Ctrl+Alt+Deceive: All The Dirt, Info, Lies, and LOLs We Found During FTC vs. Microsoft

KiryuRealty

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Phil has been a disaster at managing Xbox. From releasing the Series S, creating a gaming sub service that cannibalizes game sales, allowing once prominent IPs (Halo especially) to fade into irrelevance, overseeing a predominately mediocre game portfolio, etc. - it's been nothing but bad decisions by Phil. He may have a cult-like following among some rabid fans, but I think the emails at the FTC trial showed he is the embodiment of the MS corporate mindset. And the results speak for themselves when looking at where Xbox is now compared to the 360.
He was a disaster as the head of Studios Europe and Studios Worldwide, so it isn't a shock to see him auger the whole division into the ground after he failed his way to the top slot.
 
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A thought just hit me, in both console gaming and mobile phones, MS has been the failed third entrant in a two-horse race.

Windows Mobile 7 Series came out when the market was already split between Android and iOS, and there just wasn't oxygen for a third way with consumers already entrenched. In consoles, they tried to break in when Nintendo and Sony had the market split between them.

The only difference is Xbox took longer to fail because they were allowed to burn money for longer and had better timing and friendlier press reception than Windows Phone did. Also, changing the name of their iOS competitor every three months didn't help them grab market share much.
Blackberry was pretty big back then I had one it was the popular one with everyone in school with bbm lol
 

kaluas

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3 Oct 2022
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Windows Mobile 7 Series came out when the market was already split between Android and iOS, and there just wasn't oxygen for a third way with consumers already entrenched. In consoles, they tried to break in when Nintendo and Sony had the market split between them.
They didn't just launch a mobile OS. They set up a charade funeral for all other OSs. https://www.cnet.com/pictures/microsofts-funeral-for-the-iphone-photos/

Which makes the failure so, so much sweeter.

I hope when MS turns third party we'll see a new, proper third player with stuff to offer.
 

Alabtrosmyster

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Blackberry was never that big on the consumer market, and similarly got their ass kicked when they came out with an iOS competitor.
Smartphones were a thing for businesses before the iPhone. Sure, some tech savvy people bought one here and there, but those who got them were generally people who needed email and other important work related stuff on the go.

The early smartphones even did most of that the iPhone did, just not very conveniently and the interaction wasn't nearly as satisfying.

So even Windows Phone was not much outside businesses, but MS could probably have made a less drastic jump in order to keep their existing client base and build on it. However, they panicked and went too far.
 

KiryuRealty

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Smartphones were a thing for businesses before the iPhone. Sure, some tech savvy people bought one here and there, but those who got them were generally people who needed email and other important work related stuff on the go.

The early smartphones even did most of that the iPhone did, just not very conveniently and the interaction wasn't nearly as satisfying.

So even Windows Phone was not much outside businesses, but MS could probably have made a less drastic jump in order to keep their existing client base and build on it. However, they panicked and went too far.
They’d already lost their business users through stagnation for the most part. Then they dismissed touch smartphones until it was too late to get any market share before it had become a 2-horse race.

Palm had the same problem.
 

Neversummer

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I still can’t believe the judge approved the ABK acquisition so much evidence that was purposely neglected by the judge which the CMA/FTC either pointing MS plans to “spend Sony out of business” MS desire to buy major 3rd party publisher & forclose all of the content building a “wall garden” from franchises that where long time 3rd party on PS to MS admitting the “cloud market” as a separate market to a bunch of other evidence CMA/FTC should’ve been way more aggressive correcting or informing the judge much better.

It’s clear MS just want to buy the ecosystem & franchises to associate Xbox with then to create it & is why i think Sega will be next in the next couple years.
 
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Neversummer

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The judge was clearly biased, and now we know just how bad it was.

The FTC has a real case for judicial misconduct with this coming out, and that may even be the purpose of the leak.
The judge disregard that it’s not her job to “protect Sony” regarding the acquisition of ABK was asinine. If Sony/PlayStation is “harm” Sony/PlayStation consumers are harmed aswell it’s collateral damage. If Sony/PlayStation is harm as the FTC said new precedent would be set regarding allowing a competitor w a platform to buy 4 publisher worth 80 billion. Sony could buy publishers to remain competitive in a production level or to expand to PC, VR, Mobile potentially harming MS consumers because there no other choice to compete with MS who’s has showed it’s willing to buying out multiple publisher for close longtime 3rd party franchises content & “spend Sony out of business”
 
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Neversummer

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It's amazing that with all of this evidence, somehow the FTC's lawyers couldn't tie it all together in a way to sway the judge's vote to their side. People will keep highlighting her son working for Microsoft and yes that's an obvious conflict of interest, but the FTC did not request for another judge, seemingly because they thought they could win the PI.

