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[ChorizoPicozo]

maybe doesn't make much sense, but with 72 billions I would buy so many studios, to ensure exclusive games monthly for the next decades

too bad Xbox managment gets in the way of that dream.

 

[solidus12]

Don’t lose hope

 

[DeepEnigma]

Exactly, they offer me the best deal in gaming, a small price for a tremendous value. The most significant and gracious consumer-friendly move since Steam, that have saved me tons of money.

Congratulations! This post has earned you another free month of Game Pass™ The Best Deal in Gaming™ and your choice of Xbox Socks™ which can be worn all year round that provide you with ultimate comfort made from 100% ultra soft fair trade cotton, or, an adorable and stylish Xbox Controller Hoodie™ that keeps your little guy warm and toasty in the coming winter months. Additional terms and conditions may apply.

 

[Pelta88]

"Phil Spencer held meeting this morning with Xbox staff & told them that Activision would have sped up Microsoft's gaming plans, but they would continue to move ahead, even if without Activision."

Microsoft Xbox Chief Seeks to Reassure Game Staff on Activision

Microsoft Corp. executives sought to reassure workers in the Xbox gaming unit that there’s a way forward for the approval of the company’s planned $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc., while emphasizing that its success in gaming isn’t solely dependent on the deal.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[dotnotbot]

Don’t lose hope

 

[devilNprada]

"Their intentions are obvious".

Pay per minute? that is your obvious prediction? that PS Plus, Game Pass, and Nintendo Online are all looking at a pay-per-minute proposition?

You aren't really saying anything here at all. "Netflix of the industry", Netflix is far from being a monopoly.

Didn't AOL charge per minute charges?

Sadly I do believe you really think MS is doing this deal for your best interest.

 

[Nydius]

maybe doesn't make much sense, but with 72 billions I would buy so many studios, to ensure exclusive games monthly for the next decades

Simply buying studios doesn’t ensure they’ll have consistent output. Just look at all the issues they’re having with all the studios they’ve already purchase. Including Bethesda, who, despite having their games in development before the acquisition, have had to delay multiple times. And is getting ready to release a game they admit isn’t feature complete (missing 60fps performance mode to be added TBD).

 

[GHG]

Someone close to Jez needs to keep tabs on him. I'm being deadly serious.

 

[FrankWza]

Exactly, they offer me the best deal in gaming, a small price for a tremendous value. The most significant and gracious consumer-friendly move since Steam, that have saved me tons of money.

I do my Microsoft Rewards points searches and daily stuff for about 5 min every morning and I don't even pay $15 a month for GPU. I pay $0 a month. Now, I don't know what they gain from me doing Microsoft Rewards but I earn enough to get GPU to the point where it never runs out. Until they raise the price or lower the points you get, that is. But I've been doing it for years now.

maybe doesn't make much sense, but with 72 billions I would buy so many studios, to ensure exclusive games monthly for the next decades

 

[FF:Enhanced_Reality]

This is such a dishonest take it's unbelievable. MS are a trillion dollar company. They've been in the console business 20 years. More than enough time along with their vast wealth to build their own studios and IP.
No one is stopping them buying studios(which they have been). Also Sony would take years to close the cloud infrastructure gap and is probably out of the question.
Clearly you can't see reason. MS would dominate and monopolise cloud gaming by having the platform, infrastructure, games and the service.

When John Wick tells you something, you listen.

He's a man of focus.

 

[mansoor1980]

"Phil Spencer held meeting this morning with Xbox staff & told them that Activision would have sped up Microsoft's gaming plans, but they would continue to move ahead, even if without Activision."

Microsoft Xbox Chief Seeks to Reassure Game Staff on Activision

Microsoft Corp. executives sought to reassure workers in the Xbox gaming unit that there’s a way forward for the approval of the company’s planned $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc., while emphasizing that its success in gaming isn’t solely dependent on the deal.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[TheRedRiders]

Don’t lose hope

Fucking JD sports?? These wankers are really starting to scrape the the bottom of the barrel here. Just walk away with some dignity whilst you still have it.

 

[Heisenberg007]

---

Microsoft Xbox Chief Seeks to Reassure Game Staff on Activision​

Microsoft Corp. executives sought to reassure workers in the Xbox gaming unit that there’s a way forward for the approval of the company’s planned $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc., while emphasizing that its success in gaming isn’t solely dependent on the deal.

The acquisition was vetoed Wednesday by the UK’s antitrust watchdog, a potentially fatal blow for the industry’s biggest-ever deal. At an all-hands meeting for division employees Thursday morning, Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer acknowledged the company’s disappointment, saying the UK’s decision will slow the approval process, according to a person who attended the meeting. Still, he said Microsoft’s desire to pursue the deal hasn’t wavered, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing an internal event.

