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[BiohazardX95]

OP. Other acqusitions will be A LOT more difficult for MS if they close the ABK acquisition. I’d say it’s Activision Blizzard OR some other big studios. Can’t get both. Could buy some smaller ones though but it’s not a big deal.

In the end they have only like 20% (?) of the market now, in some regions they barely exist, so nothing major is going to change for PS gamers which I assume is the concern here with all the meltdowns I see on Twitter etc.

Just keep on playing games you like and let the business side of the industry be as boring as it really is. I’ve been putting these threads on an ignore list for like half a year now, nothing against you or anyone else writing these threads here, I just think it’s a good way for me to better focus on the games.

Off to the 4th temple in Zelda TOTK!

It was really easy to win against FTC and EU approved so easily. CMA is doubling their hands quite fast too. So, I don't know why wouldn't they attempt another Big purchase.

 

[AmuroChan]

MS cannot buy the entire industry, because Sony would never sell to MS. If push comes to shove, any one of Amazon, Google, Apple, Tencent, etc. could acquire Sony.

It's not so much that Sony won't sell to MS, because ultimately they're a publicly traded company and "theoretically" MS could try a hostile takeover. It's not going to happen because that's no way a deal like that would get approved by regulators.

 

[docchicken]

It's not so much that Sony won't sell to MS, because ultimately they're a publicly traded company and "theoretically" MS could try a hostile takeover. It's not going to happen because that's no way a deal like that would get approved by regulators.

FTC decision today says otherwise. Regulators can't stop anything.

 

[Victor Omega]

SEGA is (was) their gateway to Japan... 10 years ago.

Tencent...

 

[Sanepar]

They cant buy Japanese companies, a lot of them are protected due to their cultural importance to Japan itself. Even beyond that Japanese law makes it very difficult for a foreign company to buy them outright.
Beyond all that, buying Acti/Blizz may have been considered not Anti-competitive but further purchases will be scrutinised further.

More than likely Sony will purchase a Japanese publisher like Capcom or Kadokawa and bring its studio count up to par with Xbox, thats the most likely prospect. Personally I see them going after Kadokawa but we’ll see

Well they buy everything besides japanese companies, then what happen? You get everything on gamepass besides jp games? With rent culture dominating. No one will be buying games anymore. Who will not be on gamepass will be fucked.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

FTC decision today says otherwise. Regulators can't stop anything.

But we heard here for months that regulators were super powerful and doing their job. Suddenly everything is corruption and swamp and worthless regulators.

If MS barely squeaks by with ABK, how are they then going to get anyone else big? That’s assuming they even get ABK.

 

[The Alien]

Be scared when tencent buys everything this opens doors for companies like tencent to go on an apeshit buying spree

There are 2, maybe 3 big dominoes that can change tye industry. Microsoft just got one. Take Two is the other, next big one. Then I guess EA, but all their shit is license-dependant.

TBH, I'd prefer Microsoft have ABK than tencent...or google...or amazon....or facebook.

 

[ulantan]

But we heard here for months that regulators were super powerful and doing their job. Suddenly everything is corruption and swamp and worthless regulators.

If MS barely squeaks by with ABK, how are they then going to get anyone else big? That’s assuming they even get ABK.

There is no one else "big"

 

[Solidus_T]

But we heard here for months that regulators were super powerful and doing their job. Suddenly everything is corruption and swamp and worthless regulators.

If MS barely squeaks by with ABK, how are they then going to get anyone else big? That’s assuming they even get ABK.

There are no third party publishers as big as ABK. Microsoft is buying the largest, oldest third party pub.
According to legal precedent, every other publisher is fair game

 

[Kumomeme]

soo much hassle over activision. i doubt next time gonna be smoother.

 

[Paulistano]

Just saying that ms has been sharing their games with PC players on day one lately and now they are saying that some of their ABK games will end up on Nintendo as well, so its a win for a lot of gamers out there.

If Sony got ABK, i don't trust them with putting the games on PC and Nintendo.. not to mention xbox lol

So Microsoft is releasing games on their Microsoft OS? Wow.

Ps. Remind me when they launch their games on Linux and Mac too.

 

[hybrid_birth]

Why don't you just get an Xbox?

Miss jaggies on your boobs? We have a product for you, the original xbox! -Don Mattrick.