Well they failed. They're talking about appealing and whatnot, but unless something material surfaces, that's honestly just all talk IMO. They had a perfect opportunity to argue a legit case, but they made their point too much about how Sony was going to be hurt by the deal, and not enough on how Sony's customers would potentially be hurt.

Since the judge wanted to play the "it's about the consumers" game, FTC's lawyers should've caught on and tied all of their arguments back to how those things affected Sony's customers, and how Sony's customers being affected is essentially equivalent to customers being negatively impacted.

It is what it is :/
I don’t see how the FTC making all about Sony is a bad thing. One would think if Sony/ Sony PlayStation is harmed roughly 150+ million consumers would be harmed is the process this is also not regarding what Sony would react with an acquisition the size of ABK worth 70+ billion passing would entail. Does Sony buys publisher now? & now because regulators approved MS acquiring 4 publishers worth 80+ billion how do stop others or stop Sony from acquiring 2 or 3 publish (ofc it’s hypothetical) do you go with Sony is the market leader in gaming or console market, because Sony isn’t Nintendo are the market leader in console & you can say Tencent or Apple are the market leader in gaming. (Apple doesn’t even produce games & are #4 in revenue if they bought a publisher or created games they would jump to #2 maybe even #1)

I think a cool thread would be how would regulators stop Sony or other competitors from buying publisher after allowing ABK & Zenimax (4 total publisher) or how the gaming landscape would look in a consolidation industry
 
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KiryuRealty

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I don’t see how the FTC making all about Sony is a bad thing. One would think if Sony/ Sony PlayStation is harmed roughly 150+ million consumers would be harmed is the process this is also not regarding what Sony would react with an acquisition the size of ABK worth 70+ billion passing would entail. Does Sony buys publisher now? & now because regulators approved MS acquiring 4 publishers worth 80+ billion how do stop others or stop Sony from acquiring 2 or 3 publish (ofc it’s hypothetical) do you go with Sony is the market leader in gaming or console market, because Sony isn’t Nintendo are the market leader in console & you can say Tencent or Apple are the market leader in gaming. (Apple doesn’t even produce games & are #4 in revenue if they bought a publisher or created games they would jump to #2 maybe even #1)

I think a cool thread would be how would regulators stop Sony or other competitors from buying publisher after allowing ABK & Zenimax (4 total publisher) or how the gaming landscape would look in a consolidation industry
The FTC won't make it about Sony, because regulation is for the consumer, not the businesses, and a regulatory body making things about one particular competitor would be inappropriate bias that would undo anything they sought to accomplish, as their actions would be overturned on appeal in a heartbeat.
 

Hastelander

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I think the CoD thing was just Sony bitching needlessly. Yeah Mic's trying to buy everything, but you've got Socom, Killzone, Resistance, MAG, and now Destiny and Marathon. Also, you're helping MS by releasing games on windows, especially when they end up being pretty much exclusive to win10+.
 

Swolf712

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I think the CoD thing was just Sony bitching needlessly. Yeah Mic's trying to buy everything, but you've got Socom, Killzone, Resistance, MAG, and now Destiny and Marathon. Also, you're helping MS by releasing games on windows, especially when they end up being pretty much exclusive to win10+.
CoD is a massive chunk of their revenue, and I don't think you quite grasp the scope of that game, man. You'd need pretty much every one of those franchises to be a mega-hit (they wouldn't be) to come close to replacing that revenue stream. That's why they pushed to get Bungie, that's why they were trying to go in on live services. They've been trying to avoid being put in that position again.

And Microsoft sees not a dime from games being released that run on Windows. Not entirely sure how you think that's "helping" them.
 

KiryuRealty

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CoD is a massive chunk of their revenue, and I don't think you quite grasp the scope of that game, man. You'd need pretty much every one of those franchises to be a mega-hit (they wouldn't be) to come close to replacing that revenue stream. That's why they pushed to get Bungie, that's why they were trying to go in on live services. They've been trying to avoid being put in that position again.

And Microsoft sees not a dime from games being released that run on Windows. Not entirely sure how you think that's "helping" them.
Microsoft gets the money from the Windows license, which they are moving toward turning into a subscription. That helps them.
 

Swolf712

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Microsoft gets the money from the Windows license, which they are moving toward turning into a subscription. That helps them.
The Windows license was already paid for by the person you purchased your computer from in the first place. Using your device does not help them, nor do they get money on some per-game basis.

Y'all are actually trying to run with an Xbox fanboy talking point.
 
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KiryuRealty

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The Windows license was already paid for by the person you purchased your computer from in the first place. Using your device does not help them, nor do they get money on some per-game basis.

Y'all are actually trying to run with an Xbox fanboy talking point.
Look up user capture as a concept.

Buying Windows games keeps a user in the Windows market, making them more likely to stick with a Windows PC going forward.