Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

[Yobo]

Of course they would be allowed. People tend to forget that Microsoft bought two big publishers in a row! Zenimax was already big (many studios in Europe and North America, one in Japan) and now they are possibly getting the biggest pub on earth! Market share is only temporary which can always change within time. This is also a question of assets and IPs. I think if Sony would announce this year Square Enix, they would get little to no resistance. Nintendo has already a tremendously high market share and Xbox isn’t even affected by this. Sony would just need to present how low the numbers for Japanese games on Xbox were. I also believe if they would go after Capcom in a couple of years they would getting it approved, they would probably only need to make the concessions that Monster Hunter would be available for Nintendo systems. Two Japanese pubs for Sony would realistic, to get them approved.

I doubt any concessions need to be made in Japan to Nintendo. Sony have zero software presence in that market. They need only point out the top 10 selling games of every year

Japan’s top 100 best-selling games of 2022

1. Pokémon Scarlet/Violet (Switch) – 4,338,931
2. Splatoon 3 (Switch) – 3,687,814
3. Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Switch) – 2,314,806
4. Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch) – 969,047
5. Nintendo Switch Sports (Switch) – 887,722
6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) – 742,018 in 2022 (lifetime sales total 5,014,375)
7. Minecraft (Switch) – 548,415 (total 2,960,006)
8. Mario Party Superstars (Switch) – 485,594 (total 1,114,132)
9. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch) – 441,053 (total 5,065,191)
10. Elden Ring (PS4) – 356,711

 

[Yobo]

it is a time, for Activision and Sony make a contract before Deal passthrough, for 20 years, for peanuts, but breaking contract cost tens of billions

I dunno, lawyers would have a better understanding of the status of the case. Is it likely to pass. Don't listen to Twitter bots, they have no idea.

Sony signing would surely clinch the deal though

 

[FatKaz]

I doubt any concessions need to be made in Japan to Nintendo. Sony have zero software presence in that market. They need only point out the top 10 selling games of every year

Japan’s top 100 best-selling games of 2022

1. Pokémon Scarlet/Violet (Switch) – 4,338,931
2. Splatoon 3 (Switch) – 3,687,814
3. Pokemon Legends: Arceus (Switch) – 2,314,806
4. Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Switch) – 969,047
5. Nintendo Switch Sports (Switch) – 887,722
6. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Switch) – 742,018 in 2022 (lifetime sales total 5,014,375)
7. Minecraft (Switch) – 548,415 (total 2,960,006)
8. Mario Party Superstars (Switch) – 485,594 (total 1,114,132)
9. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Switch) – 441,053 (total 5,065,191)
10. Elden Ring (PS4) – 356,711

Also considering japan is protective of their top companies, i bet the japanese regulators approves a big acquistion easily for sony.

 

[Killer_Sakoman]

Imo they should go for capcom first, keep the cheques coming at square enix and keep them in their pocket for a future acqusition.

Also massivley increase their stake in kadokawa aswell

Suffice to say they need to make their move fast.

I don't know where they gonna start, but Sony is surely working on aggressive reaction even if ABK deal doesn't go through.

 

[Plextorage]

I don't know where they gonna start, but Sony is surely working on aggressive reaction even if ABK deal doesn't go through.

Even if deals goes through, Sony sooner or later will be more aggressive with 3rd party deals.

 

[AshHunter216]

Even if deals goes through, Sony sooner or later will be more aggressive with 3rd party deals.

They need to grow their first party. 3rd party deals on their own won't cut it.

 

[Dabaus]

They need to grow their first party. 3rd party deals on their own won't cut it.

Exactly. Honestly with Microsoft using the American government to bully japan, nothings off the table now. Sony should be regretting not making deals sooner now.
I could genuinely see Microsoft attempt to crash the Japanese economy if they could with some windows os “malfunction” just to get their hands on some of these publishers. I really think it’s come that

 

[Plextorage]

They need to grow their first party. 3rd party deals on their own won't cut it.

Alongside with that, yes.

 

[Yobo]

Exactly. Honestly with Microsoft using the American government to bully japan, nothings off the table now. Sony should be regretting not making deals sooner now.
I could genuinely see Microsoft attempt to crash the Japanese economy if they could with some windows os “malfunction” just to get their hands on some of these publishers. I really think it’s come that

No offence but how old are you?

 

[Dabaus]

No offence but how old are you?

What do you mean? What does my age have to do with anything I’ve said?

 

[Yobo]

What do you mean? What does my age have to do with anything I’ve said?