 

[Historia]

Well they buy everything besides japanese companies, then what happen? You get everything on gamepass besides jp games? With rent culture dominating. No one will be buying games anymore. Who will not be on gamepass will be fucked.

I like having my own physical collection. Imagine in the future where you have to rent everything. Uh but it just 2000 per month, that shit can to 5000 really fast after ABK merger

Screw it, the moment you got no Internet. I'd rather die than subscribing to that cancerous service.

 

[twilo99]

So Microsoft is releasing games on their Microsoft OS? Wow.

Ps. Remind me when they launch their games on Linux and Mac too.

Sure but they don’t lock you into using their store, you can always use Steam and feel better about the world.

I hope they work out something with Apple, but I think in that case Apple might be the obstacle and not Microsoft.

Linux.. open the browser and log into xcloud lol

 

[Jibran#one]

There are 2, maybe 3 big dominoes that can change tye industry. Microsoft just got one. Take Two is the other, next big one. Then I guess EA, but all their shit is license-dependant.

TBH, I'd prefer Microsoft have ABK than tencent...or google...or amazon....or facebook.

Same I'm ok with ms acquiring abk

 

[AmuroChan]

FTC decision today says otherwise. Regulators can't stop anything.

They barely got this approved on a deal that really shouldn't have been a problem. Microsoft buying Sony would be one of the 3 platform holders buying one of the two remaining platform holders. That's not going to get approved. That is massively different than acquiring a 3rd party publisher, even on the scale of an ABK.

 

[Sanepar]

They barely got this approved on a deal that really shouldn't have been a problem. Microsoft buying Sony would be one of the 3 platform holders buying one of the two remaining platform holders. That's not going to get approved. That is massively different than acquiring a 3rd party publisher, even on the scale of an ABK.

Why they will buy Sony? Sony make games Xbox audience don't care and sp games with hi budget doesn't fit well on gamepass model. They don't want ps studios they just want sony out of the market. They need to buy ea and t2 or ubi. Not Sony.

 

[AmuroChan]

Why they will buy Sony? Sony make games Xbox audience don't care and sp games with hi budget doesn't fit well on gamepass model. They don't want ps studios they just want sony out of the market. They need to buy ea and t2 or ubi. Not Sony.

They won't buy them. We were talking theoretical that such a deal wouldn't get approved anyway.

 

[Laieon]

I haven't been following this too much, but does this mean this is pretty much a done deal? I thought some division/organization/whatever in the EU (or UK?) blocked it too, was that ever resolved?

 

[Hendrick's]

They will buy everything and then cancel gaming.

 

[JayK47]

They are going to buy the two most generic studios that have not made anything original in decades. We live in a world that continues to consolidate, but also decent people can start a new studio and make something original. I really don't see the big deal here.

 

[docchicken]

But we heard here for months that regulators were super powerful and doing their job. Suddenly everything is corruption and swamp and worthless regulators.

If MS barely squeaks by with ABK, how are they then going to get anyone else big? That’s assuming they even get ABK.

Don't know who tf you're talking to, but here's a response I guess

It turns out regulators can't do their job. If MS gets this, anything is fair game for any company, Amazon, Google, etc. included.

They barely got this approved on a deal that really shouldn't have been a problem. Microsoft buying Sony would be one of the 3 platform holders buying one of the two remaining platform holders. That's not going to get approved. That is massively different than acquiring a 3rd party publisher, even on the scale of an ABK.

It absolutely should have been a problem. ABK is the largest 3P publisher. Turns out regulators don't have any teeth. If they went for Sony's gaming divisions, they could easily acquire them, realistically speaking. Japan likely also has laws similar to US's which require them to bring acquisition offers to shareholders.

 

[Hero of Spielberg]

They are going to buy the two most generic studios that have not made anything original in decades. We live in a world that continues to consolidate, but also decent people can start a new studio and make something original. I really don't see the big deal here.

You can't buy a monopoly on creativity. The means for producing video games exist beyond Activision / Blizzard

 

[AmuroChan]

It absolutely should have been a problem. ABK is the largest 3P publisher. Turns out regulators don't have any teeth. If they went for Sony's gaming divisions, they could easily acquire them, realistically speaking. Japan likely also has laws similar to US's which require them to bring acquisition offers to shareholders.

