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 .
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Topher said:
Avatar bet if......wait.....no....nevermind.

Deutschland 83 Running GIF by SundanceTV
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I have to quit working so much when I am at work :). Seems like I miss big news days and I log in today expecting a big "It's done" announcement only to find the CMA news yesterday was a bit premature.

Anthony Fauci GIF by GIPHY News
 
Topher said:
Well, yeah you did say he was a source.

"comes from many sources i have heard on youtube, Here is one..."

And they all know exactly we know. Microsoft was rumored to have been looking into ways to get around the CMA block. That came out of MLex via Idas. If you want to believe anything beyond that then it is up to you, but no one else here has to put any stock into it.
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you can be in denial...but if the merger is passed everywhere but the UK. Why would Microsoft stop it just for the UK. Here is an article claiming such...and they list where it comes from Bloomberg. So this is no random youtuber. https://www.xfire.com/microsoft-could-pull-out-of-the-uk-after-cma-disapproval/
 
PaintTinJr said:
I do believe HeisenbergFX4 has had confirmation the deal is closing, and that it is as good as fact.
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Bro he's just a cool ex-industry guy who still chats with some Xbox employees lol, he's not Phil Spencer's personal fluffer.

I remember you from the infamous ABANDONED thread though, good stuff.
 
IntentionalPun said:
Bro he's just a cool ex-industry guy who still chats with some Xbox employees lol, he's not Phil Spencer's personal fluffer.

I remember you from the infamous ABANDONED thread though, good stuff.
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I do appreciate the cool part but I have never been a part of the industry

I have just had opportunities to meet people in the industry thanks to my circles of friends in professional sports

Its cool because the athletes like meeting gamer types and the younger athletes are really into the streamers and those types like meeting athletes

Chicago Cubs Dancing GIF by MLB
 
Based on everything I've seen so far: On Monday, either Kotick is walking away from the deal with $3B or a merger extension is happening, I'm leaning towards the extension agreement happening. I don't think they're closing the deal on Monday, that's my prediction.
 
3liteDragon said:
Based on everything I've seen so far: On Monday, either Kotick is walking away from the deal with $3B or a merger extension is happening, I'm leaning towards the extension agreement happening. I don't think they're closing the deal on Monday, that's my prediction.
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The FTC thing has made the likelihood of extension increase a lot. They have the "upper hand" at the moment, would not make sense to let the deal go at this point.
 
3liteDragon said:
Based on everything I've seen so far: On Monday, either Kotick is walking away from the deal with $3B or a merger extension is happening, I'm leaning towards the extension agreement happening. I don't think they're closing the deal on Monday, that's my prediction.
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I agree, but to think Activision won't be taking the opportunity to get even more money is ludicrous IMO.

How much MS are willing to pay is the question, and maybe that is why MS are now entertaining the idea of structural remedies.
 
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KellyM said:
you can be in denial...but if the merger is passed everywhere but the UK. Why would Microsoft stop it just for the UK. Here is an article claiming such...and they list where it comes from Bloomberg. So this is no random youtuber. https://www.xfire.com/microsoft-could-pull-out-of-the-uk-after-cma-disapproval/
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I'm not in denial of anything. I simply don't believe every single thing I'm told as you do. For example, you should read the actual article. It is speculation. The same rumor that I referenced previously.

"One extreme option could be to bypass the UK order and press ahead with the deal, or withdraw Activision from the UK market, one of the people said, confirming earlier reports by regulatory news outfit Mlex."
www.bloomberg.com

Microsoft’s Smith Set for Talks With UK Chancellor Over Activision Deal Ban

Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith will meet with UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt next week to voice his frustration over the shock decision by Britain’s competition regulator to block its $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard Inc.
www.bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com

Keywords: "could be". The article said nothing of removing Activision games from the UK.
 
Topher said:
I'm not in denial of anything. I simply don't believe every single thing I'm told as you do. For example, you should read the actual article. It is speculation. The same rumor that I referenced previously.

