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Microsoft is buying Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion [FTC sues to stop - CMA issues updated preliminary findings]


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I saw that the FTC resumed its fight with MS. In my mind, they waited too long. Unless MS extends the deal again, as long as Europe says OK next week, likely going to start closing after that. Seems like it’s in vain now. As much as it sucks, will be glad not to hear about it anymore. 

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2 hours ago, MidnightDragon said:

I saw that the FTC resumed its fight with MS. In my mind, they waited too long. Unless MS extends the deal again, as long as Europe says OK next week, likely going to start closing after that. Seems like it’s in vain now. As much as it sucks, will be glad not to hear about it anymore. 

 

EU has made murmurs that maybe they will have a look at it again, yes, after it was stated that they weren't going to. Not that it would be to reject the case of course, but for political reasons. If the CMA passes it then it gets put out there that they were the final arbiter on it, and not the EU, and that'd annoy the EU, so if they then have the CMA deal reviewed then it can be said that the EU was the final arbiter. Just petty politics.

 

As for the FTC. The wording used is 'unwind' I believe which would imply that their intention at this point isn't to block, it is unwind the deal. As in split Activision away from Microsoft after they merge. Normally regulators just give up when a deal goes through but it appears the FTC wants to put it out there that they're going to keep coming, and you'll the day if they're ever allowed teeth because they'll rip your company apart as these unwindings are extremely costly.

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35 minutes ago, Rozalia1 said:

 

EU has made murmurs that maybe they will have a look at it again, yes, after it was stated that they weren't going to. Not that it would be to reject the case of course, but for political reasons. If the CMA passes it then it gets put out there that they were the final arbiter on it, and not the EU, and that'd annoy the EU, so if they then have the CMA deal reviewed then it can be said that the EU was the final arbiter. Just petty politics.

 

As for the FTC. The wording used is 'unwind' I believe which would imply that their intention at this point isn't to block, it is unwind the deal. As in split Activision away from Microsoft after they merge. Normally regulators just give up when a deal goes through but it appears the FTC wants to put it out there that they're going to keep coming, and you'll the day if they're ever allowed teeth because they'll rip your company apart as these unwindings are extremely costly.

I mean, I’m no legal expert, but the US courts don’t move fast on most stuff. That’s why I question why it took so long to resume.

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2 hours ago, Helyx said:

Anyone got a hyper-condensed cliff notes? I quit reading like 40 pages ago.

Basically the merger is pretty much inevitable and Time magazine is on whatever drugs that convinced Aaron Rodgers that playing for the Jets was a good idea. 

Edited by MidnightDragon
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So... the deal isn't done yet and Activision announced that call of duty games are going to game pass.

 

Not the newest ones "this year" mind you, but I think we can tell where this is going.

 

Is this like the ultimate act of arrogance from MS or what? Deal isn't official yet and they're already telegraphing what they're going to do with the CoD player base

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4 hours ago, AJ_-_808 said:

So... the deal isn't done yet and Activision announced that call of duty games are going to game pass.

 

Not the newest ones "this year" mind you, but I think we can tell where this is going.

 

Is this like the ultimate act of arrogance from MS or what? Deal isn't official yet and they're already telegraphing what they're going to do with the CoD player base

 

It isn't new. They were doing it last time before the CMA came out. You'd think after that embarrassment they'd not risk it again, but arrogance is very strong at Microsoft. Remember, this is a company with a failing gaming business they have to hide the numbers for and do these buy outs to try and hold up, and yet thinks they know better than Nintendo.

 

As for CoD and all that. I imagine it is because of existing contracts that exist with Sony which Microsoft can't break. Their aim with CoD will ultimately be to put them on Game Pass and do the 'early access' scam they've been doing for some time now. That way they put the games on their subscription 'Day 1', but also get a bunch of game sales from people buying 'premium' versions of the game which are 100 bucks or whatever, just so they can play a week earlier.

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So then October 18th is the deadline and the CMA have not announced anything yet or have I missed it? It will all be over soon, and I'm sure there is a clause in these agreements that Microsoft cannot purchase Ubisoft to get around it surely as that would be very crafty of them, but I'm sure the CMA has thought of this one would think. Most probably in 10 years or whatever it expires and Ubisoft lose the rights for it is my guess.

