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[Nydius]

Sounds like a leadership statement.

I'm taking bets!

She says "epic", I say "pathetic".

No one should be advocating for a nearly 2 trillion dollar company to gobble up one of the largest gaming publisher/developer suites in the world. No one. This has always been my issue with the case, not Xbox itself. I like Xbox as a brand and want to see it do well, otherwise I wouldn't have bought every single one of them at launch. However, history is rife with these kinds of corporate mega mergers and despite the PR coming out of Microsoft we see how they turn out: Anti-consumer, less competition, higher prices, less innovation, fewer worker protections. ALWAYS.

The fact that people are cheering on the consolidation of an industry into the hands of a few major players isn't "epic".
It's just sad fanboyism by people who failed to pay attention in business and/or history classes.

But I do agree that that sounds like a leadership statement. Much better than the recent defeatist tone Phil took in public.

 

[Ar¢tos]

I wonder what the CMA/CAT thinks of this new MS attitude of "we'll do the deal anyway, regardless of what the CMA/CAT says"?
I can't see it helping MS case.

 

[Lasha]

Well, so much for the deal being good for Activision workers then. Would be funny to see that argument suddenly become forgotten.

The blame would fall on the CMA if it happened. Regulators have a right to take idealistic positions. Companies have a right to take their business to less hostile jurisdictions.

MS won't face anything here. They won't move their business. It's Activision that will do it.

So the loser in this case is Activision. Why agree with MS, when someone like Comcast is ready to buy you. Even Amazon might buy them in the process.

Comcast lacks the balance sheet to make the same offer that is on the table. The CMA would block Amazon based on cloud gaming concerns since Amazon is already a leader in cloud computing and it has Luna. Basically any company rich enough to buy Activision is going to face the same concerns from the CMA.

 

[feynoob]

It was forgotten the moment MS let go of 10K the day after a private Sting concert in Devos for the “elite.”

Can’t “think of the workers” if they’re no longer workers.

This is the thing that pisses me off.
People are cheering for a company that can layoff 10k like it's nothing.

 

[DeepEnigma]

She says "epic", I say "pathetic".

No one should be advocating for a nearly 2 trillion dollar company to gobble up one of the largest gaming publisher/developer suites in the world. No one. This has always been my issue with the case, not Xbox itself. I like Xbox as a brand and want to see it do well, otherwise I wouldn't have bought every single one of them at launch. However, history is rife with these kinds of corporate mega mergers and despite the PR coming out of Microsoft we see how they turn out: Anti-consumer, less competition, higher prices, less innovation, fewer worker protections. ALWAYS.

The fact that people are cheering on the consolidation of an industry into the hands of a few major players isn't "epic".
It's just sad fanboyism by people who failed to pay attention in business and/or history classes.

But I do agree that that sounds like a leadership statement. Much better than the recent defeatist tone Phil took in public.

 

[feynoob]

Comcast lacks the balance sheet to make the same offer that is on the table. The CMA would block Amazon based on cloud gaming concerns since Amazon is already a leader in cloud computing and it has Luna. Basically any company rich enough to buy Activision is going to face the same concerns from the CMA.

Amazon won't get blocked, because they have no content.
MS would have gotten all the approval, if they didn't have Xbox/gamepass.

Comcast can do a lower offer, as no one will pay the same thing as MS.

MS were going for 82+$ per share before they ended with 95$ per share.

 

[reinking]

MS won't face anything here. They won't move their business. It's Activision that will do it.

So the loser in this case is Activision. Why agree with MS, when someone like Comcast is ready to buy you. Even Amazon might buy them in the process.

Oh my. If Amazon pulled it off since the block is over the cloud space green rats will lose what is left of their minds.

 

[Pelta88]

She will take over after Starfield officially.
She will take the lead on the E3 show. The only way I see Phil on it if it's a retirement announcement

Yeah the way she's making more and more of these leader-like tweets while Spencer is silent except for the latest interview where he basically admitted defeat, make me think that internally Spencer is already on his way out.
His plan of pushing Series S hardware, Gamepass and acquisitions hasn't yielded the expected results and both him and the company probably think he has exhausted all his options and they need a new leadership.

