Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

Nhomnhom

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25 Mar 2023
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The reason CoD is not on the Switch is that nobody cares. So why is doing something nobody was asking for pro-consumer? Most CoD players either play the F2P games or are ok paying for the yearly releases of the premium games, most of them have shown no interest in Gamepass or Xbox.
 

Zeno

Member
28 Jun 2023
57
98
The next judge it probably going to be corrupt too. Gaming was doomed the moment Nadella took an interest in it. These companies are just too big and get to do what they want one way or the other. If MS has to burn the entire traditional gaming market so that they'll control the ashed they'll do it.

Once they are done with Sony it's Nintendo and Valve next.
Exactly! MS will transform the whole gaming industry. And when they are done they will have a irontight grip over the whole market. They have every aspect of the gaming sector covered by then, cloud/tech, publishing, IPs, subscription service and community.

Then we will see a downgrade in quality of games and much higher mtx based games in addition to just a whole set of mediocre game to deliver that dopamine when scrolling through the gamepass catalog.

This is why I don't understand cheering for this deal. Even from a Xbox gamer perspective. Is it like supporting your local sports team?

This is an almost $3 trillion market cap company that just acquired the biggest game publisher on the planet while shouting "Sony is the market leader" to get their way.

Just a few months ago MS pratically acquired OpenAI and jumped in front of Google (another behemoth) in the AI space, just like that. They can do that with Google which is in the same ballpark in terms of influence and size. This is why I could just laugh when people were arguing "but they are still third place"

If Microsoft wanted, they could be first, second and third place, they did not before, now with the new leadership and backing they do, so watch closely, enjoy your "win" and see for yourself.
 

KingOfTheDead

Banned
3 Jul 2023
127
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deal is far from dead. Everybody was so sure it was dead. and anybody saying it wasnt was deemed irrational smh. CMA is now back to the table with MS to come to a agreement. Which people said the CMA won't bend at all. Deal is very alive. Very alive
 
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KingOfTheDead

Banned
3 Jul 2023
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It's still 50/50 with the CMA. But I highly doubt they're going to be the odd man out and remain against it.
nah i think they have an agreement being close to done. CMA could of chose to play hardball and make them extend their merger agreement, but their now back to the table with MS to resolve their issues. deal looks very close to done.
 

Eternal_Wings

Dein Nomos
24 Jun 2022
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Why all the doom and gloom?
It doesn’t matter if Microsoft gets Activision. I think Sony won’t handout PS6 Devkits to Activision. Remember Sony only has a contract until 2023. Means Sony could literally let COD die. I am not worried because I am confident that Sony will make big purchases themselves.
 

On Demand

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30 Jul 2022
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They're reporting that CMA has agreed with MS on a small divestiture.
Judge made a decision within weeks and now CMA will accept remedies in days before the deadline lol.

That's funny.

Who is saying this?

I don’t understand the CMA at all anymore. All they had to do was ride the CAT out. The final decision was always theirs.
 

KingOfTheDead

Banned
3 Jul 2023
127
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The CMA never left the table. Microsoft did. They flipped the table, stormed out the building, uttering vague threats to the country the CMA represents. Then started arranging appointments with UK ministers.
They did leave the table. Hence why had to make an appeal with the CAT. But now their working things out without the CAT.
 

Fenton

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22 Feb 2023
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Why all the doom and gloom?
It doesn’t matter if Microsoft gets Activision. I think Sony won’t handout PS6 Devkits to Activision. Remember Sony only has a contract until 2023. Means Sony could literally let COD die. I am not worried because I am confident that Sony will make big purchases themselves.
COD fans are not loyal to any console. They went from 360 to PS4 to PS5. Whichever company gets the crucial marketing deal gets the most revenue and a big boost in console sales.
 

Eternal_Wings

Dein Nomos
24 Jun 2022
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COD fans are not loyal to any console. They went from 360 to PS4 to PS5. Whichever company gets the crucial marketing deal gets the most revenue and a big boost in console sales.
Yeah I understand that, but what can Sony do about it? Nothing.
Sony needs to stand up, they can’t whine about it forever. Time to grow and do some serious purchases.
 

