wondering how many people—and there are many—without Game Pass, who play COD right now, who will be swayed over and PAY more to play the same game they have been playing for less.

If it needs to be spelled out to you, outside of this forum, there are people who have a PlayStation as their main and only console and others who have an Xbox as their main. People on PlayStation by default don't have Game Pass. Their cost to play COD (and it looks to remain that way for at least 10 yrs) is about $140 including online access. Those same people on Xbox are paying about $130 including online access. Their cost to play COD would go up putting Game Pass in the picture.

I was saying it will be interesting how this plays out going forward. Not making any claims. You are free to make your own.
-
As for those who only play COD, well there are people like that too, I know some of them.
Click to expand...
I imagine in this scenario, the person that was originally was playing on PlayStation continues to play on PlayStation. No one will get (or should get) gamepass for access to one game. Gamepass is additive for most people. You buy the games you want, and get gamepass for MS first party and a little extra. I imagine this may change with the acquisition, as their offerings may swell significantly.
 
sainraja

sainraja

Member
MarkMe2525 said:
I imagine in this scenario, the person that was originally was playing on PlayStation continues to play on PlayStation. No one will get (or should get) gamepass for access to one game. Gamepass is additive for most people. You buy the games you want, and get gamepass for MS first party and a little extra. I imagine this may change with the acquisition, as their offerings may swell significantly.
Click to expand...
That's what I am expecting but many people are thinking that COD being on Game Pass might change that and it is very much possible that it might but what I said and this, all remains to be seen.
 
Varteras

Varteras

Member
7AVoici.png
 
TrueGrime

TrueGrime

Member
sainraja said:
If I say something it is not set in stone. I think I should let you guys know that. I was simply saying or wondering how many people—and there are many—without Game Pass, who play COD right now, who will be swayed over and PAY more to play the same game they have been playing for less.

If it needs to be spelled out to you, outside of this forum, there are people who have a PlayStation as their main and only console and others who have an Xbox as their main. People on PlayStation by default don't have Game Pass. Their cost to play COD (and it looks to remain that way for at least 10 yrs) is about $140 including online access. Those same people on Xbox are paying about $130 including online access. Their cost to play COD would go up putting Game Pass in the picture.

I was saying it will be interesting how this plays out going forward. Not making any claims. You are free to make your own.
-
As for those who only play COD, well there are people like that too, I know some of them.
Click to expand...

Nothing changes for most people. No one subscribes to Gamepass for just one game, so I'm not sure where this "swayed" fear is coming from. If CoD is your only game then you're going to go with your console of choice and perhaps the bare minimum of paying for online play.

What will change the CoD landscape for most people is what will Microsoft offer for Gamepass subscribers and at this point, it could be everything that was being offered to Sony in terms of their exclusive practices with CoD. Double XP, weapon slots, maps early (and this is a big one for the pro crowd), all content discounted when subscribed to Gamepass, whole exclusives game modes... I mean, the gamut here is wide open and Playstation has surely shown everyone the way how to corner a market via exclusives.
 
G

gametimedecision

Member
PaintTinJr said:
I'm in the same position I was before the phase 2 preliminary decision came out, where everyone said it was passing, and I pointed to a Sky news piece about ofcom contacting the CMA about competition issues in all of Cloud, and then said I believed the CMA would still block.

I'm not saying it is 50:50 based on heart, I'm being pragmatic. The inquiry group shouldn't be satisfied - from the pragmatic standpoint - but I can't rule out influence or desire for a cheap and easy - approved - "we won !! we got it to look like we sort of stopped them."
Click to expand...
Thoughts on it now?
 
O

Ozriel

M$FT
Unknown Soldier said:
Are you actually pretenting that Microsoft didn't lose a legendary antitrust trial over monopolistic practices relating to Windows and Internet Explorer?
Click to expand...

And yet the Xbox 360 came well after that and was quite popular and well liked.

Topher said:
That's a great sales pitch, but I'd say buying is still the most cost effective for COD diehards. Either buy the latest game or find an old game on sale or used. Remember, Game Pass is only 15% of Xbox game revenue. Vast majority of Xbox gamers have already decided they would rather buy. I think they look at what they are going to pay in a year and come back thinking the same as I do, just not worth it.
Click to expand...

I’m not sure the credibility of taking GP stats from a time when Xbox was barely putting out content and extrapolating it to where the service has dramatic changes in value proposition.

IMHO, It has always been mainly centered around the value proposition, and not necessarily a dogmatic position in the ‘buy or rent’ argument.

Nubulax said:
That was such a joke comment by Phil... That his career moment would be getting to use other divisions resources and money way beyond what his division can even dream of to just acquire Nintendo or whatever else. Not to release back to back GOTY or the highest metacritic or critcially acclaimed game or most played game... NO... Not that... but what company he can acquire. Should tell everyone all they need to know about Phil and MS
Click to expand...

As a ‘career moment’ within Microsoft? Why would high Metacritic scores be more relevant? credit for that rightly goes to the studios leadership team.


sainraja said:
Yup 100% and this seems to be a very hard concept for many of them to grasp. None of us are making definitive statements here, outside of maybe, just them.
Click to expand...