Yup. Her statements have taken on a different air of authority. I think that if Starfield doesn't move the needle or meet their expectations, coupled with the deal failing, I think it's a wrap for Phil.

Report from who? Xbox fanboys wetdream report?

She says "epic", I say "pathetic".

No one should be advocating for a nearly 2 trillion dollar company to gobble up one of the largest gaming publisher/developer suites in the world.

She doesn't have the reach you think she does. When she says epic she's talking about a few zealout/XB podcasts, Colt, Jez, and Rand. Basically that small influencer bubble.

Even if possible, why would Kottick agree to this? Microsoft probably isn't the only company that would be interested in buying them and they're doing much better now on their own.

Kotic wouldn't agree to it. Don't be surprised if after all that corporate shit talking, Acti's next COD has PS marketing and early access BEta arrive weeks before it does on XB. Money talks, and XBOX's reach outside the US...

 

[Lasha]

Amazon won't get blocked, because they have no content.
MS would have gotten all the approval, if they didn't have Xbox/gamepass.

Comcast can do a lower offer, as no one will pay the same thing as MS.

MS were going for 82+$ per share before they ended with 95$ per share.

Amazon would be able to make Activision games exclusive to it's cloud platform and prevent a competitive cloud gaming market from emerging. That was the CMA's concern with Microsoft.

Activision's market cap is around 60 billion dollars at current share price. Comcast has around 5 billion in cash and an annual net income of around the same. It can't afford all of Activision.

 

[reinking]

She says "epic", I say "pathetic".

No one should be advocating for a nearly 2 trillion dollar company to gobble up one of the largest gaming publisher/developer suites in the world. No one. This has always been my issue with the case, not Xbox itself. I like Xbox as a brand and want to see it do well, otherwise I wouldn't have bought every single one of them at launch. However, history is rife with these kinds of corporate mega mergers and despite the PR coming out of Microsoft we see how they turn out: Anti-consumer, less competition, higher prices, less innovation, fewer worker protections. ALWAYS.

The fact that people are cheering on the consolidation of an industry into the hands of a few major players isn't "epic".
It's just sad fanboyism by people who failed to pay attention in business and/or history classes.

But I do agree that that sounds like a leadership statement. Much better than the recent defeatist tone Phil took in public.

 

[IllegalLemon]

Their mental gymnastics is blowing my mind. I left a comment that pulling out of the UK is not really an option and that trying to establish a separate entity for Activision in the UK to get the deal through is absurd and an absolute fantasy and got downvoted to oblivion and harassed across the thread. It's baffling to say the least.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Oh my. If Amazon pulled it off since the block is over the cloud space green rats will lose what is left of their minds.

Cloud gaming will suck again!

 

[feynoob]

Amazon would be able to make Activision games exclusive to it's cloud platform and prevent a competitive cloud gaming market from emerging. That was the CMA's concern with Microsoft.

Activision's market cap is around 60 billion dollars at current share price. Comcast has around 5 billion in cash and an annual net income of around the same. It can't afford all of Activision.

Amazon making them exclusive isn't an issue.

The issue is that MS has a huge advantage. From gamepass, xcloud, Xbox and their studios. That is mega advantage.

 

[feynoob]

Oh my. If Amazon pulled it off since the block is over the cloud space green rats will lose what is left of their minds.

That would be a great move and middle finger to MS. But at the same time, it's bad for us gamers, considering Amazon is scummy as shit.

Their mental gymnastics is blowing my mind. I left a comment that pulling out of the UK is not really an option and that trying to establish a separate entity for Activision in the UK to get the deal through is absurd and an absolute fantasy and got downvoted to oblivion and harassed across the thread. It's baffling to say the least.

Echo chamber is hella of drug.
Glad this forum doesn't have up vote or downvote.

 

[CRAIG667]

Oh my. If Amazon pulled it off since the block is over the cloud space green rats will lose what is left of their minds.

Chill out dude, seriously.

 

[CRAIG667]

Amazon making them exclusive isn't an issue.