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On 7/12/2023 at 8:28 AM, The_Kopite said:

Sadly with the latest news, I think I was likely correct and it will go through. Microsoft will somehow, someway come to some kind of deal with the UK (CMA) and that'll the last hurdle and then gaming studios/companies will all be on the menu at Microsoft's 'All you can eat (destroy)' buffet.

Didn't want to be correct but there you go.

 

Glad my 3 favourite franchises are all made by Japanese companies!

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1 hour ago, Valtekken173 said:

@Rozalia1 Assuming the info here gets confirmed, I got what I wanted out of the acquisition and I was right. Seems like being optimistic pays off.

 

Yeah, because he'll be taking over as head of Xbox. I hope that remains just a joke... but... it ain't impossible.

 

Anyway, it is good news certainly. Kotick as detestable as he is actually has some ability to run a gaming business. Ybarra seems the most likely guy to get the position I'd imagine. As has been obvious and has come up before, as this video (from someone who worked at Xbox during the Peter Moore/Early XBone era. Talks nicely about Spencer though) attests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69gs773bZRI, Microsoft promotes on patronage and not merit, and Ybarra has been their man inside Activision. Considering how linked he has been to bad events at Activision Blizzard though... might have too much heat to be promoted to that specific position, so maybe they'll just invent some position that involves no real amount of work for him somewhere.

 

Edit: 

 

 

I made a new thread for the conclusion of all of this.

Edited by Rozalia1
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1 hour ago, Rozalia1 said:

 

Yeah, because he'll be taking over as head of Xbox. I hope that remains just a joke... but... it ain't impossible.

 

Anyway, it is good news certainly. Kotick as detestable as he is actually has some ability to run a gaming business. Ybarra seems the most likely guy to get the position I'd imagine. As has been obvious and has come up before, as this video (from someone who worked at Xbox during the Peter Moore/Early XBone era. Talks nicely about Spencer though) attests https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69gs773bZRI, Microsoft promotes on patronage and not merit, and Ybarra has been their man inside Activision. Considering how linked he has been to bad events at Activision Blizzard though... might have too much heat to be promoted to that specific position, so maybe they'll just invent some position that involves no real amount of work for him somewhere.

 

Edit: 

 

 

I made a new thread for the conclusion of all of this.

I doubt he'll be head of Xbox. He's getting the boot for good, they literally announced he was leaving the second this entire thing was over. He's done, because he's a piece of shit, and I'm very happy the acquisition happened because this is all that I asked of the acquisition itself.

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2 hours ago, Valtekken173 said:

I doubt he'll be head of Xbox. He's getting the boot for good, they literally announced he was leaving the second this entire thing was over. He's done, because he's a piece of shit, and I'm very happy the acquisition happened because this is all that I asked of the acquisition itself.

There are better ways of getting him out rather than at the (likely) cost of the company and degradation of the industry itself.

 

Kotick is the lesser of the two evils

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21 minutes ago, AJ_-_808 said:

There are better ways of getting him out rather than at the (likely) cost of the company and degradation of the industry itself.

 

Kotick is the lesser of the two evils

It's the lesser of two evils TO YOU. To me, I'd sooner murder this entire industry myself than have that piece of shit at the helm of Activision one more day.

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Yes, give Kotick a good, big paycheck and a golden parachute to avoid any and all responsibility for the horrible shit he allowed to happen during his time at Activision. Surely that'll show him, and be a warning to those like him. /s

 

Kotick is disgusting, but so to is it disgusting to claim that you care about the people he's hurt while simultaneously clapping that he's getting paid handsomely and wiping his hands clean of the filth he allowed to happen. There's no way what Microsoft is doing and the precedent it has now created is somehow the lesser of two evils when taking the above into consideration. Microsoft acquiring ABK is objectively the greater evil here (especially in the long-term and bigger picture), and thinking otherwise doesn't change this fact or that Kotick is getting off scottfree. It just makes you - and at this point I don't care whose feelings and fragile ego I hurt saying this - an absolute idiot fueled only by emotion rather than logic. Ironically, Kotick still wins in the end and everyone else loses despite your illogical and emotionally fueled seething. Still glad he's out regardless, however. Fuck him. lol

Edited by Zephrese
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