“Gamepass will very likely see increased levels of popularity/interest if the value increases significantly” shouldn’t be a hard concept to grasp, but alas.
 
O

Ozriel

M$FT
Sanepar said:
Tell me how do u think is ok to pay $40 to access a rent 3 days before but not to buy and own the game for $70.
Click to expand...

Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong again. You think the premium version of COD is $70? It’s $100.

Some of the maths being trotted out isn’t being properly thought through. For example, making it seem like the ‘buy vs GP’ comparison is between $70 and a year of GP Ultimate instead of being ($70 + $60 for online play) vs 1 year GPU.
 
havoc00

havoc00

Member
Ozriel said:
Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong again. You think the premium version of COD is $70? It’s $100.

Some of the maths being trotted out isn’t being properly thought through. For example, making it seem like the ‘buy vs GP’ comparison is between $70 and a year of GP Ultimate instead of being ($70 + $60 for online play) vs 1 year GPU.
Click to expand...
They don’t need to know if they are that Ignorant of the best deal in gaming and now the more best deal after this finishes let them wonder and flounder us who know are gonna be eating good for years now
 
Mr Reasonable

Mr Reasonable

Completely Unreasonable
Sanepar said:
MS strategy as a whole is not let consumers to own license of any software. They wanting u renting, paying every month a fee to access their products.

In terms of games to have this model as mandatory they will need to buy a lot of studios and publishers yet. After that nothing stop them to charge u a full game per month for rent.
Click to expand...
Lol, nobody would sign up to that. It wouldn't matter how many games they give you every month, nobody is taking out a £700+ per year subscription for pretty much anything.

The vast majority of people don't spend that much on their phone contract. They're not going to do that for a video game subscription, they're certainly not going to do it for their kid's hobby.

Genuinely insane.
 
GHG

GHG

Gold Member
havoc00 said:
I cant believe Bobby's good deeds never get mentioned

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.

Kotick revealed Tuesday that he gave out his personal phone number to 10,000 workers and said he “encouraged every single employee that has a concern that relates to their health care” to contact him. A “few hundred” have reached out so far, he told CNBC.

Kotick said that luckily only a “small number” of the video game-maker employees have contracted Covid-19. He’s using the pandemic to bolster the company’s health care options, including making private doctors available, paying for some employee drug co-pays, and offering telehealth options.

www.cnn.com

Activision Blizzard CEO gives his personal phone number to 10,000 employees | CNN Business

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick is using the coronavirus pandemic to (safely) get closer to his employees.
www.cnn.com www.cnn.com
Click to expand...

aint nobody got time for that GIF


There was a job to do and one job only - crash that stock.

Going to be funny to see how the narrative evolves when people realise they won't be getting rid of him any time soon.
 
Last edited:
O

Ozriel

M$FT
GHG said:
There was a job to do and one job only - crash that stock.

Going to be funny to see how the narrative evolves when people realise they won't be getting rid of him any time soon.
Click to expand...

Well, if he stays on, we won’t hear about how MS is going to ‘mismanage’ ABK.

And it’ll still be a net positive for ABK employees as they’ll now be free to unionize if they wish.
 
Topher

Topher

Identifies as young
Ozriel said:
I’m not sure the credibility of taking GP stats from a time when Xbox was barely putting out content and extrapolating it to where the service has dramatic changes in value proposition.
Click to expand...

Phil Spencer explicitly said he expected no more than 15% to be the case even at higher overall revenues. And this was said during the ABK acquisition.
 
O

Ozriel

M$FT
Topher said:
Phil Spencer explicitly said he expected no more than 15% to be the case even at higher overall revenues. And this was said during the ABK acquisition.
Click to expand...

His guess of it maintaining 15% even with higher overall revenues pretty much means he envisions Gamepass subscriptions will continue to grow.

In other words, more and more people will continue to subscribe as revenue grows from expanded first party software and ABK inflows from traditional software and mobile.
 
Topher

Topher

Identifies as young
Ozriel said:
His guess of it maintaining 15% even with higher overall revenues pretty much means he envisions Gamepass subscriptions will continue to grow.

In other words, more and more people will continue to subscribe as revenue grows from expanded first party software and ABK inflows from traditional software and mobile.
Click to expand...

Sure....never said otherwise. Doesn't change the fact that the majority will continue to buy games which was my original point.
 
Heisenberg007

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
Thirty7ven said:
We now got weird folks like Ginzeen Ginzeen going through this thread and posting emojis on posts from several months ago. The most deranged fanboys, can't convince me otherwise.

edit: You're sick in the head lil boy
Click to expand...
True. Ginzeen Ginzeen at least has gone as far back as April 26, 2023 😄 WTF! 😄 And leaving laughing emojis on posts criticizing Florian / SoloKingRobert 🤔

E6H3vHX.jpg


XCHSaRS.jpg


Interestingly, he joined GAF around the same time when Florian got banned - June 2023.

q3w9L2j.jpg


tezqz13.jpg


It seems like the great Florian is back amongst us mere mortals, guys! :messenger_halo:
 
Last edited:
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