The issue is that MS has a huge advantage. From gamepass, xcloud, Xbox and their studios. That is mega advantage.

I thought MS had no games/studios?


I can't keep up with the narrative.

 

[Topher]

I thought MS had no games/studios?


I can't keep up with the narrative.

They bought Bethesda, Obsidian, Ninja Theory, etc. That changed the narrative quite a bit.

 

[Lasha]

Amazon making them exclusive isn't an issue.

The issue is that MS has a huge advantage. From gamepass, xcloud, Xbox and their studios. That is mega advantage.

Exclusivity is absolutely the issue. The objection was about the risk of locking out other cloud gaming providers from games. You're nuts if you think that the CMA would let a tech company with an even bigger cloud compute business acquire Activision.

 

[Sneakysnake]

Do it, as long as you’re happy to be quoted when the deal either collapses this year or is referred back to the CMA without Microsoft carving out the UK

 

[IllegalLemon]

MLex said the MS-ABK lawyers are trying to figure out a way to get around the CMA order. The folks on reddit will have to explain how renting a building in the UK somehow makes MS-ABK immune to UK laws. Both companies are incorporated in the UK.



Seems like CMA thought about it. That's a pretty vague ruling from the CAT though.

Honestly my dude, look at this entire thread and tell me you don't see the definition of insanity. Any poster that makes any negative remarks against the deal is downvoted to hell, I'm one of those in the receiving end. Even the OP's take is borderline retarded.

 

[Bojanglez]

This seems to be more about killing it for the Web app. I wish Sony moves to a Web app and kills the ps now desktop app.

Yes this the infuriating that PS cloud streaming is locked to a Windows PC app 'officially'. Maybe they are wanting to sought stifle their growth for the time being.

 

[Kittehkraken]

Microsoft side stepping the UK would give the FTC the ammunition it needs to literally disembowel Microsoft.

 

[Topher]

Honestly my dude, look at this entire thread and tell me you don't see the definition of insanity. Any poster that makes any negative remarks against the deal is downvoted to hell, I'm one of those in the receiving end. Even the OP's take is borderline retarded.

 

[Sneakysnake]

Cheers to all the people who pretended that they "read" somewhere that MS was not even allowed to carve out the UK. I'm all for civil disagreements but name calling is childish (especially when you're 100 percent uninformed). Regardless of whether or not MS will exercise their right to carve out the UK, these ppl were absolutely incorrect when they said it's not even possible, and they mocked me for even suggesting it's possible. Stay classy. Nydius

Spoiler

 

[feynoob]

Exclusivity is absolutely the issue. The objection was about the risk of locking out other cloud gaming providers from games. You're nuts if you think that the CMA would let a tech company with an even bigger cloud compute business acquire Activision.

The objective was that MS had a big advantage over others and that Activision will increase their advantage.
Amazon on other hand doesn't have such advantage.

 

[DeepEnigma]

Microsoft side stepping the UK would give the FTC the ammunition it needs to literally disembowel Microsoft.

An important piece people are not putting enough weight into.

 

[Lasha]

The objective was that MS had a big advantage over others and that Activision will increase their advantage.
Amazon on other hand doesn't have such advantage.

Amazon has the advantage of owning the largest cloud infrastructure on the planet. Infrastructure several times bigger than Azure.

 

[Godot25]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...et-for-talks-with-uk-chancellor-over-deal-ban

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 talks, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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.

 

[feynoob]

Amazon has the advantage of owning the largest cloud infrastructure on the planet. Infrastructure several times bigger than Azure.

That is not advantage. Google has too, but failed.

You need content for that. And Activision won't make them big, as MS still owns Xbox and PS has psnow.

 

[GHG]

Cheers to all the people who pretended that they "read" somewhere that MS was not even allowed to carve out the UK. I'm all for civil disagreements but name calling is childish (especially when you're 100 percent uninformed). Regardless of whether or not MS will exercise their right to carve out the UK, these ppl were absolutely incorrect when they said it's not even possible, and they mocked me for even suggesting it's possible. Stay classy. Nydius

Those screenshots of yours say "today" in them, which means you took screenshots of them at the time you posted them.

