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Microsoft / Activision Deal Approval Watch |OT| (MS/ABK close)

Do you believe the deal will be approved?


  • Total voters
    886
  • Poll closed .
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feynoob

Gold Member
Any nominal market share that Firewalk and Deviation can take from CoD would be a significant boon to Sony.

Best CoD sold 31 million copies. If Firewalk and Deviation can collectively take even 20 percent of CoD market share directly to Sony, it’ll greatly diminish the value of CoD.

Sony buying Firewalk is a suggestion that they’re very pleased with the progress Firewalk is making on their title. Suffice to say if your company is entirely reliant on one IP, it’s quite dangerous to your longevity and continuity.

I think there are general concerns for Deviation with them losing one of their founders so early, but we’ll see what they’re able to produce.

These games could bomb or they could be massive hits. It’s really Sony’s first foray into investing heavily into multiplayer and of course we can’t forget about Bungie.
Sorry to ruin your dream, but that would be impossible.

Live service games aren't easy task. For every successful 1 live service game, several die in the process.
 

Three

Member
The only problem would be Valve's compliance.

I understand Nvidia or other cloud streaming services not getting a cut of the MTX. But in that case I also believe that Nvidia/cloud streamers shouldn't have to get permission to stream the games.

It's a very nuanced problem.
The issue comes down to the games EULA mostly. Publishers have control. Personally I agree with you that permission shouldn't be required but then there are issues around DRM and contracts with other models. For example a publisher might not be happy with the idea that a user can buy the game once in Thailand and share it with his cousin in the USA via the cloud or they might just want a subscription provider to pay for exclusive rights to stream the game on their platform.
 
Sorry to ruin your dream, but that would be impossible.

Live service games aren't easy task. For every successful 1 live service game, several die in the process.

Certainly no guarantees of anything, but it’s certainly possible for Sony‘s investments in FPS to really pay off here.

Maybe you’re too young to remember, but Sony wasn’t really taken very seriously as a 1st party studio back in the day. They had Gran Turismo and the occasional mildly successful game like twisted metal or arc the lad, but they weren’t really known for their first party production until the PS3 generation where they were able to combine the success of the PS2s God of war and uncharted followed by Last of Us.

They’ve tried to make MP games before with limited success Killzone, Resistance, e.t.c. but there was never really a major cross platform push from them until now.

I think it would be really ignorant to ignore their potential here. They’re obviously putting a lot of money towards building studios with veteran leadership in this very area. That’s not something they’ve done before. I think these games will be high quality with heavy marketing and brand tie in.
 

Topher

Gold Member
Here's another one for the "florian mueller is an idiot" portfolio.

Advocating for MS to take a hardline tactic against the UK referencing this merger from two years ago.




Dumbass didn't bother to see what happened later......

"A month later the EU blocked Illumina’s $8bn acquisition of Grail, a cancer test developer that was initially founded by Illumina but spun off in 2017.

Since then, the company has downgraded its profit forecasts and announced it is cutting 5 per cent of its 10,000 workers. And within the next few weeks Brussels is expected to hit it with a fine of up to 10 per cent of revenues or about $450mn, for closing the Grail deal despite opposition from regulators."



 
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feynoob

Gold Member
Certainly no guarantees of anything, but it’s certainly possible for Sony‘s investments in FPS to really pay off here.

Maybe you’re too young to remember, but Sony wasn’t really taken very seriously as a 1st party studio back in the day. They had Gran Turismo and the occasional mildly successful game like twisted metal or arc the lad, but they weren’t really known for their first party production until the PS3 generation where they were able to combine the success of the PS2s God of war and uncharted followed by Last of Us.

They’ve tried to make MP games before with limited success Killzone, Resistance, e.t.c. but there was never really a major cross platform push from them until now.

I think it would be really ignorant to ignore their potential here. They’re obviously putting a lot of money towards building studios with veteran leadership in this very area. That’s not something they’ve done before. I think these games will be high quality with heavy marketing and brand tie in.
Potential is there. But shooter live service isn't an easy task.
With Sony making multiple live service games, that could be a disaster for them, if they have a lot of shooter live service games in their belt.