"One extreme option could be to bypass the UK order and press ahead with the deal, or withdraw Activision from the UK market, one of the people said, confirming earlier reports by regulatory news outfit Mlex."
www.bloomberg.com

Microsoft’s Smith Set for Talks With UK Chancellor Over Activision Deal Ban

Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith will meet with UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt next week to voice his frustration over the shock decision by Britain’s competition regulator to block its $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard Inc.
www.bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com

Keywords: "could be". The article said nothing of removing Activision games from the UK.
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from the article i listed.
"According to a report by Bloomberg, Microsoft could opt to pull Activision games from the UK market as a last resort to the disapproval of its proposed acquisition of the Call of Duty and Diablo 4 publisher. The verdict is still under appeal with a decision set to be announced late in July after additional evidence is heard in court. Microsoft may be looking at its options should it not get a favorable decision.

Microsoft president Brad Smith is reportedly personally visiting the UK and hopes to meet the UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to discuss potential remedies to the CMA ruling. Smith will be in the country to conduct a talk about Artificial Intelligence and strengthened regulations around the technology. He will also be holding a number of private functions in the country."

It did mention they could pull out of the UK. Will they, who knows. But realisticly if the uk was the ONLY one stopping the merger, I bet Microsoft would. I don't believe everything i am told. But this would make be realistic in a buisness stand point.
 
KellyM said:
you can be in denial...but if the merger is passed everywhere but the UK. Why would Microsoft stop it just for the UK. Here is an article claiming such...and they list where it comes from Bloomberg. So this is no random youtuber. https://www.xfire.com/microsoft-could-pull-out-of-the-uk-after-cma-disapproval/
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Because MS, both as a commercial enterprise and gaming enterprise, does not want to completely withdraw from the UK. It is that simple. Just because an outlet reports what some blowhard says does not mean the blowhard was saying something plausible.

There is also another reason they wouldn't do it. Specifically, the message it would send to pretty much every other regulator they really care about.
 
KellyM said:
It did mention they could pull out of the UK. Will they, who knows. But realisticly if the uk was the ONLY one stopping the merger, I bet Microsoft would. I don't believe everything i am told. But this would make be realistic in a buisness stand point.
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It's not realistic because it's all of Microsoft that has to pull out of the UK, not just Xbox or gaming.

It'd be like the biggest business news in the history of big business.

It's click-bait speculation for the most part. Or stuff floated by MS to make regulators feel antsy.

IMO of course, but it would be such a massive money loss for MS to do that.
 
KellyM said:
from the article i listed.
"According to a report by Bloomberg, Microsoft could opt to pull Activision games from the UK market as a last resort to the disapproval of its proposed acquisition of the Call of Duty and Diablo 4 publisher. The verdict is still under appeal with a decision set to be announced late in July after additional evidence is heard in court. Microsoft may be looking at its options should it not get a favorable decision.

Microsoft president Brad Smith is reportedly personally visiting the UK and hopes to meet the UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to discuss potential remedies to the CMA ruling. Smith will be in the country to conduct a talk about Artificial Intelligence and strengthened regulations around the technology. He will also be holding a number of private functions in the country."

It did mention they could pull out of the UK. Will they, who knows. But realisticly if the uk was the ONLY one stopping the merger, I bet Microsoft would. I don't believe everything i am told. But this would make be realistic in a buisness stand point.
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You are reading xfire's incorrect interpretation of the Bloomberg article I linked. Again, read the actual article. Not some bullshit from what xfire is.

Here.....this is the actual article xfire is referencing"

Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith will meet with UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt next week to voice his frustration over the shock decision by Britain's competition regulator to block its $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard Inc.

Smith is set to hold talks with Hunt as well as officials from the Competition and Markets Authority, the agency that wielded the April 26 veto, according to people familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Microsoft confirmed that Smith will be in London, where he's giving a "scheduled talk about the potential of AI and the need for thoughtful regulation of it." He'll also hold private discussions on other issues, "including the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard as we remain committed to finding creative and constructive ways to address remaining regulatory concerns," a Microsoft representative said.