Who are you?

 

[Pelta88]

Cheers to all the people who pretended that they "read" somewhere that MS was not even allowed to carve out the UK. I'm all for civil disagreements but name calling is childish (especially when you're 100 percent uninformed). Regardless of whether or not MS will exercise their right to carve out the UK, these ppl were absolutely incorrect when they said it's not even possible, and they mocked me for even suggesting it's possible. Stay classy. Nydius Nydius

Can you provide a link or a source which confirms your insistence that MS can simply bypass the UK regulator. Nydus keeps telling you to sit down because it appears you just want to state something and wish it into fruition. And in contrast, he keeps referring to documented contracts which are legally binding.

I say that respectfully, of course. But links, a source, or a reference would base your argument in fact and facilitate good debate.

 

[Topher]

Cheers to all the people who pretended that they "read" somewhere that MS was not even allowed to carve out the UK. I'm all for civil disagreements but name calling is childish (especially when you're 100 percent uninformed). Regardless of whether or not MS will exercise their right to carve out the UK, these ppl were absolutely incorrect when they said it's not even possible, and they mocked me for even suggesting it's possible. Stay classy. Nydius

Where is all the name calling again? And where did you "read" that MS was able to "carve out" UK again?

And can you please put those images in spoiler tags so they don't fill up the whole page?

 

[Lasha]

That is not advantage. Google has too, but failed.

You need content for that. And Activision won't make them big, as MS still owns Xbox and PS has psnow.

Azure is significantly bigger than GCP. AWS is bigger than both of them combined. The UK isn't going to block the Microsoft deal to protect a nascent cloud market worth less than a year of Sony's operating income only to let the largest cloud providers on the planet take the same IP exclusive. If it was just about IP then the CMA would have had no objections because Microsoft offered licensing deals to everybody. It's objections pertained to the advantage that a tech giant with a massive cloud business could exert on the market if it controlled Activision's portfolio. Amazon would be the exact same type of acquisition.

 

[dotnotbot]

Cheers to all the people who pretended that they "read" somewhere that MS was not even allowed to carve out the UK. I'm all for civil disagreements but name calling is childish (especially when you're 100 percent uninformed). Regardless of whether or not MS will exercise their right to carve out the UK, these ppl were absolutely incorrect when they said it's not even possible, and they mocked me for even suggesting it's possible. Stay classy. Nydius

 

[feynoob]

Azure is significantly bigger than GCP. AWS is bigger than both of them combined. The UK isn't going to block the Microsoft deal to protect a nascent cloud market worth less than a year of Sony's operating income only to let the largest cloud providers on the planet take the same IP exclusive. If it was just about IP then the CMA would have had no objections because Microsoft offered licensing deals to everybody. It's objections pertained to the advantage that a tech giant with a massive cloud business could exert on the market if it controlled Activision's portfolio. Amazon would be the exact same type of acquisition.

The key issue is the content. Amazon has none.
So they aren't a problem for cloud gaming.

MS on other hand has huge catalog, bought zenimax recently and will own Activision. That is bigger than all cloud gaming combined. Even Sony isn't close to MS level of content with that.

 

[C2brixx]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...et-for-talks-with-uk-chancellor-over-deal-ban

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.

This reality is going to upset some disillusioned folks.

 

[Topher]

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...et-for-talks-with-uk-chancellor-over-deal-ban

Smith is going to really need to work some magic in those talks, but his disparaging remarks may come back to bite him in the ass.

 

[GHG]

This reality is going to upset some disillusioned folks.

Indeed.

 

[Dick Jones]

This reality is going to upset some disillusioned folks.

When it doesn't happen? Yeah I agree, when the likes of Pachter and Florian feed shit and will eventually be found out when nothing happens.

 

[Topher]

This reality is going to upset some disillusioned folks.

Key words: "extreme option".

 

[feynoob]

I thought MS had no games/studios?


I can't keep up with the narrative.

They have 23 studios. That is a lot of studios making games for them.

