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[kingfey]

Microsoft says the Activision Blizzard acquisition is ‘moving fast’ | VGC

The Xbox owner intends to purchase the Call of Duty publisher for close to $69 billion…

www.videogameschronicle.com

Microsoft president Brad Smith has claimed the company’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is proceeding relatively quickly.

It was announced in January that the Xbox owner intends to purchase Activision Blizzard in a $68.7 billion deal – the game industry’s biggest ever by some distance.

Microsoft said at the time that it hoped to complete the deal in the first half of 2023, subject to closing conditions and the completion of a regulatory review.

The US Federal Trade Commission is handling an antitrust review of the deal to determine whether the takeover would give Xbox an unfair competitive advantage.

And in a new interview with Belgian business publication L’Echo, Smith said Microsoft has also received requests for information on the deal from European and UK competition regulators.

was now entering its middle phase.

“It’s moving fast, at least fast enough for an acquisition of this size,” said Smith. “We have received requests for information on this subject here in Brussels, but also in London and Washington. We answer questions, we give briefings and we provide the information requested.

“One of our attorneys summed it up nicely by saying, ‘We’re coming to the end of the beginning and now we’re entering the beginning of the middle.’

“It’s a long process and we’re still at the stage where we’re answering questions. For us, of course, the sooner it is done the better, but we will respect the process.”

Microsoft’s proposed merger with Activision Blizzard would give the Xbox maker exclusive ownership of franchises including Call of Duty, Warcraft, Overwatch, Crash Bandicoot and Candy Crush.

Should it gain regulatory approval, Microsoft has said it will continue to release Activision Blizzard games, including Call of Duty titles, for PlayStation consoles following the acquisition and beyond existing contractual agreements, and that it wants to make more of the publisher’s games available to Nintendo players too.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

 

[adamsapple]

Cool. Wonder when's realistically possible for it to close, barring any FTC shenanigans.

By Modern Warfare 2 like ManaByte suggested ?

 

[Wohc]

Just make wow free to play, i don't care about the rest.

 

[RavenSan]

I'm curious to see how things change with Actiblizzion games if this deal goes through. I'd love a "call of duty as a platform" honestly. I understand that potentially cut revenue by not having an annual release, but I think it'd be better for the game as a whole since you would stop fracturing the playerbase every year.

 

[BennyBlanco]

Just make wow free to play, i don't care about the rest.

And put starcraft 2 on steam

 

[kingfey]

And put starcraft 2 on steam

Every Activision and Blizzard games would be on steam.

 

[lh032]

 

[ManaByte]

You don't need Starfield on Gamepass in November when you have Modern Warfare 2 on Gamepass in November.

 

[skit_data]

I think it will be finished in mid 2023 if

‘We’re coming to the end of the beginning and now we’re entering the beginning of the middle.’

is anything to go by.

 

[ManaByte]

I think it will be finished in mid 2023 if

is anything to go by.

If that makes you feel better to believe that, go ahead, but there's no way the middle part takes a whole year. This part is usually the fastest actually.

 

[adamsapple]

You don't need Starfield on Gamepass in November when you have Modern Warfare 2 on Gamepass in November.

 

[onesvenus]

I think it will be finished in mid 2023 if

is anything to go by.

Mid 2023 was their worst projection.
I don't see it closing before this year but I can see it closing before spring next year if there's no pushback from the FTC

 

[skit_data]

If that makes you feel better to believe that, go ahead, but there's no way the middle part takes a whole year. This part is usually the fastest actually.

It’s entirely possible, but I’m suggesting each ”part” to take ~6 months if the beginning part is anything to go by.

 

[kingfey]

It’s entirely possible, but I’m suggesting each ”part” to take ~6 months if the beginning part is anything to go by.

It depends on what information the ftc wants. Usually deals close faster, if both ftc and the purchaser cooperate faster.

 

[ManaByte]

It depends on what information the ftc wants. Usually deals close faster, if both ftc and the purchaser cooperate faster.

Yea looking at a similar sized merger, Disney/Fox approval went really fast. The only thing that slowed it down during regulatory approval was one country flipped a fit over Disney owning the regional sports networks; which they quickly divested, and then it flew through approval.

 

[Mr.ODST]

If it completed earlier, MS will most likely add every Blizzard game to gamepass like bethesda did?

It wont happen but if MW2 ever game to gamepass day one how much of a pull would that be to people to the service?

 

[StealthGoblin]

You don't need Starfield on Gamepass in November when you have Modern Warfare 2 on Gamepass in November.

All of Sony’s marketing deals contain contractual obligations about GamePass. It’s why Avengers took a full year or so.

 

[MOTM]

How is this so? All the armchair lawyers told us that MS should be worried.

