Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

[AshHunter216]

I've always looked at the sentence as CMA covering their backs, if MS tried to appeal with the argument that CMA didn't give them any other alternatives or a chance. Just reading everything above says it all really, they absolutely do not want behavioural remedies or by itself.

Now we just gotta wait and see how much spine CMA have.

From what I've heard, the public pressure / media tactics are supposedly really annoying to agencies like the CMA and EU, though I could still see the EC tolerating the media circus tactic and approving. CMA are already strong against the deal, if they find this approach really annoying as some have said, MS have an extremely uphill battle convincing them of anything. I wonder if MS are banking on the CMA feeling pressured to approve if the EC do, though I've read about cases where the EC approved a deal but the cma still said no.

 

[KiryuRealty]

Yep, but section 44 here is the sticking point for me personally. It seems like they left them a bit of a gap for this, though I've heard that MS's showy public approach with these licensing deals may annoy the CMA quite a bit, as well as them deciding that what they've done so far won't address concerns and are just hollow gestures that don't require them to make any real sacrifices. I'm also wondering if they will feel pressured to approve if the EU give their thumbs up.

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With the CMA, the more you plead your case in the media, the more likely they are to decide against you.

 

[FatKaz]

From what I've heard, the public pressure / media tactics are supposedly really annoying to agencies like the CMA and EU, though I could still see the EC tolerating the media circus tactic and approving. CMA are already strong against the deal, if they find this approach really annoying as some have said, MS have an extremely uphill battle comvincing them of anything. I wonder if MS are banking on the CMA feeling pressured to approve if the EC do, though I've read about cases where the EC approved a deal but the cma still said no.

I guess one thing that could make CMA feel less pressured is the FTC going in guns blazing to block it. Let's say CMA kills the deal, you bet FTC will make their move soon after that and take that noise away from the CMA. I wouldn't be surprised if FTC make a move before MS can even announce they've walked away just to take some glory.

Also as most of us were discussing yesterday, CMA need to think the damage they will do to themselves if they do fall for the pressure.

 

[AshHunter216]

With the CMA, the more you plead your case in the media, the more likely they are to decide against you.

Has anyone else tried that though?

 

[Yobo]

Also, how long before the green mafia comes after this man?

Microsoft in Brussels: Sound and fury, signifying nothing | Opinion

Whatever you think about Microsoft's arguments for letting its acquisition of Activision Blizzard advance, you can't fa…

www.gamesindustry.biz

The conspiracy theorist in me can't help but notice that Microsoft announces marketing budget cuts a few weeks ago and suddenly outlets are allowing less favourable stories published. Where has this been the past year since it was announced?

 

[FatKaz]

The conspiracy theorist in me can't help but notice that Microsoft announces marketing budget cuts a few weeks ago and suddenly outlets are allowing less favourable stories published. Where has this been the past year since it was announced?

I think Gbiz is the only outlet with the balls to really say anything critical, they even had an artical last year that said why the CMA could kill the deal and the derange fanboys of course lost their minds.

Also some of the gbiz journalists like chris dring are from the UK, and guys like kotick calling the UK 'death valley' and the fanboys/shills throwing alot of shit at the CMA a uk regulatory body aswell as the UK being bullied by MS rhetoric, understandbly pissed off journalists from the UK.

 

[Bryank75]

The conspiracy theorist in me can't help but notice that Microsoft announces marketing budget cuts a few weeks ago and suddenly outlets are allowing less favourable stories published. Where has this been the past year since it was announced?

I know they spend over 20 billion annually on marketing but I really do wonder how much of that goes to websites and big media.... it must be a huge chunk.

Did you see how much they cut the budget by?

 

[Cool hand luke]

I know this is just an opinion pice but this quote is what i find shocking



What kind of self respecting regulator would fall for distraction against key concerns? Good fucking grief. If the EC drop any of their key concerns the regulatory process is a goddamn joke.

The author's money being on the EC being fooled by the song and dance is almost contemptuous.

He nails it when describing game pass and Microsoft's completely transparent intentions for it. Sure, offer some scraps to other platforms but hey look that game plus more that you used to be able to play are now locked away behind a subscription that no one can compete with.

But the most frightening thing is that even the CMA, who will block this deal without a doubt, dismissed concerns about game pass.

 

[Aidendelaney95]

But the most frightening thing is that even the CMA, who will block this deal without a doubt, dismissed concerns about game pass.

Eh, even if that's true, the deal getting blocked would cripple MS' internal pipeline for a good while. Sure, with that they'll be forced to make deals with third party Devs to feed the service, but after what's just recently came out about sales cannibalism--

 

[FatKaz]

But the most frightening thing is that even the CMA, who will block this deal without a doubt, dismissed concerns about game pass.

