I don't know if this decision is all that beneficial for Microsoft. I honestly think they shot themselves in the foot with their requests and that Sony prepared themselves quite well. From looking at it, it seems like they threw in arguments, such as SIE’s request to quash document request 3, and SIE’s request to quash document request 35, so that they can use them against Microsoft.
Request 3 is interesting since there would be no need to try and quash Jim Ryan's drafts for communications unless you're trying to get something in return. This makes me believe that Sony can, if they want to (and haven't done so),
request any and all official communications from Phil Spencer requiring Bethesda's acquisition, including but not limited to, internal statements that could confirm theories that they lied about Bethesda.
Let's also notice that
Sony got granted the request to limit document requests, including requests 14, 19, 22-25, 28, 29, 35, and 43, to the time period January 1, 2019, meaning that for Request 35, they will only have to provide data from that timeframe onwards. We all know they sign exclusive deals, but what they actually entail is still subject to plenty of speculation, however limiting the date to a timeframe where Microsoft themselves resumed the signing of exclusive deals, especially for Gamepass, doesn't seem very innocent to me.
IMO,
if they haven't, they now have pretty much carte blanche to have Phil Spencer's communications related to both acquisitions, including any and all internal drafts,
plus all the data from Gamepass deals if they so choose to. My gut tells me that while some Sony agreements may be more restrictive, Microsoft agreements provide devs with fewer perks. As we've learned from Final Fantasy, Sony not only gets the exclusive but also use their in-house studios to help elevate the quality of the offering, benefitting consumers.