Thunderstorm__

Active member
31 May 2023
172
168
Yeah, because Sony is going to block COD on PlayStation. That's totally going to happen. :ROFLMAO:
Sony got almost 1 billion of revenue in just one year, in just one region from COD.
They will say "Thank you Daddy Microsoft" until Microsoft has enough and stops making PlayStation ports.
COD is too powerful. That's why MS is spending $70 billion for Activision-Blizzard.
It is neccessary that Sony takes the short-term pains to gain the long-term benefits. Back then Activision was not a Sony's rival, but now that it became a rival's subsidiary, Sony may as well commit seppuku if it wants to give money to its rival. But of course, you are an Xbox fan so you will want Sony to commit as many mistakes as possible to die off for good.
 
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24 Jun 2022
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Following sales is a hobby of mine and I do it for all platforms lol not just Xbox.

Also Xbox consoles sales are doing better than anyone here thought anyway so lol

So you following a hobby via tracking sales of plastic boxes is "perfectly fine", but the person you were belittling for being too invested into plastic boxes is not fine? "Rules for ye, not for thee" I take it? 🤔

Also no they aren't; they're at little over 21 million after almost 3 years on the market, and have been tracking at OG Xbox levels globally for months. Even you were depressed & worried about how slow Xbox systems were selling at. But now with today's news you want to retroactively pretend like your own concern & worry is invalid? Today's news doesn't suddenly mean Xbox systems were selling above OG Xbox levels globally for the past six or so months. It doesn't mean they're suddenly well over 21 million.

Lol.

Bobby wouldn't bring COD to Switch on his own and his own words still left doubt that he would actually bring it to Switch 2. That's a hypothetical, Microsoft securing a deal with Nintnedo is substance. COD Mobile was not coming to Switch and wasn't a consideration.

Microsoft didn't "secure" a deal with Nintendo because they don't own the content yet! They made an oath, which then dropped down to a promise. That is not the same thing as making a legally-binding deal.

Microsoft is allowed to own exclusive content to its platform and we already know they chose not to amend the Deathloop and Ghostwire contracts. Whenever Zenimax releases catalog titles like a probable Fallout remaster, that'll be multiplatform. I don't see them keeping a Fallout 3 Remaster or Quake 2 Xbox only. Online games like 76 and ESO will continue to see PlayStation support.

You should go re-read the conditions MS presented to the EC and other regulators to get approval for Zenimax, then. They specifically said case-by-case if the game could either boost Xbox console sales by a certain threshold or boost Game Pass subscriptions by a certain threshold, without creating a scenario where they leave more money on the table than they could recoup through boosts in one of the aforementioned two situations.

Turning TES from a multiplat to an Xbox console exclusive violates the conditions they themselves stated to regulators. Making Starfield an exclusive does, as well. Same with Indiana Jones, and it doesn't matter if MS can choose to amend contracts or not: the understanding (or implication from their previous statements to regulators) was that they would only amend if the resultant situation provided one of the two aforementioned benefits without creating a void in revenue left on the table by making a game console exclusive.

Obviously the games you mentioned would not be Xbox console exclusive; they are old games, and in terms of stuff like ESO, live-service GaaS MMOs. Duh. Touch base again when MS decide to make the next mainline DOOM, Quake, Fallout and Wolfenstein games console multiplats. Or hell, even the sequel to HiFi Rush (if it gets one).

We've seen recently Microsoft become aware that they are too hands off with Zenimax, and there have been successful pushes in Microsoft and ABK to unionize. Over time, hopefully more Zenimax employees unionize.

They weren't hands-off enough to force Zenimax to cancel PlayStation versions of several games, or make a declaration of all future Zenimax games being console-exclusive to Xbox 🤔...

Phil said he wants to revive StarCraft. Seeing how Age is now on Xbox, console players and mobile through cloud could get StarCraft 3. Seeing as the deal hasn't actually closed yet, I can't answer to what Microsoft will actually do with all of ABK's dormant IP. Probably a revival of Sierra IP.