Personally I don't think that's a big deal. They still maintained concerns about cloud, so if ms offer any behavioural remedies it will have to have a concession to have to put cod on sonys cloud service ps premium.

That will be a tough pill to swallow for ms, and no doubt regulators will want a fair price for conpetitiors, so ms doesn't sneakily put a very high price tag essentially making it unaffordable to competitors.

 

[KiryuRealty]

The author's money being on the EC being fooled by the song and dance is almost contemptuous.

He nails it when describing game pass and Microsoft's completely transparent intentions for it. Sure, offer some scraps to other platforms but hey look that game plus more that you used to be able to play are now locked away behind a subscription that no one can compete with.

But the most frightening thing is that even the CMA, who will block this deal without a doubt, dismissed concerns about game pass.

I think the authorities being dismissive of Game Pass comes down to them seeing the problems it is having with churn and growth, and the publishers publicly saying they won’t be doing as much for Game Pass anymore as a balanced enough situation that they don’t need to worry about it on its own.

 

[Cool hand luke]

I think the authorities being dismissive of Game Pass comes down to them seeing the problems it is having with churn and growth, and the publishers publicly saying they won’t be doing as much for Game Pass anymore as a balanced enough situation that they don’t need to worry about it on its own.

Right - the market participants are rejecting game pass but MS is trying to brute force it into being the dominant way to consume games by absorbing formerly multiplatform publishers. That's the part that should ring alarm bells.

 

[KiryuRealty]

Right - the market participants are rejecting game pass but MS is trying to brute force it into being the dominant way to consume games by absorbing formerly multiplatform publishers. That's the part that should ring alarm bells.

There are far larger reasons to block the deal, and those are what the regulators are focused on.

 

[AshHunter216]

Eh, even if that's true, the deal getting blocked would cripple MS' internal pipeline for a good while. Sure, with that they'll be forced to make deals with third party Devs to feed the service, but after what's just recently came out about sales cannibalism--

I'd prefer MS making 3rd party deals over things being permanently gone from PS due to acquisitions.

 

[ethomaz]

Also, how long before the green mafia comes after this man?

Microsoft in Brussels: Sound and fury, signifying nothing | Opinion

Whatever you think about Microsoft's arguments for letting its acquisition of Activision Blizzard advance, you can't fa…

www.gamesindustry.biz

Again another guy with the sentiment “an unnecessary circus” that won’t help MS in any way… very American way.

 

[Papacheeks]

Again another guy with the sentiment “an unnecessary circus” that won’t help MS in any way… very American way.

Super well written piece.

But I bet tons of dumb neogaf/reeee posters will pick it apart.

It really does explain the concerns.

People like colt/jez are too fanboy minded to look at the bigger picture. If tables were turned and this was Sony buying ABK or EA you bet your ass we would be talking about it with the same concerns.

 

[Old Gamer]

People like colt/jez are too fanboy minded to look at the bigger picture. If tables were turned and this was Sony buying ABK or EA you bet your ass we would be talking about it with the same concerns.

The reality is, Sony would very likely try to pull a similar kind of stunts if they could. But we all know that they can't.

We don't assign altruism to these corporations, we just know which are the biggest threat.

 

[nongkris]

The reality is, Sony would very likely try to pull a similar kind of stunts if they could. But we all know that they can't.

We don't assign altruism to these corporations, we just know which are the biggest threat.

You saying "Sony Too" is not based in fact, because Sony could just as easily go the the media with all of their opposition concerns but they don't, nothing is stopping them. It's okay to admit that MS is going about this in a uniquely boneheaded way because they are used to gobbling up everything they see without pushback, and that this way isn't like to please the regulators.

 

[AshHunter216]

Super well written piece.

But I bet tons of dumb neogaf/reeee posters will pick it apart.

It really does explain the concerns.

People like colt/jez are too fanboy minded to look at the bigger picture. If tables were turned and this was Sony buying ABK or EA you bet your ass we would be talking about it with the same concerns.

It also sort of touches on the fact that MS wouldn't be so eager to throw these 10 year deals around if they actually did anything to diminish the advantages this purchase would give them.

 

[Doncortez77]

It also sort of touches on the fact that MS wouldn't be so eager to throw these 10 year deals around if they actually did anything to diminish the advantages this purchase would give them.

I agree also if they had so much confidence that the deal would go through without any issues like the fans say it would, why offer these deals before the deal supposedly closes? Why not wait until the ball if fully in your court and negotiate from there…..ill tell you why cause of concerns that the deal would have issues and they trying to save face by offering these 10 year deals.