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[Topher]

The math checks out.

Anecdotally

 

[MasterCornholio]

Oh boy

 

[Solidus_T]

Well, page 1000, here we come!

 

[Topher]

Well, page 1000, here we come!

 

[Astray]

True. If anything though seems like that would make him more partial to back the FTC's decision, not push against it.

Yeah, but you are forgetting that there is an election coming (meaning new Prez gets to choose again), and it's entirely likely he fires her for whatever reason.

 

[Bernoulli]

China isn't part of the MS ABK deal. It needs all the UK, EU and US to pass.

China will approve because they want help with AI and cloud infrastructure after the US ban on AI hardware

But watch the US ban the collaboration with Microsoft after china approves

 

[Bernardougf]

The floodgates of "alternative account" ville are open and they come in packs! Whatch out!

The Hopium is precious ...

 

[Nydius]

They did not come to a different outcome on that, like at all. Just different decisions/remedies. They both literally agreed with one another on the state of the market in 10 years, just one chose the block path, the other chose the potential fine path, something the EU has been notorious for over the years.

Thank God there are others capable of critical thought beyond the headlines.

The EC fundamentally agreed with the CMA’s concerns so while all the Xbox faithful are out here acting like they scored some major victory today, the reality is the EC handed a box of ammunition to the CMA to use in any potential CAT appeal, making it even less likely that Microsoft will prevail there. The CMA can point to the EC’s decision and say, “See, the EC also agrees the cloud issue is significant, we merely disagree with their belief in remedies after-the-fact.”

The deal is still one and a half feet in the grave. The likelihood of a successful CAT appeal is tiny, and even smaller now because there’s no way Microsoft can argue CMA was being irrational when the EC brings up the same concerns.

Zero chance Activision sticks around past July and sits in legal limbo for a year or longer hoping for litigation to go their way. Not unless Microsoft offers them a shitload more per share — and they were already overpaying for them the first time around.

I am confident enough that the deal is dead that if, by some miracle, it manages to go through, I will change my avatar to the Xbox Ambassador logo and let mods lock it in place for a year.

 

[Bernoulli]

Thank God there are others capable of critical thought beyond the headlines.

The EC fundamentally agreed with the CMA’s concerns so while all the Xbox faithful are out here acting like they scored some major victory today, the reality is the EC handed a box of ammunition to the CMA to use in any potential CAT appeal, making it even less likely that Microsoft will prevail there. The CMA can point to the EC’s decision and say, “See, the EC also agrees the cloud issue is significant, we merely disagree with their belief in remedies after-the-fact.”

The deal is still one and a half feet in the grave. The likelihood of a successful CAT appeal is tiny, and even smaller now because there’s no way Microsoft can argue CMA was being irrational when the EC brings up the same concerns.

Zero chance Activision sticks around past July and sits in legal limbo for a year or longer hoping for litigation to go their way. Not unless Microsoft offers them a shitload more per share — and they were already overpaying for them the first time around.

If Microsoft argues that CMA is irrational they can use the EC findings that Microsoft accepted to say why you accepted the EC findings that were the same

They are stuck

 

[Gone]

A stupid take? Really? Who said this?

"it confirmed that Microsoft could harm competition in the distribution of games via cloud game streaming services and that its position in the market for PC operating systems would be strengthened."

And that's why you ask for enforceable remedies.

 

[Gone]

what? why? they had a deadline, Microsoft only has themselves to blame for thumbing their noses at the CMA and thinking they could get it through without actually trying to address their concerns

Their concerns are stupid to say the least. Any logical person can see that and that's why it's approved everywhere except for the UK and the stupid FTC with Lena or Lina at the helm.

 

[Pelta88]

Copium at is most organic. Not from concentrate free from sugars and preservatives.

This is gold dotnotbot

 

[Topher]

And that's why you ask for enforceable remedies.

The CMA is implementing an enforceable remedy.

