Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

[Deleted member 417]

If Microsoft say "no" to the possibility of keeping Acti-Blizz games third party (from a business pov it makes the most sense) them Microsoft have just shown their cards to the world of what their true aim in the industry is.

 

[KiryuRealty]

If Microsoft say "no" to the possibility of keeping Acti-Blizz games third party (from a business pov it makes the most sense) them Microsoft have just shown their cards to the world of what their true aim in the industry is.

That’s what they have already said by making promises to keep COD on other platforms. Why would you need to promise something like that if you weren’t intending to lock up everything else?

And who would believe the promise after the whole Bethesda situation?

 

[Gediminas]

If Microsoft say "no" to the possibility of keeping Acti-Blizz games third party (from a business pov it makes the most sense) them Microsoft have just shown their cards to the world of what their true aim in the industry is.

it is very clear, their intention, it is starve opposition by buying publishers, making games cheap on their platform on unsustainable rates for opposition. no one can match m$, they can burn 5-10B and feel nothing.

 

[Deleted member 417]

That’s what they have already said by making promises to keep COD on other platforms. Why would you need to promise something like that if you weren’t intending to lock up everything else?

And who would believe the promise after the whole Bethesda situation?

Very true but I think the Bethesda situation is a bluff. I remember (but not very well) a few years back at the start of this gen or maybe just before, where Spencer gave a presentation and his wording of Bethesda exclusives was genius lingual play because he never denied those games would come to playstation, while making it sound like they would be Microsoft exclusives.

I'm convinced, to this day, that Bethesda games will come out Ps5 as a necessity for Xbox to make money so that the division can be kept alive.

I also believe a slightly mad conspiracy theory that the reason MS targeted Zenimax and Activision was to stop any progress on VR games. Vr Starfield, VR fallout and TES games would have left MS with no games at all.

it is very clear, their intention, it is starve opposition by buying publishers, making games cheap on their platform on unsustainable rates for opposition. no one can match m$, they can burn 5-10B and feel nothing.

Well, I don't know how much they can keep burning through money. I think they've changed strategy to put games on the competitors devices to make money, while offering those games free* on Xbox and Gamepass.


EDIT: I also have a theory that Microsoft will spin off Gamepass into a separate division/entity than Xbox in order to get around legalities with the deal. All games on 'gamepass' will be multiplatform, all games on 'xbox' will be exclusive (or the other way around)

 

[KiryuRealty]

Very true but I think the Bethesda situation is a bluff. I remember (but not very well) a few years back at the start of this gen or maybe just before, where Spencer gave a presentation and his wording of Bethesda exclusives was genius lingual play because he never denied those games would come to playstation, while making it sound like they would be Microsoft exclusives.

I'm convinced, to this day, that Bethesda games will come out Ps5 as a necessity for Xbox to make money so that the division can be kept alive.

I also believe a slightly mad conspiracy theory that the reason MS targeted Zenimax and Activision was to stop any progress on VR games. Vr Starfield, VR fallout and TES games would have left MS with no games at all.


Well, I don't know how much they can keep burning through money. I think they've changed strategy to put games on the competitors devices to make money, while offering those games free* on Xbox and Gamepass.


EDIT: I also have a theory that Microsoft will spin off Gamepass into a separate division/entity than Xbox in order to get around legalities with the deal. All games on 'gamepass' will be multiplatform, all games on 'xbox' will be exclusive (or the other way around)

If you honestly believe that MS is going to release Starfield on PS5 without Xbox getting the axe first, you are woefully naive.

Phil has BRAGGED that Bethesda games will only be on Xbox and PC. More than once.

Never trust MS.

 

[Darth Vader]

Isn't propping up a failing business in an open and free capitalistic market basically communism?

Makes sense why Resetera would love it so much.

No, that's not communism. Communism would be us, gamers, owning that business.

 

[daniel5043]

Isn't propping up a failing business in an open and free capitalistic market basically communism?

Makes sense why Resetera would love it so much.

I'm pretty sure that's socialism.

 

[KiryuRealty]

EDIT: I also have a theory that Microsoft will spin off Gamepass into a separate division/entity than Xbox in order to get around legalities with the deal. All games on 'gamepass' will be multiplatform, all games on 'xbox' will be exclusive (or the other way around)

The deal isn't Xbox buying Activision. It is Microsoft, the world's largest software publisher, buying Activision, the world's biggest games-only software publisher.

