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.
Gudji said:
CMA to MS: "you gonna make CoD run natively on switch at 60 FPS ultra settings or the deal is dead".

MS:

John Goodman Reaction GIF
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Or Microsoft will say okay CMA goodbye. We will just pull out of the UK and they will be the only ones not playing Call of Dufy. I actually heard that could be an option if the CMA keeps being stubborn.
 
Quoted from another site regarding FTC and CMA motivations:

Odds are the reason MS met with the CMA and UK Government in June as to discuss finding a remedy package to close the deal, which caused the FTC to panic and file their injunction. Microsoft, ABK, and CMA all waited for the injunction to be denied before publicly saying "we're going to find a remedy", as on the off chance the FTC was successful MS would have dropped the merger. This didn't just happen in a span of a few hours, odds are MS/ABK/CMA have been in discussions for a few weeks now.
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Well it was inevitable, MS is too big now to be told no, megacorps have too much lobby power these days, way more than before.

Only good thing I hope comes out of this is a revival of Starcraft and other classic Activision titles but I doubt it, MS isn't exactly in it for the art.
 
Well, the precedent has been set and Microsoft will do what they do best buy the competition out. Since the regulators have bitched out looking at the CMA's stance change get ready for multiple new acquisitions. With just abk Sony is going to be dealt a massive blow but when Microsoft starts buying with impunity there's little they can do to compete when Microsoft starts bleeding them dry with gamepass loss leading which they just cant match in terms of financial muscle.

Honestly, by the end of a decade, I see Sony being forced into a niche like Nintendo relying on first party output....but damn what a sad outlook. Its becoming pretty clear these giant tech firms have become too powerful and influential for even nations to keep in check.
 
Solidus_T said:
The point is not to profit, but to take profits away from their (not) competitors like Sony. Sure, MS candle is the dimmest of all, but if they blow Sony's out, then theirs seems brighter.
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You're 100% correct. I think MS needs to make one more big splash before they can get Sony out of their way. Either Take-Two or EA and that'll be the final blow. I'll still be a Playstation gamer until the end, but MS knows what it's doing and governments all over the world are literally helping them to accomplish their goal.

Crazy.....
 
ToadMan said:
Quality games cost money to produce, and a significant portion of that money came from 3rd Party revenue splits, and a significant portion of those splits was ATVI content in the form of CoD, and Diablo.

Those aren't leaving PS tomorrow, but let's be honest the writing is on the wall. As it stands there is no obvious replacement for that revenue.

Sony will take major damage from that outcome eventually, and we will feel that in reduced quality of their output. That reduction in quality will be felt across our corner of gaming for sure - on all platforms.
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They won't leave, maybe diablo 5.
 
Solidus_T said:
People are happy to pay for a rental service rather than buy the games they play. That and fanboy vitriol pretty much sum up the mega corporate cheerleading.
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There are plenty of games I've "rented" on Gamepass that I would never consider buying otherwise. For the games I want to own, I still have the option to buy....at a discount, no less.

This argument is not really valid.
 
TheThreadsThatBindUs said:
What a willfully ignorant and insufferably naive thing to say in response.

Pray tell, how would regulators protect the market and thus consumer choice, if one market player fucks over all their competitors and drives them out of the market so that they're the only one left to compete?

You can't be this dense.
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When do expect Sony, Nintendo, PC, or mobile gaming to cease from this deal specifically?

Because it's this deal specifically that you want stopped. So explain how it causes that exact thing.
 
VideoGameEnjoyer said:
I do enjoy them, and own and play every console. Big publishers right now are….fine? Lots of misses, some hits. Status quo. I can't tell if this is gotcha on me or not. But don't see that really changes now. Except that we have even more consolidation.

The amazing track record of Microsoft gaming studios getting their hands on all these legendary IPs definitely doesn't have me jumping for joy. Especially when their motivations for this deal have been laid so bare…
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Constant delays and when the games finally come out....boom! games are still broken, unfinished or unoptimized .

the heavy reliance of a couple of IPs which are milked to oblivion with MTXs or/and sequels/remakes/remasters.

basically all third party publishers are able to exists because the insidious game design that is GaaS.

