• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

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.
Yoboman

Yoboman

Member
My thoughts on DLC exclusives is that they are usually ass. They are far more of a bullet point than anything worthwhile. I got the Hogwarts one which I think was a costume and never used it

Probably the only substantial DLC exclusive I remember is the GTA IV DLCs and after a couple days of being jealous I forgot they existed and didn't buy them when it came to PS3

Timed and full exclusives are worse. But at the same time they give value and differentiation to a console and make it worth owning both
 
O

Ozriel

M$FT
Varteras said:
I would agree if Final Fantasy was underperforming. It's not. It's these other projects they just throw out there. The sales aren't meeting their expectations on any platform. So they need to figure that shit out. Don't spend as much money on them? Reduce the number of projects and focus your teams on more likely hits? Don't ever pull a Forspoken again? It just seems like for every game Square Enix nails they feel they need to match it with an equal disaster or two. I've said for a while now. That company needs a whole new management team.
Click to expand...

Well, they can pretty much only make AAA FF games once every 4-5 years. They need to fill in the gaps with smaller projects.

Limiting their platforms for AAA games doesn’t help.
 
O

Ozriel

M$FT
Three said:
Sony were advertising exclusivity on the box? colour me surprised.

not sure how that's relevant to users not only being Ok with exclusive content but gloating and hoping Playstation fails. Again, I guess the tag really is accurate even when there is no relevance.
Click to expand...

You’re really getting a lot of mileage from posts from 2006.

Those were shitty then, but still outliers.
 
Yoboman

Yoboman

Member
Ozriel said:
You’re really getting a lot of mileage from posts from 2006.

Those were shitty then, but still outliers.
Click to expand...
Not really. It's not like everybody was trolling all the time, but it was common sentiment back then, like Xbox first party issues or Jim Ryan hate now
 
T

Three

Member
Ozriel said:
You’re really getting a lot of mileage from posts from 2006.

Those were shitty then, but still outliers.
Click to expand...

when somebody talks about GTA4 specifically and how it was Ok back then, what year do you expect me to post threads from to show it actually was ok back then?
 
Last edited:
phil_t98

phil_t98

#SonyToo
Three said:
We know exclusivity is everywhere and done by everybody but we were talking about nobody complaining about it back then, only now when deflecting.
Click to expand...

as somebody else posted earlier these forms were rife with complaints about it, you not been here that long?
 
T

Three

Member
phil_t98 said:
as somebody else posted earlier these forms were rife with complaints about it, you not been here that long?
Click to expand...
They weren't. It was mostly full of gloating, how Sony are fucked, or indifference. If you still don't think it was, here is the e3 event thread where it was announced searching GTA4, hard to find anybody at all complaining about it.
 
Last edited:
M

majestix1988

Member
Mostly jrpg developers skip Xbox due to their performance of major jrpg makes such as square enix and some jrpg develop skip it after releasing one game(Ys series only Xbox got its just YS origins)
Atelier Series and Trails Series skip it alot only doing PS4/switch pc combo release and other games such as disgaea or neptunia....

Xbox can get jrpg games if they ask developer mostly it's bandai namco anime related games such as one piece odyssey and Sword art online series meanwhile only tales of arise on Xbox adding tales of vesperia on Xbox 360(Xillia series is PS3 exclusives and Zestiria/Berseria(PS3/PS4 and steam only)

Even now you can only forward to get on Xbox for jrpg is just Suikoden I and II remaster HD(2023 release) and like a dragon(Yakuza) 8

Even Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters(1 to 6 for consoles skip Xbox too)
 
GHG

GHG

Gold Member
People really need to get over exclusives/timed exclusives/marketing deals/etc.

They always have and always will be part of the industry. These things are part of every industry in fact. How can you be so naive to think that business partnerships shouldn't exist? It's not everyone else's fault if Xbox has struggled to have fruitful partnerships of late, at its core that's a business relations issue.
 