The regulators were the ones who wanted to block the deal. The one without any teeth is the judge who ruled against the regulators. Please explain how Microsoft could "easily acquire" Sony's PlayStation division when they're not selling. Before any deal even goes to a shareholder vote, it would have to be approved at the board of directors level. That's not happening. Stop with the fantasy.

 

[nightmare-slain]

I agree. Over the next 5 years......it's impossible to see MS not spending at least another $50 Billion on buying more publishers.

Microsoft could easily spend another $50 billion. Give it a few years and they will be looking for someone else to buy.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

Talk about a knee jerk reaction to conflate your less than desirable outcome with an industry doom and gloom scenario.

They are not going to be allowed to monopolise the industry nor could they based on the IPs, regions, devs and consumers. It's silly to suggest as such.

 

[Puscifer]

That's honestly what I'm thinking.

I know some people think this line of reasoning is boot licking but honestly, who gives a shit if games come to gamepass day 1 or not? Budgets will go down and games won't be as big. Do we really want to lose even more quality in gameplay cause of some scrub neckbeard that doesn't want to buy games at retail or because parents buy their kids a Series S cause it's effectively "set it and forget it." Yea it's good for some people financially but it seems like a race to be as lowest common denominator as possible.

MS can't even manage MSGS and we know Raven is gonna be in the COD mines until the world ends . It's all a waste.

Honestly budget and scope are the two biggest problems with gaming right now. I said it before and I'll say it again because it bares repeating. It's taking almost as much time to remake Silent Hill 2 than it took them to create Silent Hill 2-4 from scratch.

That being said there's room for games like TLOU PT2 on Sony's subscription service but I can tell you that they'd probably tell them cut the shit on systems like the heartbeat system and tell them just put in triggers like normal engineers (seriously think of the man hours it took to create and bug test something like this) and focus on what's important

 

[Silent Viper]

Because MS doesn’t do third party exclusives

They even call them Launch exclusives.

+ we’re talking about few timed third party deals versus acquiring 2 whole publishers with their suite of development studios…

FF and Spiderman are timed exclusive huh

 

[Balducci30]

The only way I’d see them being able to get another HUGE publisher like activision (EA or something) would be years down the line, and provided the activision deal doesn’t end up affecting competition and they stick to what regulators expect of them. If they don’t I’m assuming that will deeply impact their ability to make deals of this kind in the future

 

[Three]

It's not so much that Sony won't sell to MS, because ultimately they're a publicly traded company and "theoretically" MS could try a hostile takeover. It's not going to happen because that's no way a deal like that would get approved by regulators.

Japan tightens rules on foreign stakes in 518 firms, citing national security

Japan announced on Friday a list of its firms subject to tighter foreign ownership rules, including majors such as Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> and Sony Corp <6758.T>, as the United States and Europe step up scrutiny of industries key to national security.

www.reuters.com

 

[johnjohn]

Sega is probably next, but there’s 0 chance they get another big Western publisher like EA or T2.

And they’ll obviously have no trouble buying independent studios.

 

[ADiTAR]

They can buy all the IPs in the world, right now it seems like they don't know how to manage it or the talent that comes with it. I'm not worried.

Microsoft bought RARE 20+ years ago, the company has sorta kinda 1 success story since (Sea of Thieves).

 

[Ozzie666]

Is there the same scrutiny for privately owned companies? for example, if Sony or Microsoft were too purchase Valve? I'm not sure how it works with non-public companies.

Just curious. Like when Sony bought Insomniac, it was a privately owned company.

 

[Rykan]

They can buy all the IPs in the world, right now it seems like they don't know how to manage it or the talent that comes with it. I'm not worried.

Microsoft bought RARE 20+ years ago, the company has sorta kinda 1 success story since (Sea of Thieves).

Their kinect games were quite successful too, commercially at least

 

[ADiTAR]

Their kinect games were quite successful too, commercially at least

That was prob because of Kinect being a short fad then the actual games. Also clear that they killed it off rather quickly from Xbox One.

 

[GigaBowser]

Buying publishibers is nooottt that great what if the deverlopers leave then what huh? You just boughts the IP

 

[twilo99]

I haven't been following this too much, but does this mean this is pretty much a done deal? I thought some division/organization/whatever in the EU (or UK?) blocked it too, was that ever resolved?

Yes some UK government agency is trying to prevent two American companies from doing business together for some abstract reasons..

Deal is ~70% done

 

[Noxxera]

I dont really care. I just want good games on xbox.