Spencer told staffers that Microsoft President Brad Smith was up at 2 a.m. Seattle time Wednesday drafting a response to the UK Competition and Markets Authority. He said Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, who oversees acquisitions, held a senior leadership meeting the same day.

The Xbox chief said the acquisition was intended to speed up Microsoft’s gaming plans, but doesn’t represent the entirety of the company’s gaming strategy, which would move ahead even without Activision, the person said.

The CMA said concerns about the deal couldn’t be solved by remedies such as the sale of blockbuster title Call of Duty or other solutions involving promises to permit rivals to offer the game on their platforms, according to a statement Wednesday. Microsoft said it will appeal the decision.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft had no immediate comment on the internal meeting.

---

Microsoft Xbox Chief Seeks to Reassure Game Staff on Activision

Microsoft Corp. executives sought to reassure workers in the Xbox gaming unit that there’s a way forward for the approval of the company’s planned $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc., while emphasizing that its success in gaming isn’t solely dependent on the deal.

www.bloomberg.com

By the way, this whole article can be summarized by this GIF:

 

[Bragr]

Netflix aren't at endgame yet. Not even close. And to be honest they likely won't be allowed to get there because instead of acquiring content via acquisitions they acquired content by agreement. Microsoft will have seen how content has been continuously pulled from netflix over the last few years resulting in an erosion of market power and fragmentation, so have decided to go a route that avoids that potential pitfall - hence the aggressive acquisitions.

I'd suggest you do some reading around loss leader strategies and how they play out.

And yes, if left untamed, all gaming cloud streaming services will begin charging their users a time of use tariff.

Which is great, but that best deal in gaming will evaporate in an instant if they become market leader or can otherwise exert anticompetitive pressure—i.e. this deal. Be careful what you wish for.

If Game Pass ever started to offer anything per-minute, they would lose everyone over to PS Plus and vice versa in an instant. It would be the biggest shitstorm in video game history.

And Microsoft's other subscription services don't hint at anything like this.

And Xbox is not going the Netflix route of closed ecosystems, they are open to publish on other platforms.

If anything, right now it's Playstation's position as the premium console manufacturer that is creating an environment with absurdly priced hardware and VR devices because of the lack of competition in that space.

 

[GHG]

Fucking JD sports?? These wankers are really starting to scrape the the bottom of the barrel here. Just walk away with some dignity whilst you still have it.

Now now, JD Sports is an integral part of British culture I'll have you know.

Never underestimate the importance of that bag.

 

[mckmas8808]

Literally what I said yesterday. Hardware is getting more powerful very quickly and imagine if each time a new gen came out they had to replace all the server racks...

This is a TOTALLY different talking point than what was being said in 2020, 2021, and 2022. I remember they were all saying the CLOUD WAS THE FUTURE!!!! Now the truth is coming out, huh?

 

[Thirty7ven]

If anything, right now it's Playstation's position as the premium console manufacturer that is creating an environment with absurdly priced hardware and VR devices because of the lack of competition in that space.

Disingenuous bullshit right here folks.

 

[solidus12]

Get help, Jez

 

[DJ12]

If anything, right now it's Playstation's position as the premium console manufacturer that is creating an environment with absurdly priced hardware and VR devices because of the lack of competition in that space.

Yet they can sell a $500 console for a profit, and another company a $200 loss.

go figure huh or if you prefer:

 

[Darsxx82]

Wait, so is Phil Spencer saying that they can compete without Activision? So what are they appealing for?

Where is the contradiction? When has MS said that the existence of XBOX depends on the purchase of ABK? The acquisition was intended to make its gaming business stronger and more competitive, it was an important bet. Why couldn't they appeal for it?

I don't know, maybe you expected Phil to say in his meeting that XBOX can't go ahead or that they will liquidate Xbox console? .....

 

[TheRedRiders]

Now now, JD Sports is an integral part of British culture I'll have you know.

Never underestimate the importance of that bag.

Chavtastic!

Jokes aside, that meme is stupidly accurate lol

 

[Mr Moose]

If anything, right now it's Playstation's position as the premium console manufacturer that is creating an environment with absurdly priced hardware and VR devices because of the lack of competition in that space.

Ahahaha

 

[dotnotbot]

absurdly priced hardware and VR devices

What hardware and VR devices were priced absurdly by Sony? Wtf are you smoking?