That is why it is a problem.

The only form of spinning-off that MAY be considered an appropriate remedy would be if Microsoft completely divested all their current gaming studios and labels into a separate corporate entity that would not be owned even partially by MS. Think MS would agree to that?

 

[laynelane]

That’s what they have already said by making promises to keep COD on other platforms. Why would you need to promise something like that if you weren’t intending to lock up everything else?

And who would believe the promise after the whole Bethesda situation?

The Bethesda/Zenimax situation really came back to bite them on the ass. I still remember Phil talking about exclusivity on a "case by case basis" before the deal closed, and then confirming full exclusivity as soon as it did. At the time, I never would have thought he was foolish enough to pull that with regulators too.

 

[laynelane]

Interesting that Jason Schreier isn't in favor of the deal. I would have figured he'd be leaning towards Xbox given all the semi hit pieces he's written on Playstation this gen.

I also imagine that they wouldn't ban him for takes like that because they want industry people to stick around and give their forum more legitimacy.

The mods and many posters on ERA come across as bullies. It's easy to dogpile and harangue some anonymous poster, but a different situation arises with someone like Jason S. - a person who is well-known in the industry and also is capable of publicly revealing issues that some may wish to be kept hidden.

 

[KiryuRealty]

The Bethesda/Zenimax situation really came back to bite them on the ass. I still remember Phil talking about exclusivity on a "case by case basis" before the deal closed, and then confirming full exclusivity as soon as it did. At the time, I never would have thought he was foolish enough to pull that with regulators too.

I knew he'd do it. He is MS through and through, and had made so many dishonest statements in the past that I wouldn't EVER have believed him.

Remember, he's the one who said that Rise of the Tomb Raider was an exclusive with a duration, but NOT a timed exclusive.

The Bethesda lie is the kind of thing you don't EVER try to do a second time, because somehow pulling it off once was already pushing your luck.

 

[Dabaus]

Very true but I think the Bethesda situation is a bluff. I remember (but not very well) a few years back at the start of this gen or maybe just before, where Spencer gave a presentation and his wording of Bethesda exclusives was genius lingual play because he never denied those games would come to playstation, while making it sound like they would be Microsoft exclusives.

I'm convinced, to this day, that Bethesda games will come out Ps5 as a necessity for Xbox to make money so that the division can be kept alive.

I also believe a slightly mad conspiracy theory that the reason MS targeted Zenimax and Activision was to stop any progress on VR games. Vr Starfield, VR fallout and TES games would have left MS with no games at all.


Well, I don't know how much they can keep burning through money. I think they've changed strategy to put games on the competitors devices to make money, while offering those games free* on Xbox and Gamepass.


EDIT: I also have a theory that Microsoft will spin off Gamepass into a separate division/entity than Xbox in order to get around legalities with the deal. All games on 'gamepass' will be multiplatform, all games on 'xbox' will be exclusive (or the other way around)

I absolutely agree with your point about vr games. As to WHY Microsoft would have such an aversion of that taking off I’m not sure. MYbe because Facebook and Sony are already many steps ahead of them and theirs concern it could be the next frontier of gaming if it really takes off? Or maybe it’s coincidence that Bethesda was making vr games and got bought? I think there is some fear they will be left behind but also ms wanted Bethesda for other reasons, taking a notable vr developer off the market from Sony was icing on the cake.

 

[Deleted member 417]

If you honestly believe that MS is going to release Starfield on PS5 without Xbox getting the axe first, you are woefully naive.

Phil has BRAGGED that Bethesda games will only be on Xbox and PC. More than once.

Never trust MS.

I don't trust them and I know Spencer likes to rile up the fanboys. With Microsoft's profit in the toilet and the xbox division scraping to keep alive, would keeping massive games like TES exclusive to a console with 20million users be the smart decision for corporate?

I don't trust a word spencer says. I don't trust that those games from Zenimax will stay exclusive. Minecraft isn't and it has generated a lot of money for Microsoft.