R

reksveks

Member
phil_t98

phil_t98

#SonyToo
Three said:
They weren't. It was mostly full of gloating, how Sony are fucked, or indifference. If you still don't think it was, here is the e3 event thread where it was announced searching GTA4, hard to find anybody at all complaining about it.
Click to expand...

yeah gloating that GTA wasn't a timed exclusive to PS for once. read the comments

remember the previous GTA's were exclusive or massive timed exclusive to PS
 
Last edited:
T

Three

Member
phil_t98 said:
yeah gloating that GTA wasn't a timed exclusive to PS for once. read the comments

remember the previous GTA's were exclusive or massive timed exclusive to PS
Click to expand...
maybe but again how is that relevant, it only proves the point that there were less complaints? You're saying this forum was "rife with complaints" about GTA4 exclusive content, show me where that was happening.
 
Last edited:
Poltz

Poltz

Member
At the time, Rockstar was making to look the jump from 2D to 3D with the GTA series, and this is ultimately what deterred a board of Xbox executives from accepting their pitch to put GTA 3 on the original Xbox. "They felt that it was complicated," said Bachus of the group. "They didn't really understand the interface, they thought that it was based on a game that hadn't been all that successful. To my surprise, it was rejected."

Unfortunately for the group of Xbox executives, this would lead Sony to sign Rockstar's GTA 3 to a timed exclusivity deal on the PS2. Even more unfortunately, GTA 3 would go on to sell 14.5 million units, as recounted by a weary Bachus during the documentary, and would be the top-selling game of 2001 (and it would've been the top-selling game of 2002 if not for its own sequel).
Click to expand...

It’s Sony’s fault.

https://www.gamesradar.com/xbox-rejected-gta-3-because-it-didnt-think-rockstar-could-make-it/
 
Last edited:
Yoboman

Yoboman

Member
Poltz said:
zwNXcoI.jpg
It’s Sony’s fault.
Click to expand...
I still find it amazing we once had GTAs yearly
 
O

Ozriel

M$FT
GHG said:
People really need to get over exclusives/timed exclusives/marketing deals/etc.

They always have and always will be part of the industry. These things are part of every industry in fact. How can you be so naive to think that business partnerships shouldn't exist?
Click to expand...

mergers and acquisitions are also part of the industry. And yet we have a nearly 800 page thread with lots of angry people.
 
Poltz

Poltz

Member
adamsapple said:
"Core" game mode is an odd distinction. It was a game mode exclusive to one platform for a year, that's the distinction.


-


Edit: JFTC has cleared the deal without needing phase 2 reviews. (Japan's FTC)


Click to expand...

You are talking like it's Team Death Match. It's a small game mode that was tacked on.
 
GHG

GHG

Gold Member
Ozriel said:
mergers and acquisitions are also part of the industry. And yet we have a nearly 800 page thread with lots of angry people.
Click to expand...

Nobody has ever said they aren't, however this is one of the biggest ones in corporate history for any industry. Of course it's going to create a lot of discussion. The size of this deal is what makes it not so normal, for the industry it's unprecedented.

What do you want people to do? Not discuss it? What do you want regulators to do? Not do the due diligence and assess/investigate it? Not sure why you want to be reductive about it.
 
RoboFu

RoboFu

One of the green rats
keeping COD multiplatform is kind of a useless measure. There is nothing stopping them from creating an offshoot ip that’s exactly the same by the same developers under MS game studios and making that exclusive.
 
O

Ozriel

M$FT
GHG said:
Nobody has ever said they aren't, however this is one of the biggest ones in corporate history for any industry. Of course it's going to create a lot of discussion. The size of this deal is what makes it not so normal, for the industry it's unprecedented.

What do you want people to do? Not discuss it? What do you want regulators to do? Not do the due diligence and assess/investigate it? Not sure why you want to be reductive about it.
Click to expand...

Not sure where I said discussion isn’t allowed or whatever. I specifically mentioned ‘angry people’. Certainly didn’t kick back against regulation too.

People need to get over the size of the acquisition. All part of the industry too.
 
B

b6a6es

Banned
with all the news about senators pressuring Sony Group about Japan makes it clear as day they wont be buying any Japanese publishers anytime soon, and jim ryan’s management team was literally Gambling with the regulators about this so called *high end console market* as it was a Do or Die Situation for Sony Group in regards to SIE,

that not only backfired on their faces, but ultimately could deny them from ever buying a Japanese publisher with that (98/2 market share),

and just to add salt to injury, it’s also laying the foundation for Microsoft to acquire Japanese publishers, be it capcom, SE, Sega if not all of them now with little to no concessions ….