 

[Bragr]

Try Epic. They literally offer you free games every week if that's what you're into -- instead of taking $15 p/m from you just for renting games. Epic games are also yours to own forever.

I am perfectly fine with renting games. 99% of games you never play again, and if I like them that much, I will buy them. I always buy my favorite on Steam if I know I will go back to them.

Renting is a great option for people who play a lot.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

I do my Microsoft Rewards points searches and daily stuff for about 5 min every morning and I don't even pay $15 a month for GPU. I pay $0 a month. Now, I don't know what they gain from me doing Microsoft Rewards but I earn enough to get GPU to the point where it never runs out. Until they raise the price or lower the points you get, that is. But I've been doing it for years now.

So you do a job for them. You spend your time doing tasks.

 

[Thief1987]

Lol these shills are really mourning that they can't take away games from other platforms. It's hilarious and sad at the same time

 

[Heisenberg007]

I am perfectly fine with renting games. 99% of games you never play again, and if I like them that much, I will buy them. I always buy my favorite on Steam if I know I will go back to them.

Renting is a great option for people who play a lot.

But why is Epic not better then? You get literally FREE games that you get to keep forever and can play whenever you want to; there is no risk of them ever leaving the service/library.

 

[Astray]

How is this real? Brad sounds like an evil corporate overlord.

Because he is.

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

Yet they can sell a $500 console for a profit, and another company a $200 loss.

With way more tech-expensive bundled-in controller too btw. The big APU losses to chase marketing TFs on XSX was indeed a weird flex.

 

[devilNprada]

If Game Pass ever started to offer anything per-minute, they would lose everyone over to PS Plus and vice versa in an instant. It would be the biggest shitstorm in video game history.

And Microsoft's other subscription services don't hint at anything like this.

And Xbox is not going the Netflix route of closed ecosystems, they are open to publish on other platforms.

If anything, right now it's Playstation's position as the premium console manufacturer that is creating an environment with absurdly priced hardware and VR devices because of the lack of competition in that space.

 

[Heisenberg007]

Lol these shills really mourning that they can't take away games from other platforms. It's hilarious and sad at the same time

Right? They are acting as if Sony has acquired ABK and made all their games exclusive to PlayStation.

Literally nothing has changed in the industry. ABK games will now continue releasing on both consoles, and both companies have equal opportunities to strike a marketing or Game Pass / PS Plus deals with ABK.

 

[adamsapple]

But why is Epic not better then? You get literally FREE games that you get to keep forever and can play whenever you want to; there is no risk of them ever leaving the service/library.

How many of them are day 1 new releases, again ?

 

[Topher]

I am perfectly fine with renting games. 99% of games you never play again, and if I like them that much, I will buy them. I always buy my favorite on Steam if I know I will go back to them.

Renting is a great option for people who play a lot.

I rent games on PS all the time.

 

[DJ12]

Blur out the code dude, someones going to use that.

 

[GHG]

If Game Pass ever started to offer anything per-minute, they would lose everyone over to PS Plus and vice versa in an instant. It would be the biggest shitstorm in video game history.

And Microsoft's other subscription services don't hint at anything like this.

And Xbox is not going the Netflix route of closed ecosystems, they are open to publish on other platforms.

If anything, right now it's Playstation's position as the premium console manufacturer that is creating an environment with absurdly priced hardware and VR devices because of the lack of competition in that space.

The point is that they would have the market power to be able to do so if there are no alternatives (or have power over IP which enables them to do so), and that's what rulngs like the the CMA's seek to avoid. It's about preventing these things at source, not after the fact once the damage has been done.

Microsoft don't charge like this for any of their other services? Tell me you don't know anything about azure consumption charges without telling me you don't know about azure consumption charges. Better yet, ask yourself what you're interfacing with if and when you're in an end to end cloud gaming session. That's right, a server. Next ask yourself what pricing models servers are increasingly moving towards and you have your answer.

Xbox will say they are open to publishing elsewhere when convenient but the moment they don't have to they won't. We've seen this play out time and time again with Microsoft as a business.

Also, this isn't about Sony or Playstation, and hasn't been for a while now.

 

[zomboden]

So you do a job for them. You spend your time doing tasks.

5-10 Min a day to get that game pass membership for free. I find it very worth it. Part of my morning routine.

 

[adamsapple]

I rent games on PS all the time.

Right? What's the stigma against renting games. I re-sub game fly every couple of months to rent out games coming out in that window as well and buy the occasional one I want to ala RE4 remake.

 

[Bonfires Down]

I have honestly been shocked by the reaction from MS, I thought they would put out the usual PR of ‘we’re disappointed by this result but we will argue on appeal’ blah blah blah but no, they’ve gone full batshit. Why are they so rattled?