 

[Topher]

How is this so? All the armchair lawyers told us that MS should be worried.

And other "armchair lawyers" told "us" FTC is powerless to stop anything. As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

 

[Kssio_Aug]

If it completed earlier, MS will most likely add every Blizzard game to gamepass like bethesda did?

It wont happen but if MW2 ever game to gamepass day one how much of a pull would that be to people to the service?

It was always said that every MS 1st party game would be on Game Pass day one. I understand that recently after an acquisition it might not happen due to contract reasons, but yeah, every Activision game, including CoD should go to GP, and then start to release there day one. At least that's how it's suppose to be nowadays.

 

[adamsapple]

If it completed earlier, MS will most likely add every Blizzard game to gamepass like bethesda did?

It wont happen but if MW2 ever game to gamepass day one how much of a pull would that be to people to the service?

I don't think we should realistically expect *every* game, even Bethesda didn't add every game.

*longingly looks at Wet on Xbox 360* (It's not even on the BC list sigh)

 

[MOTM]

And other "armchair lawyers" told "us" FTC is powerless to stop anything. As usual, the truth is somewhere in the middle.

Latching on to the FTC as a last hope this doesn’t go through

I’d rather bet my money on MS’s army of real life lawyers than listen to what any nobody on this forum has to say about M&A’s

 

[Craig of War]

All of Sony’s marketing deals contain contractual obligations about GamePass. It’s why Avengers took a full year or so.

If im not mistaking them COD deal that Sony sign with Activision were before gamepass even existed

 

[FalsettoVibe]

You don't need Starfield on Gamepass in November when you have Modern Warfare 2 on Gamepass in November.

People that love CoD are gonna get CoD anyway...........regardless of GP. Its not a replacement for Starfield.

 

[ManaByte]

If im not mistaking them COD deal that Sony sign with Activision were before gamepass even existed

 

[Topher]

Latching on to the FTC as a last hope this doesn’t go through

I’d rather bet my money on MS’s army of real life lawyers than listen to what any nobody on this forum has to say about M&A’s

Yeah, if I were a betting man then my money would be on MS getting this done. No doubt in my mind. And if this acquisition helps to return Blizzard to something resembling their pre-Activision greatness then I'm all for it.

If im not mistaking them COD deal that Sony sign with Activision were before gamepass even existed

I don't believe the marketing contract that was revealed mentioned Game Pass by name. It was broader than that.

Edit: Correction. They do list Game Pass by name, but it lists several services including Xbox Live Gold which was obviously around long before Game Pass and also specifically says "or similar Competitive Platform subscription service". They pretty much covered the bases I'd say.

 

[jorgejjvr]

fast enough to get mw2 on gamepass?

 

[SportsFan581]

I don't believe the marketing contract that was revealed mentioned Game Pass by name. It was broader than that.

Spencer did say he would try his best to bring as much of the AB catalog to GP, this might have been why he avoided being specific. The marketing deals are maybe a problem.

Although, if Sony has changed some of its terms or wanted to, possibly they renegotiated that limitation. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

 

[Jennings]

Okay, cool. If it moves fast enough they can bolster the Gamepass library with new games, saving 2022 and silencing some of the naysayers.

 

[Topher]

Spencer did say he would try his best to bring as much of the AB catalog to GP, this might have been why he avoided being specific. The marketing deals are maybe a problem.

Although, if Sony has changed some of its terms or wanted to, possibly they renegotiated that limitation. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Starfield coming to PS5 confirmed.

 

[SportsFan581]

Starfield coming to PS5 confirmed.

I would be surprised. We might see some AB titles on PS+ extra or whatever it's called or trials or something like that.

 

[Ozriel]

Marketing contracts are tailored to the party’s demands.
The fact that Capcom agreed on certain constraints does not mean that the likes of Activision or EA would do so.

Sony has marketing deals for GTA and FIFA. Doesn’t stop their games from showing up on subscription services on competing consoles.

 

[The_Mike]

Marketing contracts are tailored to the party’s demands.
The fact that Capcom agreed on certain constraints does not mean that the likes of Activision or EA would do so.

Sony has marketing deals for GTA and FIFA. Doesn’t stop their games from showing up on subscription services on competing consoles.

Theres a big difference between a marketing contract and company ownership. And no marketing deal is the same.

It would make sense to compare it to Bungie, but that's too early to tell (just like with Activision Blizzard)

 

[Holammer]

And put starcraft 2 on steam

Think bigger, migrate your Blizzard app games to Steam.

 

[ANIMAL1975]

Microsoft says the Activision Blizzard acquisition is ‘moving fast’ | VGC

The Xbox owner intends to purchase the Call of Duty publisher for close to $69 billion…

www.videogameschronicle.com

Microsoft president Brad Smith has claimed the company’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is proceeding relatively quickly.