They will be cannibalizing each other.
 

Topher

Gold Member
Ok.....which one of you is on twitter rubbing it in?



Ryan Gosling Lol GIF
Cracking Up Lol GIF
The Office Lol GIF
 

jm89

Member
Ok.....which one of you is on twitter rubbing it in?



Ryan Gosling Lol GIF
Cracking Up Lol GIF
The Office Lol GIF

Ugh a news report from GB news aswell.

No surprise. I don't think any other news channels(or at least the major ones) in the UK would be parroting brad smiths lines and agreeing with it.

Bottom of the barrel news channel.
 
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Gone

Banned
Serious question
Couldn't the CMA tell Microsoft beforehand that if they need the deal to go through they'll have to do
A-
B-
C-
About the cloud market and see if Microsoft agree/do those said things, Wouldn't that be better for everyone involved instead of this cat and mouse game?

instead, we got Microsoft offering what they think is enough but it's actually not for the CMA and we ended up with the deal getting blocked.
 

feynoob

Gold Member

https://www.allenovery.com/en-gb/gl...s/uk-revamps-competition-and-consumer-regimes

4. Tougher sanctions for non-compliance with investigations and remedies​

The Bill dramatically increases the upper limits for penalties that apply across the mergers, competition and markets regimes, bringing the UK in line with the sanctioning powers of the EU and other international equivalents:

  • failure to comply with investigations: 1% annual turnover (plus 5% daily penalties) on companies and GBP30,000 (plus GBP15,000 daily penalty) on individuals – this is currently capped at GBP30,000 (plus GBP15,000 daily penalty) for companies
  • failure to comply with remedies, including interim measures, commitments and orders: 5% annual turnover (plus 5% daily penalties) on companies and GBP30,000 (plus GBP15,000 daily penalty) on individuals
The CMA has been calling for tougher civil sanctioning powers for many years. We have seen the CMA hand out huge penalties for breaches of interim enforcement orders in merger control cases, where maximum fines are already 5% of global turnover. We expect it to be bold in its use of this new arsenal.
 

Tomeru

Member
Been seeing references to the CMA vs JD Sports merger. Found the case details on gov.uk. Just skimmed through a bit, but noted the major milestones.

In this case, JD Sports won an appeal against CMA, but the merger was still blocked.

July 2019 Launch of merger inquiry by CMA

October 2019 CMA begins Phase 2 investigation

February 2020 CMA provisionally found competition concerns

June 2020 CMA blocks merger <-- In MS-ABK case, we are here

July 2020 CMA orders JD Sports to find a buyer for Footasylum

November 2020 CAT appeal finds in favor of JD sports saying the CMA "acted irrationally" in two areas of their findings.

December 2020 CMA appeals decision, but the appeal is denied

March 2021 CMA begins reconsideration of the merger

September 2021 CMA provisionally found competition concerns

December 2021 CMA blocks merger

January 2022 CMA orders JD Sports to find a buyer for Footasylum

August 2022 JD Sports sells Footasylum to Aurelius Group

August 2022 Case closure

[/URL]
 

Topher

Gold Member
Serious question
Couldn't the CMA tell Microsoft beforehand that if they need the deal to go through they'll have to do
A-
B-
C-
About the cloud market and see if Microsoft agree/do those said things, Wouldn't that be better for everyone involved instead of this cat and mouse game?

instead, we got Microsoft offering what they think is enough but it's actually not for the CMA and we ended up with the deal getting blocked.

The discussion of remedies was part of phase 2. What CMA proposed didn't work for MS as it would require divestiture.
 

Gone

Banned
The discussion of remedies was part of phase 2. What CMA proposed didn't work for MS as it would require divestiture.
That was about the console market and the CMA said it doesn't represent a future harm.

Then they finished their process by blocking the deal citing Cloud Gaming concerns.
 