MS is going to spend 70B to acquire what exactly?

Basically ongoing/live games that are so demanding that is the only thing this company is able to make; three of these IPs are PC centric anyway.

and if MS destroys them due to their incompetence at Game Production/management so be it. is the chaos and disruption this industry needs
 
Can all the doom and gloom merchants give me next week's winning lottery numbers please. The missus wants a new air fryer and I'm not parting with my fucking hard earned cash to pay for it
The last one was barely used.
 
SABRE220 said:
Well, the precedent has been set and Microsoft will do what they do best buy the competition out. Since the regulators have bitched out looking at the CMA's stance change get ready for multiple new acquisitions. With just abk Sony is going to be dealt a massive blow but when Microsoft starts buying with impunity there's little they can do to compete when Microsoft starts bleeding them dry with gamepass loss leading which they just cant match in terms of financial muscle.

Honestly, by the end of a decade, I see Sony being forced into a niche like Nintendo relying on first party output....but damn what a sad outlook. Its becoming pretty clear these giant tech firms have become too powerful and influential for even nations to keep in check.
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It's pretty crazy to me that we are at this point. It's crazy to think that the judge doesn't see this as a slippery slope to a monopoly by Microsoft. Paying as much as they are for this merger, is a shot across the bow that they have the resources and willingness to buy anyone and everyone.

How he expects there to be a fair and competitive market for Sony and Nintendo to compete in, is mind-boggling.
 
adamsapple said:
Well, sure, they are well within their right to appeal (in the next 3 days), but they just didn't make a compelling enough case in the first place. I don't think it's going to change.
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I don't think so either.

I think this deal is largely sealed now, for better or worse.
 
blacktout said:
... What? Nintendo's success or failure has been almost entirely dictated by the desirability of their hardware and first party titles for literally decades, since most of their third party partners jumped ship over the N64's developer-unfriendly hardware.

The Switch has 19 games that have sold over ten million copies and every one of them is a first party title. The best-selling third party title is from Capcom (Monster Hunter Rise) and the second best-selling is already owned by Microsoft (Minecraft).

The two publishers you mentioned have barely supported the Switch, and even that limited support only came well after the system was already successful.

Given the strength of their market position and the consistently strong sales and quality of their first party titles, it's silly to suggest that Microsoft is going to crush Sony through acquisitions, but at least there's a valid case to be made that this could hurt them at the margins. It's completely insane to suggest that this is going to somehow force Nintendo to go third party.
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Yes you're right but your examples are based on "yesterday's" market - looking forward, with Sony squeezed out by consolidation, what room is there for Nintendo? MS won't just leave them alone and turn a blind eye - that isn't their way.

If Nintendo can make money, MS will try to find ways to take it from them. There is no peaceful co-existence.

How MS go about that can take many forms - from content exclusivity in various forms to simply making competing products. Starve Nintendo of revenue, and just like Sony they can crumble. If Sony have proven killable how much easier Nintendo who, with the best will in the world, aren't known for their cutting edge software and service capability.
 
Solidus_T said:
People are happy to pay for a rental service rather than buy the games they play. That and fanboy vitriol pretty much sum up the mega corporate cheerleading.
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That's the way most digital products work.

No different than movies and music. Tv/movie/music sub plans are huge. Only reason why lots of people have piles of DVDs and CDs in boxes in their basement is because that's how it was done at the time. You had to buy physical.

In reality, most people dont give a shit. If they can pay a modest monthly fee and get tons of access to content that's good enough for them. Most people arent even going to replay old games anyway. At least with tv/movies/music people will rewatch classics or listen to old albums from 50 years ago. Most oldie games die. Why pay $70 US when you can wait it out for sub plans. Not everyone is so itching to play day one at full price.
 
Kvally said:
Game Pass is profitable, and not a loss leader. The Xbox console itself is their loss leader.
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Can you share actual profit numbers for me with a break down of game production costs and pay outs to acquire exclusives + content?