You just come off as very young and naive. Like Microsoft crashing the Japanese economy? BFFR

 

[Eternal_Wings]

What do you mean? What does my age have to do with anything I’ve said?

I think he means in a way, because you are terrified a little of recent news. He probably thinks you’re a youngster.

 

[Deleted member 417]

And its not "dead" in Europe, just a distinctly minority choice.

Minority choices aren't very popular in Europe. Historically speaking...nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

This gives Microsoft something like a 1 to 2 ratio to Sony. Thats not dead

If the console market was a 1 to 2 ratio kind of game, I would agree. If Microsoft handle it soon, they can turn it around. ABK isn't fixing the problem, it's increasing it.

 

[Swift_Star]

Only blind fanboys thought otherwise lmao.

 

[Dabaus]

Only blind fanboys thought otherwise lmao.

You have speak philness and psychopath to understand what he’s saying. It’s a veiled threat. “I’m disappointed in Sony but it won’t effect our relationship” is pysopath for “Sony will pay dearly for this.”

 

[Zzero]

If the console market was a 1 to 2 ratio kind of game, I would agree.

Well a quick Google of last gen gives me 58.6 vs 117.2 million. Pretty damn close to 1 to 2. Current gen is more like 1 to 1. So I am glad to see that you agree with me.

 

[Swift_Star]

You have speak philness and psychopath to understand what he’s saying. It’s a veiled threat. “I’m disappointed in Sony but it won’t effect our relationship” is pysopath for “Sony will pay dearly for this.”

Nah. Not a chance

 

[Fenton]

Germany probes Microsoft's market power

The Federal Cartel Office has opened a proceeding to determine whether special abuse controls can be applied to Microsoft's business in Germany.

techcrunch.com

 

[Heisenberg007]

Console concerns are out of the window. But Cloud concerns are still there for the CMA, and, interestingly, they haven't updated the remedies yet. Although I still think that this deal will likely pass now, the CMA identified 4 key Cloud players:

• Nvidia
• Amazon Luna
• Microsft xCloud
• SIE PlayStation Plus

The second category of companies that "are potential entrants or are already active in cloud gaming to some extent" is:

• Tencent
• Shadow
• Meta
• Nintendo
• Antstream Arcade
• Others (5 companies , including Boosteroid )

The green ticks and red crosses indicate the companies that Microsoft has signed deals with. I think if Nvidia hadn't signed, it'd be really tough for Microsoft. But they still haven't signed with 2/3 of the main competitors.

In the secondary category, they have not signed deals with 8 out of 11 companies.

I think this is the reason why the CMA has not updated its suggested remedies because they specifically mentioned that behavioral remedies would be tough to enforce, primarily because of Cloud gaming.

Do you all think that -- surprising everyone once again -- the CMA might still stick with divestment or prohibition because there are still concerns in the cloud gaming market and behavioral remedies will be tough to enforce?

After all, xCloud is the leading cloud gaming provider in the UK with a 70% market share. So the same principles that the Japanese FTC used to approve the deal (Sony's high market share in the country) would apply here for Microsoft's xCloud in the UK.

What chance do you think this scenario has or hasn't in terms of percentage?

 

[Yobo]

Console concerns are out of the window. But Cloud concerns are still there for the CMA, and, interestingly, they haven't updated the remedies yet. Although I still think that this deal will likely pass now, the CMA identified 4 key Cloud players:

• Nvidia
• Amazon Luna
• Microsft xCloud
• SIE PlayStation Plus

The second category of companies that "are potential entrants or are already active in cloud gaming to some extent" is:

• Tencent
• Shadow
• Meta
• Nintendo
• Antstream Arcade
• Others (5 companies , including Boosteroid )

The green ticks and red crosses indicate the companies that Microsoft has signed deals with. I think if Nvidia hadn't signed, it'd be really tough for Microsoft. But they still haven't signed with 2/3 of the main competitors.

In the secondary category, they have not signed deals with 8 out of 11 companies.

I think this is the reason why the CMA has not updated its suggested remedies because they specifically mentioned that behavioral remedies would be tough to enforce, primarily because of Cloud gaming.

Do you all think that -- surprising everyone once again -- the CMA might still stick with divestment or prohibition because there are still concerns in the cloud gaming market and behavioral remedies will be tough to enforce?

After all, xCloud is the leading cloud gaming provider in the UK with a 70% market share. So the same principles that the Japanese FTC used to approve the deal (Sony's high market share in the country) would apply here for Microsoft's xCloud in the UK.

What chance do you think this scenario has or hasn't in terms of percentage?

I'd be laughing for days if it still got rejected after all the premature celebrating the last few days