Okay, sure, let's see how Phil's track record is on utilizing IP of other acquisitions like Rare....

Oh, what's that? His track record is garbage? What a shock. Starcraft is such an easy target to claim you want to bring back, same with Guitar Hero. Those are just additional money streams for Microsoft. Let's see them bring back something mainly for the creative passion it could enable, that MS/Xbox upper management could actually have input in beyond just pumping money in the ass to fund it.

Let's see what ideas Gamer Guy Phil™ has for Leisure Suit Larry, or Quest for Glory, or Gabriel Knight and Space Quest. Would they even dare touch Leisure Suit Larry or Police Quest else potentially upset so-called progressive supporters like ResetERA...oh who am I kidding? The mods and admin over there would go head over heels supporting those coming back, it's Microsoft now so now it's all good! (/sarcasm).

You're speculating Microsoft will squeeze Sony on margins when that isn't the case with Minecraft or Zenimax, so stop fear mongering.

I'm speculating nothing; I'm going off numerous emails and internal documents Microsoft themselves have shared amongst themselves for several years regarding an acquisition strategy squarely aimed at pushing Sony/PlayStation out of business. Obviously, that would include strategies to cut in on their margins of provided content.

The only reason MS couldn't remove Minecraft off PS was because Notch stipulated the game remain multiplat to make that deal happen. Good Guy Phil™ obviously wanted it exclusive, he's said so himself per the leaks. Good Guy Phil™ has already stated they plan to make all future Zenimax content console-exclusive to Xbox...fits right in with expressed intents in the emails.

It's not fearmongering if its based on actual statements and evidential action done by Microsoft themselves.

And what do you mean with that last bit, with the package deals? They already have 10 year deals with a bunch of companies signed. That's not an issue for at least a decade.

Again, you should've paid attention to the court hearings. Microsoft considered locking in content access by outside parties for Zenimax games into a package deal, i.e the outside party could not get a license for the specific game they wanted. They would have to pay for the bulk of Zenimax content (or at least large chunks of it) just to get the one or two games they wanted.

Very similar to what cable companies did back in the '90s and '00s, but at least they had technological limitations to justify it on their end. MS simply wanted to squeeze out more money from other companies accessing the content by forcing them into package deals, and there is a strong chance they will pursue that going forward with more 3P publishers they acquire (specifically, with their content).

In fact MS wanted the same thing in getting Game Pass on Sony and Nintendo platforms, only in that case with 3P content they don't even own. A big reason why those platforms have refused to do anything with Game Pass.

Oh and those 10 year deals are with mostly peanut-sized companies and non-competitors who never posed any actual challenge to Microsoft's own plans for growth in the cloud gaming market. And are you suggesting that after 10 years, MS can just pull their access to that content away and it won't be a big deal, despite several regulators at least claiming cloud SLC was a concern?

I guess we can look forward to Boosteroid and Black Nut putting out COD competitors in 2033. Awesome 🙄
 

Muddasar

Veteran
22 Jun 2022
2,026
2,522
I know, right?
But yeah, as you can see right now, the deal will go through next week.
It's over.
Microsoft will own ZeniMax Media, Activision, Blizzard and another ~18 studios next week.
Sega, Asobo Studio, IO Interactive and Certain Affinity are next.

:ROFLMAO:
Yeah, because Sony is going to block COD on PlayStation. That's totally going to happen. :ROFLMAO:
Sony got almost 1 billion of revenue in just one year, in just one region from COD.
They will say "Thank you Daddy Microsoft" until Microsoft has enough and stops making PlayStation ports.
COD is too powerful. That's why MS is spending $70 billion for Activision-Blizzard.

COD is huge but not that huge.

Average COD sells around 25 million on all platforms.

Even if half that are on Playstation you are looking at 10 million gamers.

Even if all left for Xbox it is a drop in the ocean to Playstations average userbase of 100+ million.
 

Firefly

Active member
25 Jul 2022
191
205
Sony now has no choice but to bag publishers. The questions is who will it be? I don't see square enix even though it makes sense, because they need to buy a pub that would move the needle and be big enough to secure their position.