Unfortunately that genie is outta the bag and no amount of *oopsies* from SIE’s executives could fix it, and At this point I sincerely believe Sony Group is finished with Playstation & SIE, and we could see an announcement before the end of 2024 (i called it a year ago)

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/bold...ming-division-before-the-end-of-2024.1627995/
 
Last edited:
O

Ozriel

M$FT
RoboFu said:
keeping COD multiplatform is kind of a useless measure. There is nothing stopping them from creating an offshoot ip that’s exactly the same by the same developers under MS game studios and making that exclusive.
Click to expand...

With what studio? What developers? The same ones on the hook to deliver annual CODs?

A new IP won’t sell as well anyway.
 
Thirty7ven

Thirty7ven

Banned
b6a6es said:
with all the news about senators pressuring Sony Group about Japan makes it clear as day they wont be buying any Japanese publishers anytime soon, and jim ryan’s management team was literally Gambling with the regulators about this so called *high end console market* that not only backfired on their faces, but ultimately could deny them from ever buying a Japanese publisher with that (98/2 market share),

and just to add salt to injury, it’s also laying the foundation for Microsoft to acquire Japanese publishers, be it capcom, SE, Sega if not all of them….

At this point I sincerely believe Sony Group is finished with Playstation & SIE, and we could see an announcement before the end of 2024 (i called it)

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/bold...ming-division-before-the-end-of-2024.1627995/
Click to expand...

Maybe they sell it to Nintendo. They did say MS were trying to turn them into Nintendo.

And they have already signed a ten year contract with Nintendo. Check mate. This is chess it ain’t checkers.
 
Last edited:
RoboFu

RoboFu

One of the green rats
Ozriel said:
With what studio? What developers? The same ones on the hook to deliver annual CODs?

A new IP won’t sell as well anyway.
Click to expand...
Maybe but they could put “ from the developers of COD” all over it.

Even call it something like “ Cash On Delivery! New from the developers of Call Of Duty “. 😂😂
 
T

Three

Member
Ozriel said:
GTA 4 wasn’t released in 2006, though. But you tried. Just two years off
Click to expand...
What are you even trying to say here? Did I say it released in 2006?

The xbox exclusive content was announced in 2006 at E3. The other thread I linked about people gloating is from 2008.

Do you have a point here or are you trying to argue for argument's sake?
 
Last edited:
GHG

GHG

Gold Member
Ozriel said:
Not sure where I said discussion isn’t allowed or whatever. I specifically mentioned ‘angry people’. Certainly didn’t kick back against regulation too.

People need to get over the size of the acquisition. All part of the industry too.
Click to expand...

For this industry, it's really not. Like I said, this is unprecedented and doesn't happen unless money from outside of the industry is being used.

You can specifically mention "angry people" all you want. I wasn't referring to only those who are angry, it was a general statement.
 
Bernardougf

Bernardougf

Gold Member
Cyborg said:
Hope that a lot of us will be alive to see how this unfolds in 10 years.
Click to expand...
Really dont think is going to take all that ... Ill give it 2 to 3 years ... when the existing deal with ABK will end... if of course sony dosent sign up an 10 year airtight deal directly with MS witch I believe they wont.

In 2025 MS will say fuck it ... make COD exclusive and absorb the pocket change fine or simply change the franchise name to something else (while maintaining cod warzone) and use some loophole

Bookmark and ill eat all the crow in the world if im wrong
 
Last edited:
feynoob

feynoob

Banned
b6a6es said:
with all the news about senators pressuring Sony Group about Japan makes it clear as day they wont be buying any Japanese publishers anytime soon, and jim ryan’s management team was literally Gambling with the regulators about this so called *high end console market* as it was a Do or Die Situation for Sony Group in regards to SIE,

that not only backfired on their faces, but ultimately could deny them from ever buying a Japanese publisher with that (98/2 market share),

and just to add salt to injury, it’s also laying the foundation for Microsoft to acquire Japanese publishers, be it capcom, SE, Sega if not all of them now with little to no concessions ….