ActiBlizzKing would cover a lot of bases for them:

• Loads of ongoing revenue from Candy Crush, CoD Warzone, CoD Mobile, CoD proper, WoW, Overwatch, Diablo 4, Diablo Immortal. These account for several billion of essentially guaranteed profit each year.
• CoD to drive Game Pass growth.
• The mobile franchises needed to launch their app store when iOS opens up in the EU.

 

[mckmas8808]

When a company is woke its only to sell more shit. Like changing the Twitter profile to the rainbow in June for LGBT yet never doing anything from July to the following May. All corporations are evil...


Except OCP obviously.

That's a really vague definition of woke then, lol.

 

[solidus12]

What is it with these journalists shilling for Microsoft. It’s embarrassing

 

[Bernoulli]

Don’t lose hope

 

[DJ12]

What is it with these journalists shilling for Microsoft. It’s embarrassing

To be fair to the CMA, they'd probs do a better job than Microsoft

 

[3liteDragon]

---

Microsoft Xbox Chief Seeks to Reassure Game Staff on Activision​

Microsoft Corp. executives sought to reassure workers in the Xbox gaming unit that there’s a way forward for the approval of the company’s planned $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc., while emphasizing that its success in gaming isn’t solely dependent on the deal.

The acquisition was vetoed Wednesday by the UK’s antitrust watchdog, a potentially fatal blow for the industry’s biggest-ever deal. At an all-hands meeting for division employees Thursday morning, Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer acknowledged the company’s disappointment, saying the UK’s decision will slow the approval process, according to a person who attended the meeting. Still, he said Microsoft’s desire to pursue the deal hasn’t wavered, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing an internal event.

Spencer told staffers that Microsoft President Brad Smith was up at 2 a.m. Seattle time Wednesday drafting a response to the UK Competition and Markets Authority. He said Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, who oversees acquisitions, held a senior leadership meeting the same day.

The Xbox chief said the acquisition was intended to speed up Microsoft’s gaming plans, but doesn’t represent the entirety of the company’s gaming strategy, which would move ahead even without Activision, the person said.

The CMA said concerns about the deal couldn’t be solved by remedies such as the sale of blockbuster title Call of Duty or other solutions involving promises to permit rivals to offer the game on their platforms, according to a statement Wednesday. Microsoft said it will appeal the decision.

Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft had no immediate comment on the internal meeting.

---

Microsoft Xbox Chief Seeks to Reassure Game Staff on Activision

Microsoft Corp. executives sought to reassure workers in the Xbox gaming unit that there’s a way forward for the approval of the company’s planned $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard Inc., while emphasizing that its success in gaming isn’t solely dependent on the deal.

www.bloomberg.com

 

[MisterXDTV]

How much did MS pay for this tweet??

 

[Topher]

What is it with these journalists shilling for Microsoft. It’s embarrassing

Eh.....Ryan ain't a dev either.

 

[mckmas8808]

What is it with these journalists shilling for Microsoft. It’s embarrassing

WTF?!?!?! Ryan McCafferty knows better. He knows darn well that the Nintendo Switch can't run modern COD games.

 

[Shakka43]

Where is the contradiction? When has MS said that the existence of XBOX depends on the purchase of ABK? The acquisition was intended to make its gaming business stronger and more competitive, it was an important bet. Why couldn't they appeal for it?

I don't know, maybe you expected Phil to say in his meeting that XBOX can't go ahead or that they will liquidate Xbox console? .....

By the way so many people are behaving on social media you would think that's exactly the case.

 

[fart town usa]

Because the monopolist's playbook doesn't go past spend a ton of money and try to buy your way to victory. They're at the end of the playbook here and they are panicking.

And that's what it truly seems like what it's coming down to. I'm honestly stunned at Xbox this generation. I didn't pay attention to PS4/Xbox One for 90% of that generation so I don't know if Xbox one had similar delays with software. It's simply stunning though to watch this all play out. I sincerely hope Xbox gets it together and releases some bangers cause I still plan on getting a series x at some point for Bethesda/tango games. I'd also like to play sea of thieves so I can link up with my older brother and nephew. For how they describe that game, it sounds like a total riot.

 

[mckmas8808]

How much did MS pay for this tweet??

But.....................Nvidia can have the EXACT same thing on GeForce Now by doing a direct deal with Activision.

 

[DeepEnigma]

What is it with these journalists shilling for Microsoft. It’s embarrassing

This is why,

Oh and HeisenbergFX4 can tell you more.