Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

[nongkris]

I prepared for the worse after the latest findings from the CMA, but if they still recommend for divestiture even with the cloud concerns I would laugh my head off. I can't imagine the meltdowns after all of the gloating people have been doing. That's why I'm patiently waiting until the end of April because you never know.

 

[Deleted member 223]

It's late in the 4th quarter but there is still time for clutch shots. I just wouldn't bet on it in Vegas.

 

[FatKaz]

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've said this before in the thread, if every week goes by and they don't delay the decison, then chances of it getting blocked is higher. EC delayed the decision to sort out behavoruial remedies surely the CMA does the same? Considering the higher bar from the CMA.

The fact that ms have had multiple chances to address the cloud SLC and CMA still maintained the same conclusions, it is looking like the toughest CMA argument.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

If it would get blocked or at least only approved with major concessions, I would laugh nonstop.
After all this malicious joy the mental meltdowns would be devastating.

 

[nongkris]

I just realized that if this goes through, regulators will have allowed Xbox to have acquired it's way to be the #1 console publisher (Acti), PC publisher (Zenimax,Acti/Bliz,Mojang), AND mobile publisher (King) in one fell swoop. All from last place.

Definitely smart on MS' behalf since they're playing the long game and know they'll need these IPs for their future cloud based app store. You can see why they have all of their executives fighting so hard for this, Phil probably pitched this as life or death for their app store ambitions.

If Xcloud didn't suck so much on my wifi network I would actually applaud them. I'm a geforce now user so I'll still have access to these titles either way this thing goes, I'd just rather see the Xbox brand die.

 

[Gediminas]

If it would get blocked or at least only approved with major concessions, I would laugh nonstop.
After all this malicious joy the mental meltdowns would be devastating.

don't hold your breath, i expecting nothing. they let deal passthrough.
i hope it will finish early, and we can move on with our gaming life, whatever it means.

 

[FatKaz]

I just realized that if this goes through, regulators will have allowed Xbox to have acquired it's way to be the #1 console publisher (Acti), PC publisher (Zenimax,Acti/Bliz,Mojang), AND mobile publisher (King) in one fell swoop. All from last place.

What will be hilarious is in a few years when one of the ex CMA lawyer or ex EC lawyer has "regrets for allowing the deal through"

Which is always a classic way of saying not my problem anymore but somebody make sure it doesn't happen again. Rinse and repeat.

 

[nongkris]

What will be hilarious is in a few years when one of the ex CMA lawyer or ex EC lawyer has "regrets for allowing the deal through"

Which is always a classic way of saying not my problem anymore but somebody make sure it doesn't happen again. Rinse and repeat.

I can see a CMA lawyer saying that but EC lawyers will be too busy raking in fines from MS that they'll get from knowingly allowing this shoddy deal to pass. FTC will be the only ones with a clear conscious, and I'm still hoping they whoop MS' ass in court.

 

[riesgoyfortuna]

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

Because its something a ten year old will say

 

[Sircaw]

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

Don't worry about these old fossils on the forum, they are just being mean, comes with old age, us youngsters need to stick together.

I got your back.

 

[Dabaus]

I think Microsoft will sign cloud deals with Netflix and amazon. They’re just waiting for the right time to announce it.

 

[FatKaz]

I think Microsoft will sign cloud deals with Netflix and amazon. They’re just waiting for the right time to announce it.

Amazon could help their case definatley.

Now the question is why would amazon want to give there biggest competitor in cloud gaming a huge leg up this early in this growing market? Yeah Amazon get content, but long term your letting a monster grow that you will have to compete against, especially when they decide to pull that content when the deal is over. Short term gain for a long term headache.

I see Amazon a bit different to Nvidia who ms have already made a deal with. The main reason being Amazon will massively put focus on their own content whether that's through their own studios, acquisitons and exclusive deals. Nvidia aren't really going to be doing that or atleat not to the extent of Amazon or sony, and that content will be in competition with microsofts.

Also Amazon just launched Luna in the uk, so I'd imagine if they did get involved in this acquisiton fight it will be now more then ever.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

Don't worry about these old fossils on the forum, they are just being mean, comes with old age, us youngsters need to stick together.

I got your back.

