Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

[Nhomnhom]

https://www.thegamer.com/xbox-series-s-apparently-vram-issues/

There was an article the other day supposedly critical of Xbox praising how the Series S provides incredible and unprecedented value. Stuff like that makes absolutily no sense to me, it has the worst value possible for a console, because of little more than $100 you get an inferior product in pretty much every way. It's so bad MS should discontinue it out of the embarrassment of having such a bad product on the market.

Why doesn't the PS5 Digital ever get praised for offering incredible value? The game media is pathetic, where do they even find these dumb people? I guess ChatGPT writing everything ain't going to be so bad after all, maybe it shows more intelligence and respects the readers.

 

[Swift_Star]

Let the media set the expectations to it being approved, it will just make it more satisfying in the event of another block. News coverage about this type of stuff is just manipulation as we learned with the CMA, you need to read between the lines. MS and ABK are not acting confident at all anymore, big investors are accepting while claiming it's a big mistake and Sony seems to have moved past this.

Yep, Lulu cheng isn’t even shitposting anymore.

 

[AshHunter216]

I think if the EU approves, this fight will continue to be dragged out longer than it needs to, but MS are ultimately still unlikely to get the win imo. Would be really annoying for the EU to play favorites like this though.

 

[Bryank75]

Yep, Lulu cheng isn’t even shitposting anymore.

Too busy preparing her CV, cause she is fucked if the deal doesn't go through. Sony should want her head.

 

[Nitro]

Timely reminder of Mehreen Khan's article published by The Times:

"A recent study found that the Brussels competition unit relies on a small band of external economic consultancies who lobby on behalf of their corporate clients on merger and competition decisions."

I found the academic paper.



Spamming the regulator: exploring a new lobbying strategy in EU competition procedures

Spamming the regulator: exploring a new lobbying strategy in EU competition procedures

Abstract. Regulation plays a central role in modern governance; yet, we have limited knowledge of how subjects of regulation—particularly, private actors—a

doi.org

Journal of Antitrust Enforcement, 18 April 2023

Main points:

• Small World: The world of competition economists is a relatively small one, dominated by a handful of consultancies. They're frequently called in to analyze markets to show the potential effects of a deal or a company's behaviour.
• Quantity over quality: The paper flags "significant increases" in submissions of merger cases and the number of economic consultancies hired by merging parties.
• Conflicts of interest: The paper criticizes the anonymization of academic experts, "which increases the likelihood of undisclosed conflicts of interests."
• Case in point: Yale professor and a former U.S. Justice Department chief antitrust economist Fiona Scott Morton is in the running to become the EU’s new chief competition economist. Scott Morton previously advised Amazon and Apple.
• Opening up: Corporate Europe Observatory, a lobbying and transparency campaign group, is asking for economic consultancies to join the EU’s Transparency Register. It also wants the European Commission’s antitrust department to disclose more about the submissions it receives and to address revolving door issues with staff

Bullet point #4, Fiona Scott Morton also advised Microsoft over their merger of, wait for it... Activision-Blizzard.

Unfortunately, the European Commission is increasingly reliable on external consultants, and many of these same experts have conflicts of interests with the companies being investigated.

 

[AshHunter216]

Timely reminder of Mehreen Khan's article published by The Times:

"A recent study found that the Brussels competition unit relies on a small band of external economic consultancies who lobby on behalf of their corporate clients on merger and competition decisions."

I found the academic paper.



Spamming the regulator: exploring a new lobbying strategy in EU competition procedures

Spamming the regulator: exploring a new lobbying strategy in EU competition procedures

Abstract. Regulation plays a central role in modern governance; yet, we have limited knowledge of how subjects of regulation—particularly, private actors—a

doi.org

Journal of Antitrust Enforcement, 18 April 2023

Main points:

• Small World: The world of competition economists is a relatively small one, dominated by a handful of consultancies. They're frequently called in to analyze markets to show the potential effects of a deal or a company's behaviour.
• Quantity over quality: The paper flags "significant increases" in submissions of merger cases and the number of economic consultancies hired by merging parties.
• Conflicts of interest: The paper criticizes the anonymization of academic experts, "which increases the likelihood of undisclosed conflicts of interests."
• Case in point: Yale professor and a former U.S. Justice Department chief antitrust economist Fiona Scott Morton is in the running to become the EU’s new chief competition economist. Scott Morton previously advised Amazon and Apple.
• Opening up: Corporate Europe Observatory, a lobbying and transparency campaign group, is asking for economic consultancies to join the EU’s Transparency Register. It also wants the European Commission’s antitrust department to disclose more about the submissions it receives and to address revolving door issues with staff

Bullet point #4, Fiona Scott Morton also advised Microsoft over their merger of, wait for it... Activision-Blizzard.

Unfortunately, the European Commission is increasingly reliable on external consultants, and many of these same experts have conflicts of interests with the companies being investigated.

The EC is extremely susceptible to being influenced by lobbying. Also, I doubt it will, but I hope the EU's decision doesn't influence the CAT and CMA in any way.

 

[Puff]

I hope the EU's decision doesn't influence the CAT and CMA in any way.

That’s what I worry about the most

 

[AshHunter216]

That’s what I worry about the most

To be fair, if all the pressure they've received so far hasn't made them approve the deal, I doubt that more will.

 

[Nitro]

How Big Tech's 'economic consultants' undermine EU competition policy

Spamming the regulator | Corporate Europe Observatory

Research by CEO and LobbyControl shows that a little-known band of economic consultancies are managing to fly under the radar on behalf of their tech clients. These consultancies are effectively 'spamming the regulator' with supposedly neutral reports to influence the EU's competition policy and...

corporateeurope.org

Big Tech is the biggest lobby sector in the EU by spending, ahead of pharma, fossil fuels, finance, or chemicals. And a significant part of that powerful lobbying firepower in Brussels is wielded by Google, Amazon, Meta (formerly Facebook), Apple, and Microsoft (known as 'GAFAM'). Together, GAFAM spends more than €26.5 million on influencing the EU institutions.​

 

[AshHunter216]

I think there's also the possibility of Sony appealing the EU's decision, though they probably don't see that as necessary at this point.