Their concerns are stupid to say the least.

The CMA and the EU have the exact same concerns.

 

[SoloKingRobert]

CMA Logic...

All Amazon Prime members are cloud users.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Their concerns are stupid to say the least. Any logical person can see that and that's why it's approved everywhere except for the UK and the stupid FTC with Lena or Lina at the helm.

Every single regulation body of the big 3 have the very same concerns.

 

[Gone]

The CMA is implementing an enforceable remedy.



The CMA and the EU have the exact same concerns.

And the EU decided not to block the deal..

 

[Hitchyhero]

I do personally think the CMA blocking was silly on the grounds that it blocked it on. Cloud gaming is such a tiny portion of the gaming market and I don't see it getting anywhere that big in the next 10 years because of lag along on multiplayer games.

PS gamers have been saying cloud gaming is going nowhere soon on near future (and I agree with them) but now all of a sudden they are saying they agree with the CMA ... And by extension agreeing that cloud gaming is going to be huge. So which honestly is it?

There's a lot of things I could potentially agree that the deal should be blocked but cloud gaming is certainly not one of them.

The CMAs response to the European agency came across as childish too. Why did they even need to respond

 

[Topher]

And the EU decided not to block the deal..

Correct. CMA and EU have different opinions on the remedy, but not the concerns.

 

[Thirty7ven]

Imagine if the EC had concerns about the console market and MS was like “hey we will give other consoles a free license to have our game but all the revenue is ours” and the EC was like “free license? Problem solved!”

Clowns

 

[Nydius]

If Microsoft argues that CMA is irrational

That’s just it: That’s the only argument they can make in the CAT appeal.

The appeal process doesn’t involve the substance of the finding, it only involves determining whether the CMA acted properly and rationally given the data available to them. Since the EC shares the same cloud concerns, trying to prove the CMA was being “irrational” is an increasingly Sisyphean task for Microsoft and Activision lawyers.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Correct. CMA and EU have different opinions on the remedy, but not the concerns.

People need to take off their goggles and keep reading this sentence on repeat.

 

[poppabk]

Their whole buy COD on Xbox and have a license to stream it on Luna is jokes too. You are giving MS free license to set pricing terms.

Basically you have to buy the game first, and then all microtransaction money is 100% MS’s. Which means competing services won’t get ANY revenue from COD which is NOT an industry standard.

It is an industry standard set by Nvidia the only ones who have a rival streaming platform of note. It also is similar to things like Movies Anywhere.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Imagine if the EC had concerns about the console market and MS was like “hey we will give other consoles a free license to have our game but all the revenue is ours” and the EC was like “free license? Problem solved!”

Clowns

What do you mean!? That sounds "logical!"

 

[Nothing1234]

CMA Logic...

All Amazon Prime members are cloud users.

You have not read for yourself have you?

 

[Gone]

Correct. CMA and EU have different opinions on the remedy, but not the concerns.

Because the remedies are and should be enough for any sensible person.

"The proposed remedies

To address the competition concerns identified by the Commission in the market for the distribution of PC and console games via cloud game streaming services, Microsoft offered the following comprehensive licensing commitments, with a 10-year duration:

A free license to consumers in the EEA that would allow them to stream, via any cloud game streaming services of their choice, all current and future Activision Blizzard PC and console games for which they have a license.
A corresponding free license to cloud game streaming service providers to allow EEA-based gamers to stream any Activision Blizzard's PC and console games.
Today, Activision Blizzard does not license its games to cloud game streaming services, nor does it stream the games itself. These licenses will ensure that gamers that have purchased one or more Activision games on a PC or console store, or that have subscribed to a multi-game subscription service that includes Activision games, have the right to stream those games with any cloud game streaming service of their choice and play them on any device using any operating system. The remedies also ensure that Activision's games available for streaming will have the same quality and content as games available for traditional download.

