Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

[Gods&Monsters]

Doesn’t matter, the CMA can’t stop Microsoft for good, the best they can do is slow them down.

The CMA also have a prohibition of 10 years blocking any merger between Activision and Microsoft. What happened to that? You think it went away because the appeal was suspended?

It's like everything about the CMA final report just disappeared friday. I don't get it.

CMA Blocks Microsoft-Activision Merger for Next 10 Years

The CMA has seemingly blocked the Microsoft-Activision merger from happening for the next 10 years per the report.

mp1st.com

 

[anonpuffs]

The CMA also have a prohibition of 10 years blocking any merger between Activision and Microsoft. What happened to that? You think it went away because the appeal was suspended?

It's like everything about the CMA final report just disappeared friday. I don't get it.

CMA Blocks Microsoft-Activision Merger for Next 10 Years

The CMA has seemingly blocked the Microsoft-Activision merger from happening for the next 10 years per the report.

mp1st.com

It's an obvious red flag to me that most of the discourse around the acquisition going through right now is engineered propaganda.

 

[Cool hand luke]

The CMA also have a prohibition of 10 years blocking any merger between Activision and Microsoft. What happened to that? You think it went away because the appeal was suspended?

It's like everything about the CMA final report just disappeared friday. I don't get it.

CMA Blocks Microsoft-Activision Merger for Next 10 Years

The CMA has seemingly blocked the Microsoft-Activision merger from happening for the next 10 years per the report.

mp1st.com

Facts.

I should note that treating the acquisition as a done deal and manipulating market sentiment as such is another way to pressure Kotick into not walking away lest shareholders revolt.

 

[Deleted member 223]

Perception management.

 

[nongkris]

.

 

[historia]

There is still a 3% chance of deal not going through so I would say anyone wants a free blowjob from me if dead fall through?

No homo of course.

 

[Ezekiel]

There is still a 3% chance of deal not going through so I would say anyone wants a free blowjob from me if dead fall through?

No homo of course.

I'll take it. Don't forget the balls though.

I have not seen anything of substance that would indicate that the deal is closing on Monday, or at all.

I think it died with the CMA final report in April, and everything since have been a nice way to manipulate markets and public perception.

At the end of the day, this isn't my fight. It's regulators that have to do their jobs.

 

[anonpuffs]

I'll take it. Don't forget the balls though.

I have not seen anything of substance that would indicate that the deal is closing on Monday, or at all.

I think it died with the CMA final report in April, and everything since have been a nice way to manipulate markets and public perception.

At the end of the day, this isn't my fight. It's regulators that have to do their jobs.

I believe all this pressure right now is to get Kotick to extend the deal and not take the $3 billion.

 

[Umar]

What a little cunt. I love how they all show their true colors

This guy is nothing but an xbot in disguise. Clown

 

[Eternal_Wings]

I am so glad nobody of this mass consume zombies here sitting in Sony’s board. You guys defend persistently GaaS and WRPG because it’s your taste. And yes it does matter where the HQ of a publisher lies. You’re so heavily in denial, you don’t even see it. Your hate on Japanese games is truly frightening. Saying FF is only for weebs disqualify you for further discussion. It‘s pretty arrogant and tasteless how degrading you talk the entire time about Japanese games. I can’t hear your annoying and shallow arguments anymore. You know nothing about Sony. Also Sony doesn’t need to copy Microsoft, we have already enough medicore franchises on PlayStation. As I have seen you only care about prestige and heavy hitter franchises. The door is open, Microsoft will welcome hardcore casuals like you. I will say it again, you will wait for nothing. Sony is not buying a western Publisher. Being in denial doesn’t prove anything neither does it mean said scenario won’t happen. I don’t see no difference to you and Fanboys on Twitter. Yeah just buy heavy hitters to screw Microsoft. To hell with this mindset.
PlayStation has already enough western studios.
Funny how you call yourself a knight, you are no different than the mainstream casuals who play all day COD and GTA. In this regard I must admit Nintendo fans have much better taste in general. They have taste unlike some casuals here.

 

[historia]

I am so glad nobody of this mass consume zombies here sitting in Sony’s board. You guys defend persistently GaaS and WRPG because it’s your taste. And yes it does matter where the HQ of a publisher lies. You’re so heavily in denial, you don’t even see it. Your hate on Japanese games is truly frightening. Saying FF is only for weebs disqualify you for further discussion. It‘s pretty arrogant and tasteless how degrading you talk the entire time about Japanese games. I can’t hear your annoying and shallow arguments anymore. You know nothing about Sony. Also Sony doesn’t need to copy Microsoft, we have already enough medicore franchises on PlayStation. As I have seen you only care about prestige and heavy hitter franchises. The door is open, Microsoft will welcome hardcore casuals like you. I will say it again, you will wait for nothing. Sony is not buying a western Publisher. Being in denial doesn’t prove anything neither does it mean said scenario won’t happen. I don’t see no difference to you and Fanboys on Twitter. Yeah just buy heavy hitters to screw Microsoft. To hell with this mindset.
PlayStation has already enough western studios.
Funny how you call yourself a knight, you are no different than the mainstream casuals who play all day COD and GTA. In this regard I must admit Nintendo fans have much better taste in general. They have taste unlike some casuals here.