Also, the FTC might have an easier time suing to force some strong concessions like divestiture than an outright block. MS may give up between trying to overturn a block and having to fight an order to divest.

 

[riesgoyfortuna]

Knowing shit lol

 

[Sleepy Brown]

Give me a break. You're beyond pathetic with this bullshit you're peddling. The only thing ticking down is the time you're left on this site before you go trolling somewhere else.

I'm not peddling or trolling. You just don't want to hear it, because you know the CMA block won't hold. And it makes you scared and angry when someone mentions it. The EU, the FTC, etc. they all won't be a problem. It was always only the CMA. And the CMA used "Bu... but Cloud...." to block. Everybody knows it's BS and won't hold. That's why Microsoft's appeal will work. Easily. And the CMA will bend the knee.

Just accept it and move on. Activision-Blizzard, Call of Duty, Diablo, Warcraft, Crash and Spyro are Microsoft IPs. Capcom and Sega are next.
Netflix of Gaming.

The EC is extremely susceptible to being influenced by lobbying. Also, I doubt it will, but I hope the EU's decision doesn't influence the CAT and CMA in any way.

It definitely will influence the CAT and CMA.
The CMA's reason to block the deal "because of... uhh... the cloudz" won't work. It's nonsense and everybody knows it. It's only the CMA now and the CAT will take care of them.
Tick Tock, Sony

 

[TubzGaming]

I'm not peddling or trolling. You just don't want to hear it, because you know the CMA block won't hold. And it makes you scared and angry when someone mentions it. The EU, the FTC, etc. they all won't be a problem. It was always only the CMA. And the CMA used "Bu... but Cloud...." to block. Everybody knows it's BS and won't hold. That's why Microsoft's appeal will work. Easily. And the CMA will bend the knee.

Just accept it and move on. Activision-Blizzard, Call of Duty, Diablo, Warcraft, Crash and Spyro are Microsoft IPs. Capcom and Sega are next.
Netflix of Gaming.

It definitely will influence the CAT and CMA.
The CMA's reason to block the deal "because of... uhh... the cloudz" won't work. It's nonsense and everybody knows it. It's only the CMA now and the CAT will take care of them.
Tick Tock, Sony

The posts you are making over the last few days are starting to be more and more copy paste. Stop it.

 

[AshHunter216]

I'm not peddling or trolling. You just don't want to hear it, because you know the CMA block won't hold. And it makes you scared and angry when someone mentions it. The EU, the FTC, etc. they all won't be a problem. It was always only the CMA. And the CMA used "Bu... but Cloud...." to block. Everybody knows it's BS and won't hold. That's why Microsoft's appeal will work. Easily. And the CMA will bend the knee.

Just accept it and move on. Activision-Blizzard, Call of Duty, Diablo, Warcraft, Crash and Spyro are Microsoft IPs. Capcom and Sega are next.
Netflix of Gaming.

It definitely will influence the CAT and CMA.
The CMA's reason to block the deal "because of... uhh... the cloudz" won't work. It's nonsense and everybody knows it. It's only the CMA now and the CAT will take care of them.
Tick Tock, Sony

Your trolling is getting Hella repetitive.

 

[AshHunter216]

Knowing shit lol
View attachment 1308

To be fair, he himself says those scenarios are farfetched.

 

[Sleepy Brown]

Not that it'll make much of a difference either way. The buck stops with the CMA.

True. And the CMA will bend the knee. The CAT will take care of them.
It's just a matter of time.

 

[TubzGaming]

True. And the CMA will bend the knee. The CAT will take care of them.
It's just a matter of time.

Bend the Knee "ctr-c" "ctr-v" Bend the Knee
CAT CAT CAT
Microsoft is best

Just one more time another copy paste.

 

[Swift_Star]

I think if the EU approves, this fight will continue to be dragged out longer than it needs to, but MS are ultimately still unlikely to get the win imo. Would be really annoying for the EU to play favorites like this though.

Nah, CMA approval is required for the deal to go through.
I've been reading and they NEED to appeal to CAT even if the chances are slim because they'd be sued from hell to heaven by shareholders.
They, literally, have no choice.

 

[Swift_Star]

How Big Tech's 'economic consultants' undermine EU competition policy

Spamming the regulator | Corporate Europe Observatory

Research by CEO and LobbyControl shows that a little-known band of economic consultancies are managing to fly under the radar on behalf of their tech clients. These consultancies are effectively 'spamming the regulator' with supposedly neutral reports to influence the EU's competition policy and...

corporateeurope.org

Big Tech is the biggest lobby sector in the EU by spending, ahead of pharma, fossil fuels, finance, or chemicals. And a significant part of that powerful lobbying firepower in Brussels is wielded by Google, Amazon, Meta (formerly Facebook), Apple, and Microsoft (known as 'GAFAM'). Together, GAFAM spends more than €26.5 million on influencing the EU institutions.​

I stand by what I said: lobbying should be illegal.
It’s pathetic how the governments of the world and politicians bow down and obey corporations blindly.

 

[PlacidusaX]

Bend the Knee "ctr-c" "ctr-v" Bend the Knee
CAT CAT CAT
Microsoft is best

Just one more time another copy paste.

Please let him troll. He's mad that he bet on the wrong horse with Xbox.
At the end of the day THEY HAVE NOTHING AND THEY KNOW IT!