Smith is expected to point to the benefits of the acquisition for gamers and push back against the move to block the industry's largest merger — a decision that will soon play out in a special UK antitrust court. Hunt previously criticized the CMA's veto, telling a business conference recently that competition watchdogs must "understand their wider responsibilities."

Despite Hunt's comments, one of the people said government ministers were "unhappy" with some of Smith's criticism of the CMA in interviews in which he claimed that the European Union — which approved the takeover — was a better place to do business than the UK. The government holds no formal role in the enforcement of the country's competition rules, but members of the CMA board are appointed by the UK's business department.

Smith will also sit down with Microsoft's legal representatives to discuss the firm's strategy to counter the CMA decision, laying out a series of options that the company could take to save the deal.

One extreme option could be to bypass the UK order and press ahead with the deal, or withdraw Activision from the UK market, one of the people said, confirming earlier reports by regulatory news outfit Mlex.

The company is also likely to draw on the EU's findings in its legal arguments against the CMA, after EU merger officials conditionally approved the record-breaking gaming merger last month.

The Chancellor's office declined to comment. Activision didn't respond to a request for comment. The confidential discussions will take place as Smith takes part in London Tech Week, an event aimed at boosting the UK's technology industry.

While the CMA said the merger would reinforce Microsoft's advantage in the cloud gaming market, EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager called it "pro-competitive" and said that it could "kick-start" the cloud streaming market.

Following the regulator's block, Microsoft appealed to the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal. An opening hearing into the substance of Microsoft's appeal is slated for the week beginning July 24.
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KellyM said:
from the article i listed.
"According to a report by Bloomberg, Microsoft could opt to pull Activision games from the UK market as a last resort to the disapproval of its proposed acquisition of the Call of Duty and Diablo 4 publisher. The verdict is still under appeal with a decision set to be announced late in July after additional evidence is heard in court. Microsoft may be looking at its options should it not get a favorable decision.

Microsoft president Brad Smith is reportedly personally visiting the UK and hopes to meet the UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to discuss potential remedies to the CMA ruling. Smith will be in the country to conduct a talk about Artificial Intelligence and strengthened regulations around the technology. He will also be holding a number of private functions in the country."

It did mention they could pull out of the UK. Will they, who knows. But realisticly if the uk was the ONLY one stopping the merger, I bet Microsoft would. I don't believe everything i am told. But this would make be realistic in a buisness stand point.
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Does it really say that? I can't see it because I don't have an account. Who exactly is saying it?

All I can see is:
Microsoft Corp. President Brad Smith will meet with UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt next week to voice his frustration over the shock decision by Britain's competition regulator to block its $69 billion takeover of Activision Blizzard Inc.

Smith is set to hold talks with Hunt as well as officials from the Competition and Markets Authority, the agency that wielded the April 26 veto, according to people familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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3liteDragon said:
Based on everything I've seen so far: On Monday, either Kotick is walking away from the deal with $3B or a merger extension is happening, I'm leaning towards the extension agreement happening. I don't think they're closing the deal on Monday, that's my prediction.
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But to have an extension they need to go back to shareholders right?
 
jroc74 said:
Welp....

Round 3? I lost count.....
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/s
Hopefully they appeal on something that the judge will understand straight away like ....

Xbox can't be in third place, because the Switch isn't a DVD/Blu-ray player and doesn't have streaming apps like Disney Plus, unlike Xbox and PlayStation.
 
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Bitmap Frogs said:
Join the bet, if the cma blocks you get to eat the demented british delicacy called the wigan slappy and pretend it's the best thing you've eaten in your life.
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not to be confused with a wigan slapper, which would be the second best thing you've ever eaten in your life (behind the pie butty)

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adamsapple said:




Posted ?
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I interpret that as a dare, which the FTC just accepted. :messenger_squinting_tongue:

Now let's see if the FTC argues to the Court of Appeal's that a stay would pose no harm to MS because they are re-opening negotiations anyway. :messenger_tears_of_joy:

And I've got to stop drinking coffee and watching this thread today. 😲
 
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