Edmund

Member
Guys. Why is Florian Mueller's head so big? I swear I did not photoshop the picture. I got it from here. Someone tell me what's inside his head and why'd it get so big? I'm supposed to go to bed now but I can't after seeing this. I'm scared. Does thinking of Xbox and Microsoft all day cause your head to swell like that?






3fBPkrv.jpg
 
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Topher

Gold Member
That was about the console market and the CMA said it doesn't represent a future harm.

Then they finished their process by blocking the deal citing Cloud Gaming concerns.

Incorrect. The provisional findings included the console market and cloud gaming concurrently. The console market aspect was thrown out but cloud gaming was not.
 
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jm89

Member
That was about the console market and the CMA said it doesn't represent a future harm.

Then they finished their process by blocking the deal citing Cloud Gaming concerns.
They still asked for divestiture for the cloud gaming concerns.
 

feynoob

Gold Member
Guys. Why is Florian Mueller's head so big? I swear I did not photoshop the picture. I got it from here. Someone tell me what's inside his head and why'd it get so big? I'm supposed to go to bed now but I can't after seeing this. I'm scared. Does thinking of Xbox and Microsoft all day cause your head to swell like that?

[/URL]





3fBPkrv.jpg
Dude is making $$$ the bread if that is the case.

I don't blame him. Get that bread while it's fresh.
 

Topher

Gold Member
Guys. Why is Florian Mueller's head so big? I swear I did not photoshop the picture. I got it from here. Someone tell me what's inside his head and why'd it get so big? I'm supposed to go to bed now but I can't after seeing this. I'm scared. Does thinking of Xbox and Microsoft all day cause your head to swell like that?






3fBPkrv.jpg

Ah....shill confirmed.

But bro.....resize that image. You've got that dude taking up every inch of my monitor.

The Original Series GIF by Star Trek
 

bender

What time is it?
Guys. Why is Florian Mueller's head so big? I swear I did not photoshop the picture. I got it from here. Someone tell me what's inside his head and why'd it get so big? I'm supposed to go to bed now but I can't after seeing this. I'm scared. Does thinking of Xbox and Microsoft all day cause your head to swell like that?






3fBPkrv.jpg

Mr. Burns brain and nerve tonic strikes again.
 

Varteras

Gold Member
Certainly no guarantees of anything, but it’s certainly possible for Sony‘s investments in FPS to really pay off here.

Maybe you’re too young to remember, but Sony wasn’t really taken very seriously as a 1st party studio back in the day. They had Gran Turismo and the occasional mildly successful game like twisted metal or arc the lad, but they weren’t really known for their first party production until the PS3 generation where they were able to combine the success of the PS2s God of war and uncharted followed by Last of Us.

They’ve tried to make MP games before with limited success Killzone, Resistance, e.t.c. but there was never really a major cross platform push from them until now.

I think it would be really ignorant to ignore their potential here. They’re obviously putting a lot of money towards building studios with veteran leadership in this very area. That’s not something they’ve done before. I think these games will be high quality with heavy marketing and brand tie in.

This is where I feel what Sony is doing now is different from what they tried during PS3. This feels less like throwing shit at a wall and seeing what sticks. This feels like much more careful consideration and a lot more money is being spent to achieve their multiplayer and live service ambitions.

Of course, they could still totally fall flat on their face, but this just feels like they're super serious about making this work somehow.
 

Nydius

Gold Member
Cheer up. Those games will still be on your favorite platform. You'll just have to... BUY THEM!
Man 913 pages just to save a bit of money on Diablo 4 lmao

I’m still catching up on the last ten pages but this is what has me laughing most right now. During the Diablo 4 beta, I had a bunch of Xbox only friends who were saying things like, “I’m not gonna buy this at launch because as soon as the Activision deal closes it’ll be on Game Pass.”

Guess they’re either never going to play Diablo 4 or they’ll have to suck it up and actually spend money on a game. *gasp*
 

Varteras

Gold Member
I’m still catching up on the last ten pages but this is what has me laughing most right now. During the Diablo 4 beta, I had a bunch of Xbox only friends who were saying things like, “I’m not gonna buy this at launch because as soon as the Activision deal closes it’ll be on Game Pass.”