Damn how old are ya mate? I don’t know if 28 years omd counts as old fossil

 

[Sircaw]

Damn how old are ya mate? I don’t know if 28 years omd counts as old fossil

50 in April m8, I am trying to spread goodwill Dammit

 

[TubzGaming]

50 in April m8, I am trying to spread goodwill Dammit

 

[Loy310]

Yeah, but nintendo wont be so supportive if ms trues to snag a Japanese pub.

 

[Loy310]

I just realized that if this goes through, regulators will have allowed Xbox to have acquired it's way to be the #1 console publisher (Acti), PC publisher (Zenimax,Acti/Bliz,Mojang), AND mobile publisher (King) in one fell swoop. All from last place.

Definitely smart on MS' behalf since they're playing the long game and know they'll need these IPs for their future cloud based app store. You can see why they have all of their executives fighting so hard for this, Phil probably pitched this as life or death for their app store ambitions.

If Xcloud didn't suck so much on my wifi network I would actually applaud them. I'm a geforce now user so I'll still have access to these titles either way this thing goes, I'd just rather see the Xbox brand die.

Yep, regulators did a bad job here but FTC and Sony stoked the fire with the silly we dont compete with nintendo argument.
i have said excluding nintendo was a bad argument, cause it paints a bullseye on Sony marketshare. Really dumb.

 

[Dabaus]

Yeah, but nintendo wont be so supportive if ms trues to snag a Japanese pub.

1. Its Nintendo, theyre the most selfish, short sighted, isolated, disconnected from the rest of the world company on the planet. (I still like them though)

2. Microsoft is going to use the US government as a bully pulpit to get their way regardless of how nintendo feels

3. Nintendo is partially to blame, for signing the activision deal getting approval theyve help give microsoft the green light to do what they want.

4. I dont even think nintendo would comment. Theyd just remain silent.

 

[avenovah]

Yeah, but nintendo wont be so supportive if ms trues to snag a Japanese pub.

0 Japanese acquisitions. I'd like to see that as well.

List of mergers and acquisitions by Microsoft - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Yurinka]

I just realized that if this goes through, regulators will have allowed Xbox to have acquired it's way to be the #1 console publisher (Acti), PC publisher (Zenimax,Acti/Bliz,Mojang), AND mobile publisher (King) in one fell swoop. All from last place.

As MS said to regulators, even combining them (and ignoring that the ABK revenue/sales/users/etc would decrease in the future if/when going console exclusive) ABK and MS won't be the top 1 in gaming, in console, in PC, in mobile or in game subs.

MS won't be the market leader anywhere.

1. Its Nintendo, theyre the most selfish, short sighted, isolated, disconnected from the rest of the world company on the planet. (I still like them though)

2. Microsoft is going to use the US government as a bully pulpit to get their way regardless of how nintendo feels

3. Nintendo is partially to blame, for signing the activision deal getting approval theyve help give microsoft the green light to do what they want.

4. I dont even think nintendo would comment. Theyd just remain silent.

Nintendo is the most profitable console maker, they are the ones who sell more first party games and their console is breaking gaming history records.

Nintendo doesn't care if the last ones in the console race acquire a publisher that doesn't make games for the Nintendo consoles. It won't affect them at all.

I think Microsoft will sign cloud deals with Netflix and amazon. They’re just waiting for the right time to announce it.

I think they won't because I think that the next big MS acquisition after ABK may be Netflix, and because even if they don't see Amazon or Luna as a rival in gaming or cloud gaming (their only main rival is Sony), Amazon dominates MS in the server cloud infrastructures so MS won't want to make Amazon look as someone with a good cloud gaming catalog.

Yep, regulators did a bad job here but FTC and Sony stoked the fire with the silly we dont compete with nintendo argument.
i have said excluding nintendo was a bad argument, cause it paints a bullseye on Sony marketshare. Really dumb.

The Sony strategy was correct because CoD/ABK doesn't involve Nintendo, mostly involves PS and XB. And because by removing Nintendo makes MS, ABK and CoD look bigger.

If they look instead to the global gaming market or to all 3 consoles then there's a more complete picture and it's easier to notice the real context of where MS and ABK are.

Here the context was Sony wanting to stop the acquisition or at least to put pressure to keep CoD on PS, or at least to keep it for longer. They don't care about being seen as having a big market share because as of now they don't plan to acquire one of the biggest publishers.