It was announced in January that the Xbox owner intends to purchase Activision Blizzard in a $68.7 billion deal – the game industry’s biggest ever by some distance.

Microsoft said at the time that it hoped to complete the deal in the first half of 2023, subject to closing conditions and the completion of a regulatory review.

The US Federal Trade Commission is handling an antitrust review of the deal to determine whether the takeover would give Xbox an unfair competitive advantage.

And in a new interview with Belgian business publication L’Echo, Smith said Microsoft has also received requests for information on the deal from European and UK competition regulators.

was now entering its middle phase.

“It’s moving fast, at least fast enough for an acquisition of this size,” said Smith. “We have received requests for information on this subject here in Brussels, but also in London and Washington. We answer questions, we give briefings and we provide the information requested.

“One of our attorneys summed it up nicely by saying, ‘We’re coming to the end of the beginning and now we’re entering the beginning of the middle.’

“It’s a long process and we’re still at the stage where we’re answering questions. For us, of course, the sooner it is done the better, but we will respect the process.”

Microsoft’s proposed merger with Activision Blizzard would give the Xbox maker exclusive ownership of franchises including Call of Duty, Warcraft, Overwatch, Crash Bandicoot and Candy Crush.

Should it gain regulatory approval, Microsoft has said it will continue to release Activision Blizzard games, including Call of Duty titles, for PlayStation consoles following the acquisition and beyond existing contractual agreements, and that it wants to make more of the publisher’s games available to Nintendo players too.

That Diversity Tools already delivering

 

[kingfey]

Marketing contracts are tailored to the party’s demands.
The fact that Capcom agreed on certain constraints does not mean that the likes of Activision or EA would do so.

Sony has marketing deals for GTA and FIFA. Doesn’t stop their games from showing up on subscription services on competing consoles.

This is something people need to understand.
Sony can't block games to go to certain service.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

Marketing contracts are tailored to the party’s demands.
The fact that Capcom agreed on certain constraints does not mean that the likes of Activision or EA would do so.

Sony has marketing deals for GTA and FIFA. Doesn’t stop their games from showing up on subscription services on competing consoles.

It does stop them from showing up day one

 

[kingfey]

It does stop them from showing up day one

It doesn't. It depends if the company agrees to it or not.

 

[poppabk]

Yeah, if I were a betting man then my money would be on MS getting this done. No doubt in my mind. And if this acquisition helps to return Blizzard to something resembling their pre-Activision greatness then I'm all for it.



I don't believe the marketing contract that was revealed mentioned Game Pass by name. It was broader than that.

Edit: Correction. They do list Game Pass by name, but it lists several services including Xbox Live Gold which was obviously around long before Game Pass and also specifically says "or similar Competitive Platform subscription service". They pretty much covered the bases I'd say.

The first part goes out the window as it refers to third parties, which MS would not be. Not sure how the second part would even work, when there would be no offer to match.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

It doesn't. It depends if the company agrees to it or not.

Which they all will. You're not paying anyone for marketing privilages just for them to fuck you over

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

The first part goes out the window as it refers to third parties, which MS would not be. Not sure how the second part would even work, when there would be no offer to match.

Microsoft is a third party from the perspective of Sony

 

[kingfey]

Which they all will. You're not paying anyone for marketing privilages just for them to fuck you over

Ea and ubisoft would like to say HI with their subs.

 

[The_Mike]

It doesn't. It depends if the company agrees to it or not.

 

[phil_t98]

Microsoft is a third party from the perspective of Sony

and Sony are going more Multiplatform to. unless you missed the post yesterday so Sony in the same boat from the perspective of Microsoft

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/sony-acquisition-of-bungie-represents-a-major-step-forward-in-becoming-more-multiplatform.1636797/page-2#post-266177123

 

[Hendrick's]

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

and Sony are going more Multiplatform to. unless you missed the post yesterday so Sony in the same boat from the perspective of Microsoft

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/sony-acquisition-of-bungie-represents-a-major-step-forward-in-becoming-more-multiplatform.1636797/page-2#post-266177123

What does that have to do with anything?

 

[MasterCornholio]

OMG this is so funny.

Your Avatar got him banned BTW.

Ass of Can Whooping

 

[Topher]

The first part goes out the window as it refers to third parties, which MS would not be. Not sure how the second part would even work, when there would be no offer to match.

From the contract's perspective, any party outside of Sony and the company agreeing to the contract would be third party, including Microsoft.

 

[elliot5]

Bethesda took like 6 months to fully envelop, i wonder if Activision will take just a year in comparison so around the January timeframe.