These commitments fully address the competition concerns identified by the Commission and represent a significant improvement for cloud game streaming compared to the current situation. They will empower millions of EEA consumers to stream Activision's games using any cloud gaming services operating in the EEA, provided they are purchased in an online store or included in an active multi-game subscription in the EEA. In addition, the availability of Activision's popular games for streaming via all cloud game streaming services will boost the development of this dynamic technology in the EEA. Ultimately, the commitments will unlock significant benefits for competition and consumers, by bringing Activision's games to new platforms, including smaller EU players, and to more devices than before."

 

[zomboden]

If the FTC approves, the CMA won't be the one stopping this deal. They will find a way around it. Pressure will be immense on them.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Keeping 100% of the game's revenue, cutting out the middle man on competing platforms.

Sensible!

/s

This is an even worse Trojan Horse than the OG 10-year deal. You just completely cut out your competitions revenue stream on worldwide various platforms.

 

[Thirty7ven]

It is an industry standard set by Nvidia the only ones who have a rival streaming platform of note. It also is similar to things like Movies Anywhere.

Not an industry standard at all, gaming platforms all aside from the exception take a cut from revenue. This is how it works.

 

[Nydius]

The CMAs response to the European agency came across as childish too. Why did they even need to respond

I agree but to answer your second question: There’s still a lot of post-Brexit bad blood between the UK and the EU. Neither misses an opportunity to take a dig at the other.

 

[Bernoulli]

If the FTC approves, the CMA won't be the one stopping this deal. They will find a way around it. Pressure will be immense on them.

If you repeat it enough it Won't become true

 

[IntentionalPun]

If the FTC approves, the CMA won't be the one stopping this deal. They will find a way around it. Pressure will be immense on them.

Nah, the CMA will be stopping the deal.

Is there an outside possibility of an appeal working? Sure.

But there are a lot of hurdles in the way, and the CMA is a huge one. They have tons of power, and mean to flex it.

IMO deal is dead is the right way to think about it, with a smalll chance MS can resuscitate it.

 

[Pelta88]

If the FTC approves, the CMA won't be the one stopping this deal. They will find a way around it. Pressure will be immense on them.

Twilight zone post.

Who is going to tell him that this isn't based in reality?

 

[DeepEnigma]

If the FTC approves, the CMA won't be the one stopping this deal. They will find a way around it. Pressure will be immense on them.

I will show you their pressured response.

 

[Ronin_7]

The bottom line is that the UK is the only one not approving the deal. When everyone but you have the same opinion, something must be off.

You must have missed this:

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/new...oft-corps-acquisition-activision-blizzard-inc

 

[zomboden]

If you repeat it enough it Won't become true

Nah, the CMA will be stopping the deal.

Is there an outside possibility of an appeal working? Sure.

But there are a lot of hurdles in the way, and the CMA is a huge one. They have tons of power, and mean to flex it.

Keep believing what you want to. These companies are way too important and influential and there is no way they are going to let one country stop this deal.

 

[Nothing1234]

The CMA and the EU both agree that Microsoft have a powerful and unique position in cloud gaming with Azure - Windows/ Xbox OS - 1st party lineup. Nobody else has that combination of strengths, not Amazon, not SIE, not Nvidia or Nintendo. Please stop gobbling the narratives pushed to you online. That's why Microsoft and ABK pointed fingers at Sony, they knew their strengths were not in the console market.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Keep believing what you want to. These companies are way too important and influential and there is no way they are going to let one country stop this deal.

Twittard has come to Gaf, in real time.

 

[Bernoulli]

If the FTC approves, the CMA won't be the one stopping this deal. They will find a way around it. Pressure will be immense on them.

Microsoft can stop the CMA by easily by leaving the UK or using the queen and prime Minister to stop the CMA

 

[TheGodfather07]

CMA even doubled down on their position and people still think Microsoft can overturn? How delusional are some of you guys? Dont do it to yourselves! Your setting yourselves up for another massive L. Are you addicted or something?

