Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

KiryuRealty

Cambridge Dictionary High Priest of Grammar
28 Nov 2022
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Where it’s at.
Its really not anymore. The inmates have taken over the asylum in xbox land. Harassing anyone agaist the deal, harassing journalists that weigh in, harassing game developers that may or may not put games on gamepass. It has become an unhinged, lunatic fringe, dangerous, insane, mentally deranged cult thats becoming more and more disconnected from reality every passing day.
It’s a good reason for Xbox to be killed off, just to get the fanboys under control.
 

AshHunter216

Banned
8 Jan 2023
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They called them out on their bluff and basically got them to expose themselves to what it is really about.

At this point CMA accepting only behavioral remedies will be really surprising, the entire divestiture the cma carved out in the PF was to give microsoft what they want right? Well that entire thing just got blown to pieces in public by MS, and it completley makes the CMA look like fools. They will look like even bigger fools if they go with only behavioral remedies.

Heres even worse precedent that will get set, big tech companies using public pressure to regulators into making decision their way.
Yeah, caving to public pressure drummed up by a corporation is an even worse precedent to set, I agree.
 
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Cool hand luke

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14 Feb 2023
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Well I would be happy to see that, I didn't really see the outrage or disgust... if you could link me to it, I'd love to read.

The acquisition thread itself is honestly too much for me to stomach most of the time.
Agreed. I'll link you when I see a few more.

This thread is much more level headed. >50% balking at the idea that Microsoft needs another publisher to compete when they incompetently manage the largest stable of studios of any console maker. They see through the transparent PR, which you have to imagine the regulators do as well. A lot of that gets lost in the fervour of the acquisition thread which is basically ATVI bagholders and game pass zealots shouting down everyone else.


No disgust in this thread towards the acquisition in the first few pages but I know I've seen the sentiment shared, even on reeee
 
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AshHunter216

Banned
8 Jan 2023
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I thought more about the install base argument for the EU and it seems to have some flaws in that region as well now that I think about it. Didn't Xbox elect not to even launch/localize in some of those markets for a decent chunk of time last gen? There's perhaps an argument to be made that the acquisition wouldn't do anything to balance the market situation in Europe as MS claim since the reasons for the install base difference can't be chalked up to IP/studio ownership. Maybe someone who lives in that area can fill me in on Xbox's presence there.
 

KiryuRealty

Cambridge Dictionary High Priest of Grammar
28 Nov 2022
6,647
8,165
Where it’s at.
I thought more about the install base argument for the EU and it seems to have some flaws in that region as well now that I think about it. Didn't Xbox elect not to even launch/localize in some of those markets for a decent chunk of time last gen? There's perhaps an argument to be made that the acquisition wouldn't do anything to balance the market situation in Europe as MS claim since the reasons for the install base difference can't be chalked up to IP/studio ownership. Maybe someone who lives in that area can fill me in on Xbox's presence there.
Thing is, the number of users XBox does or does not have is immaterial to the main issue of the world’s largest software company buying the world’s largest games publisher.

All this user base talk from MS is a smokescreen, and not an effective one.
 

VillaiN

Well-known member
10 Feb 2023
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630
I thought more about the install base argument for the EU and it seems to have some flaws in that region as well now that I think about it. Didn't Xbox elect not to even launch/localize in some of those markets for a decent chunk of time last gen? There's perhaps an argument to be made that the acquisition wouldn't do anything to balance the market situation in Europe as MS claim since the reasons for the install base difference can't be chalked up to IP/studio ownership. Maybe someone who lives in that area can fill me in on Xbox's presence there.
South europe here but i travel around. In short sony earned their position over last 25 years. Ms doesnt give a damn about region or most of europe.
Sony has local stores and official support in every country. Huge promotions with retailers and local marketing. Sales etc. They translate their games like gow to local language. Huge effort. Majority of countries have local psn store. Croatia released post stamps with PS characters.
MS and xbox s complete oposite. Only few western countrumies have their support. Warranty s often a problem. Zero marketing.
And xbox has little games for eu taste. From my experience europeans dont like xbox gamepad, sticks etc.

Xbox was doing nothing for majority of last 20 years and sitting on butts while sony was working hard. Now ms wants to buy up half the industry.
MS ll get few millions of new customers if they get cod etc. For sure. But sony s safe if they continue to grow their ips, get fifa and gta.
 

daniel5043

Veteran
19 Jan 2023
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I thought more about the install base argument for the EU and it seems to have some flaws in that region as well now that I think about it. Didn't Xbox elect not to even launch/localize in some of those markets for a decent chunk of time last gen? There's perhaps an argument to be made that the acquisition wouldn't do anything to balance the market situation in Europe as MS claim since the reasons for the install base difference can't be chalked up to IP/studio ownership. Maybe someone who lives in that area can fill me in on Xbox's presence there.
They don't even localise the games properly
 

Sircaw

Pro Flounder
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20 Jun 2022
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@VillaiN, @daniel5043 @Cool hand luke, I love you guys but for the love of God get an avatar, please.


Come On Please GIF by World Cup
 
24 Jun 2022
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That's a bit arrogant of them. It's not like divesting would make the deal worthless and even Disney had to divest some things when they were buying Fox.

TBF, we are talking about Microsoft here. A company that, in the process of trying to gain approval for buying ABK (and announcing the intent only eight months after completing the acquisition of another large gaming publisher), has at multiple points, insulted regulators, called them unconstitutional, threatened companies in opposition to them completing the deal, and continues to use sheeple among their public fanbase to strongarm regulators into giving in to their demands.

When Dring called MS's theatrics "Trumpian", he was probably being generous.

They called them out on their bluff and basically got them to expose themselves to what it is really about.

At this point CMA accepting only behavioral remedies will be really surprising, the entire divestiture the cma carved out in the PF was to give microsoft what they want right? Well that entire thing just got blown to pieces in public by MS, and it completley makes the CMA look like fools. They will look like even bigger fools if they go with only behavioral remedies.

Heres an even worse precedent that will get set, big tech companies using public pressure to get regulators into making decision their way.

Yep and yep. If the CMA budge and accept the deal with just the lightest of behavioral concessions, they will look weak to all companies in the future. Same with the EC and FTC, but the warriors don't seem to understand this and won't understand until some company takes something away from Microsoft (that they feel Microsoft should have or should have bought instead).

Imagine being the company that could set a precedent of galvanizing an unhinged public to force regulators into a decision out of fear of public outcry (or worst), instead of due to the actual merits of the deal and its impact on the market. That would be a legacy you could never shake off.

Agreed. I'll link you when I see a few more.

This thread is much more level headed. >50% balking at the idea that Microsoft needs another publisher to compete when they incompetently manage the largest stable of studios of any console maker. They see through the transparent PR, which you have to imagine the regulators do as well. A lot of that gets lost in the fervour of the acquisition thread which is basically ATVI bagholders and game pass zealots shouting down everyone else.


No disgust in this thread towards the acquisition in the first few pages but I know I've seen the sentiment shared, even on reeee

For a moment you didn't need a separate thread to have some actual dialog on the acquisition; some sensible discourse was actually being had in the main thread thanks to a few posters. But I guess that was too much; can't upset the irrationals in their echo chamber of a giant acquisition thread.

Then again it's not surprising considering staff members have stock in ABK, so they would want a certain narrative to persist in the main thread regardless.