Guess they’re either never going to play Diablo 4 or they’ll have to suck it up and actually spend money on a game. *gasp*
Dc Comics Rage GIF by DC
 

PaintTinJr

Member
No, if they give it a lot of weight the court would be letting a foreign administrative agency testify through hearsay. FTC needs to prove its own case.
it isn't hearsay when it is part of an essential document for the SEC filing,

It comes from a recognized non-partisan civil service function of a foreign market that both merging parties already do business in and submit to the authority of the foreign government over their globalized business in that country.

To argue that the document isn't automatically credible in a US court is inconsistent with their own SEC filing, so they'd need to prove the accepted analysis and decision in the document were incorrect, and challenge them with alternative analysis
 

PaintTinJr

Member
pack it up guys the CMA is finished, they did the reading


Those twitter types should know that is never going to happen, or work

After they stupidly embroiled the PM's spokesperson in this nonsense they are totally on the government's radar, and If they try to go around the CMA and CAT our collective government will likely table emergency legislation to stop such blatant disrespect for the rule of law in the UK,

Possibly even further measures would be taken, like forcing them to divest their interests in UK cloud services or internet search/advertising to discourage any others from such attempts in future,
 
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Cre8

You want a shot at the champ? [NG gif winner July 23]
"Fk UK workers who work for MS, because of CMA. I want my shiny toys, fyk your jobs. MS get out of UK".

That is what I am getting from that post.

Time to dismantle Playground Games Studio, Phil. :messenger_sunglasses:
 

M1987

Gold Member
Good lord. What has to happen to someone, that they behave like this? I used to think it was just kids but it's not. We have multiple examples of grown men in their 30s 40s and even 50s acting this way? So embarrassing! What the hell is wrong with these people? Are they going to get paid a million if the deal goes through? Why would you be so invested like this?
It's like this on the Xbox reddit sub,it's fucking embarrassing
 

Topher

Gold Member
They didn't.

What they did was issuing a laughable decision.

That's your opinion and that's fine, but the "solution" they were trying to reach was one that didn't result in SLC as a result of this merger. None of the remedies did that and so prohibiting the merger was the solution. That's what they are supposed to do.

And I'm glad. Massive corporations becoming more massive isn't good for anyone. That's my opinion
 
Guys. Why is Florian Mueller's head so big? I swear I did not photoshop the picture. I got it from here. Someone tell me what's inside his head and why'd it get so big? I'm supposed to go to bed now but I can't after seeing this. I'm scared. Does thinking of Xbox and Microsoft all day cause your head to swell like that?






3fBPkrv.jpg

Filled with tons of stupid air...
 
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Bernoulli

M2 slut
Here's another one for the "florian mueller is an idiot" portfolio.

Advocating for MS to take a hardline tactic against the UK referencing this merger from two years ago.




Dumbass didn't bother to see what happened later......

"A month later the EU blocked Illumina’s $8bn acquisition of Grail, a cancer test developer that was initially founded by Illumina but spun off in 2017.

Since then, the company has downgraded its profit forecasts and announced it is cutting 5 per cent of its 10,000 workers. And within the next few weeks Brussels is expected to hit it with a fine of up to 10 per cent of revenues or about $450mn, for closing the Grail deal despite opposition from regulators."




how they are getting so much likes? it seems that anything that says the deal will go through gets massive likes
can it be bots?
 

reinking

Gold Member
I mean you wrote "CMA tell Microsoft beforehand that if they need the deal to go through they'll have to do"

That's exactly what they did.
...and Microsoft chose to go on a PR tour signing streaming services instead of doing what the CMA told them needed to be done. MS was being arrogant and thought they could bully the CMA into accepting behavioral remedies even though the CMA had told the point blank they were not going to be acceptable. I would say MS wasn't being arrogant and was just pushing through but they really were blindsided when it was blocked. They really thought their tactics were going to work.
 
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