 

[PropellerEar]

And where did you "read" that MS was able to "carve out" UK again?

Obviously from Reddit Edgelords:

 

[DeepEnigma]

Obviously from Reddit Edgelords:

Must be getting echo chamber upvotes as we speak.

 

[Kilau]

Cheers to all the people who pretended that they "read" somewhere that MS was not even allowed to carve out the UK. I'm all for civil disagreements but name calling is childish (especially when you're 100 percent uninformed). Regardless of whether or not MS will exercise their right to carve out the UK, these ppl were absolutely incorrect when they said it's not even possible, and they mocked me for even suggesting it's possible. Stay classy. Nydius

 

[Nydius]

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.

Wouldn't Activision have to withdraw from the UK market before the merger? If Microsoft went ahead with the deal and then withdraws Activision, wouldn't that still open them up to significant litigation for circumventing regulators to do so? If Activision has to leave of their own accord, separate of Microsoft, just to get the deal approved in Microsoft's favor, I could see that being a very hard sell to Activision's shareholders.

I mean, remember, Activision isn't in the same place as Zenimax was when Microsoft went in to buy them. Activision is still profitable with or without Microsoft. As far as I recall, they weren't even in talks of selling until Microsoft swooped in with an obscene per-share offer. They stand to gain $3b if the deal falls through to put on their already well padded balance sheet. Asking shareholders to approve a very risky move of leaving an entire market just to get deal approval sounds like it would be a harder ask than getting them to sign off on a new merger contract in July.

Cheers to all the people who pretended that they "read" somewhere that MS was not even allowed to carve out the UK. I'm all for civil disagreements but name calling is childish (especially when you're 100 percent uninformed). Regardless of whether or not MS will exercise their right to carve out the UK, these ppl were absolutely incorrect when they said it's not even possible, and they mocked me for even suggesting it's possible. Stay classy. Nydius

Aww, still butthurt for being called out on your bullshit, I see.

The still CANNOT carve out the UK. Whatever propaganda you're reading is just that, propaganda.

I swear, you're just as sad as Florian.

 

[Dick Jones]

Be careful or he could screenshot your post with the light display.

 

[Gameplay Gods Bless]

He's that idiot Florian on twitter who posting sheer propaganda about how the deal will close, inevitably. But you talk about living in reality while saying the more approvals, the quicker it gets to closing. That's just not how it works. There isn't a tally at the end and if MS has enough.....poof....acquisition. If CAT upholds CMA then the deal is dead unless MS does some really stupid shit.

MS hasn't abandoned this because there is no reason to. They have to finish the appeals process.

The tally does matter because global regulators work together now more than ever hence why the CMA constantly referenced the FTCs intent to block when defending itself in their testimony to parliament. The bit about the CAT upholding the CMA ruling also isn't true you don't seem to be following the acquisition as deeply, I urge you to take a look at this recent news article.

As you can see the reality is Microsoft is gonna close this acquisition regardless of what the CMA does, the cost of missing out on ABK in the long run is much higher than closing without CMA approval. They have multiple avenues to closing the best option is working it out with the CMA before the CAT judgement, this is something the CAT prefers to having a trial. The second would be for the CAT to quash the arguments made by the CMA which is a power bestowed to the CAT. The last would be to close without CMA approval as you can see in that article MS has multiple avenues they can take to close without the CMA including moving ABK out of the UK entirely.


What people don't understand about companies is that everything they do is to make money. If it makes MS more money in the long run to close the ABK acquisition without CMA approval then that's what they will do, it's simple math.

 

[M16]

MS leaks that they will put out the blueprint to bypass the CMA, and now the CMA wants to talk again. LOL
i predict we dont have to wait for the appeal for this to be approved.

 

[C2brixx]

Key words: "extreme option".

Contrary to some of the post in this thread it's interesting that it's even an option.

 

[Dick Jones]

MS leaks that they will put out the blueprint to bypass the CMA, and now the CMA wants to talk again. LOL
i predict we dont have to wait for the appeal for this to be approved.

The CMA made their decision. It's the CAT that MS need to prove themselves to that the CMA was irrational.