 

[LavitzSlambert]

Thank God there are others capable of critical thought beyond the headlines.

The EC fundamentally agreed with the CMA’s concerns so while all the Xbox faithful are out here acting like they scored some major victory today, the reality is the EC handed a box of ammunition to the CMA to use in any potential CAT appeal, making it even less likely that Microsoft will prevail there. The CMA can point to the EC’s decision and say, “See, the EC also agrees the cloud issue is significant, we merely disagree with their belief in remedies after-the-fact.”

The deal is still one and a half feet in the grave. The likelihood of a successful CAT appeal is tiny, and even smaller now because there’s no way Microsoft can argue CMA was being irrational when the EC brings up the same concerns.

Zero chance Activision sticks around past July and sits in legal limbo for a year or longer hoping for litigation to go their way. Not unless Microsoft offers them a shitload more per share — and they were already overpaying for them the first time around.

I am confident enough that the deal is dead that if, by some miracle, it manages to go through, I will change my avatar to the Xbox Ambassador logo and let mods lock it in place for a year.

Microsoft will do what they need to in order to make this deal work. Unfortunately for them, the juice won’t be worth the squeeze when all is said and done. As the new ambassador, you should probably start getting ready to explain , even after this deal closes, why should people buy an Xbox?

 

[Bernoulli]

Keep believing what you want to. These companies are way too important and influential and there is no way they are going to let one country stop this deal.

epic reeee gamer moment

 

[Topher]

Because the remedies are and should be enough for any sensible person.

I mean.....you are free to your opinion but the CMA doesn't see it that way.

 

[Gone]

Keeping 100% of the game's revenue, cutting out the middle man on competing platforms.

Sensible!

/s

This is an even worse Trojan Horse than the OG 10-year deal. You just completely cut out your competitions revenue stream on worldwide various platforms.

Why the fuck do you think Nvidia and every other cloud gaming provider want this deal to happen if it was bad for them?

 

[Nothing1234]

Why the fuck do you think Nvidia and every other cloud gaming provider want this deal to happen if it was bad for them?

They are desperate for the games even if that means paying Microsoft a fee for Windows in perpetuity.

 

[Gone]

I mean.....you are free to your opinion but the CMA doesn't see it that way.

And that brings us to the first thing we should agree on which is that the CMA are a bunch of inadequate people who shouldn't have this much power to begin with.

 

[Gone]

They are desperate for the games even if that means paying Microsoft a fee for Windows in perpetuity.

"have the right to stream those games with any cloud game streaming service of their choice and play them on any device using any operating system."

 

[IntentionalPun]

Keep believing what you want to. These companies are way too important and influential and there is no way they are going to let one country stop this deal.

Has nothing to do with "what I want." Has everything to do with... the reality of the power the CMA has.

They already have stopped the deal. If MS was so uber-powerful, why are we at this point in the first place?

MS has to appeal to an authority whose only power is to tell the CMA their logic was invalid, and start that process over.

That's the BEST CASE scenario "next step" for MS.

Then they are stuck w/ the CMA still being able to just.. make the same decision again, which all things considered.. seems the most likely outcome of MS "winning" an appeal.

 

[Bernardougf]

CMA even doubled down on their position and people still think Microsoft can overturn? How delusional are some of you guys? Dont do it to yourselves! Your setting yourselves up for another massive L. Are you addicted or something?

They are xbox fanboys..... what else they would be addicted to if not future promises and failure.. great games ?

 

[Nydius]

As the new ambassador, you should probably start getting ready to explain , even after this deal closes, why should people buy an Xbox?

Because Game Pass is the best deal in gaming and Xbox is committed to diversity, accessibility, and inclusion for all gamers everywhere!

I think I did that right.

 

[Topher]

And that brings us to the first thing we should agree on which is that the CMA are a bunch of inadequate people who shouldn't have this much power to begin with.

Inadequate people because you disagree with their decision. lol....