 

[DenSho]

I dont really care. I just want good games on xbox.

Well, at least you're honest and admit everything is fine as long as you get your games on your platform of choice, even if that means others can't access those games.

Après moi, le déluge.

 

[dem]

Yes some UK government agency is trying to prevent two American companies from doing business together for some abstract reasons..

Deal is ~70% done

i wouldn’t get all excited that this deal is closing. The CMA is completely off their rocker, and they don’t seem to answer to anybody.


The FTC was always going to lose in a real court.

 

[Fredrik]

It was really easy to win against FTC and EU approved so easily. CMA is doubling their hands quite fast too. So, I don't know why wouldn't they attempt another Big purchase.

Really easy? lol

They can attempt it… but everything they do from here on will be looked at much more closely.

They could probably buy something like Asobo for MS Flight Sim, it would seem ”organic”, and maybe do a serious attempt with Moon for Ori, but I don’t think going after something like Ubisoft will work.

I don’t think Sony could do it either though. They’re both getting too big.

On the other hand, going by this trial Nintendo is apparently in a separate segment of the hobby, and have managed to reach monopoly there without anybody being bothered. So who knows?

 

[intheinbetween]

The salt, the drama.. oh wait it’s Wednesday, time to buy SEGA!

 

[DenchDeckard]

There was no stopping this. It wasn't MS that started this. Companies like Embracer and Tencent and Disney etc in the movie world...

Consolidation has been happening all along, if it wasn't MS buying Activision it would have been Meta or Amazon or some other company...

Everything has been leading to this point. Now it's just going to be a free for all for everyone.

Want to play everything? Own everything. Simple as. That's just the way it will be.

 

[Jerm411]

Well, at least you're honest and admit everything is fine as long as you get your games on your platform of choice, even if that means others can't access those games.

Après moi, le déluge.

People are CONSUMERS….not holistic all mighty gatekeepers of the entire industry…of course they’re going to think that if all they game on is XBox.

There isn’t one person playing FFXVI that’s having a restless night sleeping because gamers on XBox can’t play it….nor should they.

It’s a harsh reality but in 2023 if you wanna play everything, you gotta own more than one console.

 

[intheinbetween]

People are CONSUMERS….not holistic all mighty gatekeepers of the entire industry…of course they’re going to think that if all they game on is XBox.

There isn’t one person playing FFXVI that’s having a restless night sleeping because gamers on XBox can’t play it….nor should they.

It’s a harsh reality but in 2023 if you wanna play everything, you gotta own more than one console.

Well, tbh it’s always been like this, or even worse in previous gens, I would dare to say we are in an era in which you can play most games on any system. Two decades ago you needed every system to play most of the games, heck ok PC it was nearly impossible to play a console game other than by running a PS1, SNES, N64,.. emulator while nowadays you can play most of them day 1

 

[sono]

They will buy everything and then cancel gaming.

Gaming may cancel them. What counts is producing top class games and not making gamers feel that all they are doing is feeding a money machine

 

[Jerm411]

Well, tbh it’s always been like this, or even worse in previous gens, I would dare to say we are in an era in which you can play most games on any system. Two decades ago you needed every system to play most of the games, heck ok PC it was nearly impossible to play a console game other than by running a PS1, SNES, N64,.. emulator while nowadays you can play most of them day 1

Great point…you’re actually right about this gen at least.

 

[StueyDuck]

Absolutely nothing... the precedent is "well they aren't a monopoly now so they can buy" so legally they aren't going to stop until they can be proven a monopoly...

So basically they have to have already fucked up the industry now before law makers are willing to go "hmmmm maybe this isn't right"

 

[schaft0620]

For whatever wild reason, the FTC and the CMA did not ask this question and I think Microsoft gets a few more devs like Avalanche and IOI soon. Obviously they are still trying in Japan.

Reckless speculation: They didn't show Contraband this year because of Redfall proximity + they can show it off next year with announcement of acquisition.

 

[sankt-Antonio]

I think future acquisitions from MS will be focused now on small studios that can fill gaps for genre, etc... ABK buy gives them quite a lot of dev support studio power too imo, and that if managed could really help a number of their current devs.

It was never about Devs, they could have got more Devs cheaper. It was about IP. TakeTwo is next. Sadly its in the interest of the US to dominate the market, and luckily for MS their competition is Japanese, so they will always get their purchase validated in the US.