Unfortunately that genie is outta the bag and no amount of *oopsies* from SIE’s executives could fix it, and At this point I sincerely believe Sony Group is finished with Playstation & SIE, and we could see an announcement before the end of 2024 (i called it a year ago)

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/bold...ming-division-before-the-end-of-2024.1627995/
Click to expand...
Look it's another "Xbox is dead" in form of PS.

Neither company will leave this industry people.
 
B

BeardGawd

Banned
Yoboman said:
EU ruling is April 25
Don't think the EU regulators themselves have said anything

UK April 26
UK have ruled out console issues in their provisional findings but additional responses are still likely before the end of the month
At this point UK have made no changes to their request for structural/behavioural remedies

US who knows when

After everything MS have said and also saying they want more acquisitions they'd be very foolish to go back on their statements. And they would still be hoping Sony signs to get EU and US over the line and ensure no additional changes in the UK

If MS need to sign off on behavioural remedies they won't just get to leave out their main competitor
Click to expand...
EU regulators said there are no issues for consoles.

CMA after changing it's mind also agrees there are no issues for consoles.

Sony painted themselves in a corner. If they don't get a 10 year contract it will be their own fault.
 
Last edited:
IFireflyl

IFireflyl

Gold Member
Ozriel said:
Not sure where I said discussion isn’t allowed or whatever. I specifically mentioned ‘angry people’. Certainly didn’t kick back against regulation too.

People need to get over the size of the acquisition. All part of the industry too.
Click to expand...

Yeah, GHG GHG . You're allowed to discuss it. It's just required that you get over the issues that you disagree with when you discuss it. How are you not getting this?
 
PaintTinJr

PaintTinJr

Member
b6a6es said:
with all the news about senators pressuring Sony Group about Japan makes it clear as day they wont be buying any Japanese publishers anytime soon, and jim ryan’s management team was literally Gambling with the regulators about this so called *high end console market* as it was a Do or Die Situation for Sony Group in regards to SIE,

that not only backfired on their faces, but ultimately could deny them from ever buying a Japanese publisher with that (98/2 market share),

and just to add salt to injury, it’s also laying the foundation for Microsoft to acquire Japanese publishers, be it capcom, SE, Sega if not all of them now with little to no concessions ….

Unfortunately that genie is outta the bag and no amount of *oopsies* from SIE’s executives could fix it, and At this point I sincerely believe Sony Group is finished with Playstation & SIE, and we could see an announcement before the end of 2024 (i called it a year ago)

https://www.neogaf.com/threads/bold...ming-division-before-the-end-of-2024.1627995/
Click to expand...
IMO Market share wouldn't count for anything if the choice is between Japanese developers staying in business by being bought by Sony, or going out of business, now or in 2years when Xbox buy them and probably shutter them through inability to sell a home console the Japanese public want to buy. Although if Microsoft were the other buyer their +95% market OS share for gaming PCs would skew that share massively IMO..

The 98% share isn't even because PlayStation is doing well in Japan, it is because high-end consoles are all struggling in a country where gaming has apparently became a commuting pastime - presumably because of Japan's gamers being largely time and space poor, now and Nintendo focusing on that as their target.

Saving jobs is high up on most governments priorities, denying Sony acquisitions to risk domestic jobs doesn't sound like a realistic scenario to me.
 
DaGwaphics

DaGwaphics

Member
adamsapple said:
I think they would have said a lot more if MS wasn't bending over backwards trying to appease them. Their biggest concerns, after MS's assurances, was the CoD foreclosure, which seems to have resolved itself.
Click to expand...

The only thing they've loosened up on is a partial foreclosure strategy (timed exclusive with perks). If Sony had a 10 year deal on the table that included a parity clause, they should take it while it's there because it likely would not be something offered to them post close of the deal.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Microsoft has Closed the Activision Blizzard King Deal
22 23 24 25 26
1K
72K
MasterCornholio replied
Microsoft now says the CMA was ‘tough and fair’ over Activision Blizzard deal
Opinion Business Game Dev
17
2K
DaGwaphics replied
FTC appeals to block already-completed Microsoft-Activision deal
2
63
5K
Mythoclast replied
  • Locked
UK minister defends CMA's decision to block MS/ABK
News
0
725
Daniel_Mallorca1985 replied
  • Locked
Microsoft to sell off Activision cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft in bid for UK approval
News Business 2 3 4
154
13K
Spyxos replied
Top Bottom