I absolutely agree with your point about vr games. As to WHY Microsoft would have such an aversion of that taking off I’m not sure. MYbe because Facebook and Sony are already many steps ahead of them and theirs concern it could be the next frontier of gaming if it really takes off? Or maybe it’s coincidence that Bethesda was making vr games and got bought? I think there is some fear they will be left behind but also ms wanted Bethesda for other reasons, taking a notable vr developer off the market from Sony was icing on the cake.

They take exclusivity away from Sony by blocking VR games. Sony will have default exclusivity on all console VR until Nintendo or MS launch their own headset, which both are years away from.

I don't know how much is left after Carmack left, but ID software were working on a lot of new IP in regards to VR headsets. When Carmack left to join oculus, ID Software sued him. I've no idea what he took or what the settlement was because it was never disclosed, but I think it is safe to assume that ID Software still has some VR IP's and talent.

Maybe VR wasn't the whole reason for buying Zenimax, but instead another bonus to add to the pile. To think that Microsoft have interplay, Black isle and Obsidian under their wing and have only released 2 games - Wasteland and Outer Worlds, in the space of 6 years is infuriating. Such a waste of talent and IPs

 

[KiryuRealty]

I don't trust them and I know Spencer likes to rile up the fanboys. With Microsoft's profit in the toilet and the xbox division scraping to keep alive, would keeping massive games like TES exclusive to a console with 20million users be the smart decision for corporate?

Microsoft is willing to eat tens of millions in losses to save face by not shutting down clear losers in their portfolio.

Xbox has never made any smart decisions, why expect them to start now? Hell, bragging about the intent to buy up more publishers after Activision was one of the dumbest possible things they could have done, but they went and did it.

 

[laynelane]

I knew he'd do it. He is MS through and through, and had made so many dishonest statements in the past that I wouldn't EVER have believed him.

Remember, he's the one who said that Rise of the Tomb Raider was an exclusive with a duration, but NOT a timed exclusive.

The Bethesda lie is the kind of thing you don't EVER try to do a second time, because somehow pulling it off once was already pushing your luck.

You reminded me of some of the other issues surrounding the Tomb Raider deal. MS made it seem like it was exclusive to XBox forever, just tried to sleazily trick the potential audience to buy an XBox before the truth came out. They also tried something similar with The Medium for a more recent example. Stuff like that is one of the reasons why I have never bought into the XBox ecosystem and never will.

 

[anonpuffs]

I'm pretty sure that's socialism.

It ain't socialism either. It's crony capitalism. In socialism you'd have the government taking over the failing business, then giving handouts to the poors before the US came in and bombed the country for oil.

 

[KiryuRealty]

You reminded me of some of the other issues surrounding the Tomb Raider deal. MS made it seem like it was exclusive to XBox forever, just tried to sleazily trick the potential audience to buy an XBox before the truth came out. They also tried something similar with The Medium for a more recent example. Stuff like that is one of the reasons why I have never bought into the XBox ecosystem and never will.

Yup.

Any product that needs to be lied about to sell is not a product worth buying.

 

[laynelane]

Yup.

Any product that needs to be lied about to sell is not a product worth buying.

I think it's also an issue of attempting to compel people to their ecosystem. Whether it's being purposely vague about timed exclusives or buying publishers and removing games from other platforms - it's not about creating an ecosystem that people want to invest in. It's about taking away choices until you do. The sad part is it wasn't always like this.

Waay back, I remember looking over the original X-Box, seeing some games that interested me, but not enough to buy the system. It was the same with the 360, but all that showed was my tastes didn't align with what XBox was offering. There were so many new and exciting titles that did for others, though. Whether it was Gears or Halo or any other number of titles - people were excited about games on XBox. It was great to see.

But then came XBox One and the DRM and other bs they tried. Focusing on hardware over games - eg. when people were asking for more games and their answer was the introduction of the "world's most powerful console" - the XBox One X. Then came the Series release and they're now attempting to buy publishers while their own studios still fail to consistently release games. The brand is a mess and, along with the duplicitous messaging now and in the past, they're just so unfocused on what truly matters in the gaming space - games and giving customers quality experiences. I think that's why they continue to not improve their market share and unless there are some major changes in strategy and leadership, it's looking like nothing will change this generation either.

 

[Darth Vader]

I'm pretty sure that's socialism.

Also not socialism.

 

[KiryuRealty]

Also not socialism.

It’s just shitty business practices enabled by being a monopoly in a key market sector!