Otherwise, no lies from Phils mouth matters
 
StreetsofBeige said:
LOL. My laptop is so archaic, I cant even meet the minimum specs for Gloomhaven PC! And when I tried running the Fantasy General 2 demo, I made all settings low and it ran about 15 fps tops. I could practically count the frames!
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LOL my god man! You can get a decent PC for a good price. But people do have obligations outside of gaming so I get it that many just go for something cheaper and easier. All I'll say is, if you set your pride aside, there are some things you can do at night, on the side, that pay well. Ask Banjo64 Banjo64
 
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I wasn't expecting to see so many Bobby Kotick apologists today. I expected the Xbox diehards' stance would soften over time but the ink isn't dry and it's, hey we got ABK, Bobby sexual assaults are now okay with us. Disappointed with the quick change in attitude but not suprised by it in the grand scheme of things.
 
tmlDan said:
Can you share actual profit numbers for me with a break down of game production costs and pay outs to acquire exclusives + content?

Otherwise, no lies from Phils mouth matters
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Unless you have proof showing that Microsoft lied to the consumers and shareholders about Game Pass being profitable, the onus is on you to provide facts that state otherwise. Until then, the facts are that Game Pass is profitable.
 
What is true pain, is the thought that with this kind of money, with their existing studious, they could grow about same following as buying fucking Activision.

But no, too much work.
 
Kvally said:
Unless you have proof showing that Microsoft lied to the consumers and shareholders about Game Pass being profitable, the onus is on you to provide facts that state otherwise. Until then, the facts are that Game Pass is profitable.
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You need to prove it - im not making a statement, you are.
 
Varteras said:
LOL my god man! You can get a decent PC for a good price. But people do have obligations outside of gaming so I get it that many just go for something cheaper and easier. All I'll say is, if you set your pride aside, there are some things you can do at night, on the side, that pay well. Ask Banjo64 Banjo64
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This ain't my side hustle

200.gif
 
mckmas8808 said:
I'd advise EVERYONE to stop buy ABK games starting today. If they are all going to GamePass, you might as well not buy them now.
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Well, I'm buying all my games on physical media, so that means I might have to buy them used. Not interested in having two different subscriptions year-round just to play a few very specific titles.
 
mckmas8808 said:
And people think payin $10 a month to all those games will be profitable for Microsoft.....:messenger_tears_of_joy::messenger_tears_of_joy::messenger_tears_of_joy::messenger_tears_of_joy:
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Their end goal (whether realistic remains to be seen) is to have 50-100+ million people paying them a $20+ subscription every month in perpetuity, as opposed to the 5 million people who buy the annual CoD on Xbox for $70 once a year which they only earn 20% of. It's plain to see which scenario is more profitable, by a factor of 100. They have plenty of money to burn and Sony outsells them 3:1.
 
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Kvally said:
Unless you have proof showing that Microsoft lied to the consumers and shareholders about Game Pass being profitable, the onus is on you to provide facts that state otherwise. Until then, the facts are that Game Pass is profitable.
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If they would stop hiding their numbers this wouldn't be an issue. Based on what we've seen of their e-mails versus their public talking points, there is more than enough reason to doubt them.
 
mckmas8808 said:
I wonder how many people will still buy COD on Playstation once it's available on Xbox "for free" on GP this Fall?
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My guess. Almost all of the ones who only own a Playstation.

What will be telling is to see what happens to the PC purchases and Xbox purchases, where they've had to buy it for years and now simply don't anymore.

Also consider that most people play COD for Warzone and Multiplayer. How many people are ok, just going the free route and playing Warzone or whatever the next iteration is.
 
Varteras said:
LOL my god man! You can get a decent PC for a good price. But people do have obligations outside of gaming so I get it that many just go for something cheaper and easier. All I'll say is, if you set your pride aside, there are some things you can do at night, on the side, that pay well. Ask Banjo64 Banjo64
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As long as it doesn't involve another dude beside me. lol
 
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