GaaS makes a shit ton of money in long term, and an important of revenue sources that can be used to built platform.

Think about it as long-run firm Gaas is the long-run firm here since makes money consistently. Singleplayer games only make as much money in one short period, but with high production cost and takes a long time.

Just look at how much money Genshin Impact, Fate Grand Order for presumedly low production cost but somewhat high maintenance cost to keep it running.

Microsoft and Nintendo are competitor of Sony, but Nintendo is strong at IP and that why they manage to make money with SP games. Meanwhile Microsoft "try to compete" by buying the greatmother of Gaas and some other studios. Their foal is non other to drain Sony's pocket, which I think will backfire spectacularly as long Sony play the right card.

 

[Cool hand luke]

Remember that the Financial Times, who's once again reporting in favour of MS having the upper hand or a positive position with respect to the CMA is the same Financial Times who expected the regulator's decision on the deal to be "a damp squib". It was in fact blocked, the CMA issued a 10 year ban on any cross investment between the failed merging parties, and the CMA was granted more power by the UK government in a show of support.

 

[historia]

Remember that the Financial Times, who's once again reporting in favour of MS having the upper hand or a positive position with respect to the CMA is the same Financial Times who expected the regulator's decision on the deal to be "a damp squib". It was in fact blocked, the CMA issued a 10 year ban on any cross investment between the failed merging parties, and the CMA was granted more power by the UK government in a show of support.

Honestly after the clownfest between FTC and 9th Court Circus, I kinda lose trust regulators to block deal like this.

Would be great if CMA manage to stop this, but it seems like money comes with power.

 

[Ludwig]

Honestly after the clownfest between FTC and 9th Court Circus, I kinda lose trust regulators to block deal like this.

Would be great if CMA manage to stop this, but it seems like money comes with power.

The judges have always favored corporate America and I know I have said this before. When At&t bought time warner, DoJ sued to block the merger and lost, and that was under Trump Admin.
Reality is FTC is need to become independent like the CMA or like ther Federal reserve and that will never happened. I hope the CMA blocks stays as well.

 

[Cool hand luke]

Honestly after the clownfest between FTC and 9th Court Circus, I kinda lose trust regulators to block deal like this.

Would be great if CMA manage to stop this, but it seems like money comes with power.

The CMA is independent of the UK government, and even the FT made sure to report that Jeremy Hunt, chancellor of the Exchequer, with whom Brad Smith met to beg and plead and suck dick, "explicitly" said he would not be interfering with the CMA's decision.

The problem in the US isn't the regulator, it's the legal system and legislature.

 

[anonpuffs]

If we go with the presumption that the CMA block stands and no half-assed restructuring of the deal is acceptable (which I believe is the most likely interpretation of how the CMA has acted and based on their public statements, disregarding public commentary from media), I have been wondering if Microsoft has identified the CMA as a long term roadblock to their monopolistic ambitions and are now embarking on an undertaking to see if they can undermine it institutionally. I can see two options for why there's such a huge groundswell of media positivity towards MS/ABK right now:

-MS has embedded some sort of clause in their closing agreement with ABK where they can skirt the $3 billion parting fee provided they are able to meet some kind of criteria (e.g. insurance has exceptions for acts of god which allow them not to cover your ass despite the contract) and they're trying to make it seem like it isn't their fault that the deal can't close, hence telling ABK to kick rocks and sue them if they want the $3b
-MS is trying to make the CMA into an ultimate bad guy and engender public distrust with them, if this is the case I expect to see paid shills call for investigations into the CMA by the UK government and a big effort to bog the CMA down with useless controversies and neuter them via scandals.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

-MS is trying to make the CMA into an ultimate bad guy and engender public distrust with them, if this is the case I expect to see paid shills call for investigations into the CMA by the UK government and a big effort to bog the CMA down with useless controversies and neuter them via scandals.

Yeah seems like we're there already. Even journalists (who should know better) are already reporting there's nothing in the way of MS closing, as if CMA is irrelevant and their final report is completely gone?

We'll know on Monday if Microsoft was able to break them down behind the scenes. It will look so bad for them.

 

[Cool hand luke]

Yeah seems like we're there already. Even journalists (who should know better) are already reporting there's nothing in the way of MS closing, as if CMA is irrelevant and their final report is completely gone?

We'll know on Monday if Microsoft was able to break them down behind the scenes. It will look so bad for them.

We won't have news about that on Monday. To be abundantly clear about what's happening:

1. in April the CMA issued their decision to block.
2. On May 18th they issued their proposed order (no MS investment in ABK and vice versa for 10 years) and invited submissions on it with a deadline of June 19th.
3. Microsoft submitted a detailed and complex response while separately pursuing the appeal to the CAT. We found out about that before the CMA's final order deadline of July 18th, which was one month after the submission response deadline, which was one month after the proposed order issuance date.
4. The CMA is obliged by legislation to look at these, but would not have had to do so if the FTC had prevailed in court, as MS and ABK said they would abandon the transaction. Legislation also dictates their block remains in effect until any new review is done.
5. Because Judge Corley, whose son works for Microsoft, ruled in favour of Microsoft, Microsoft isn't folding earlier than July 18th, which is likely why the CMA made public that they needed to consider whatever Microsoft submitted.

The periods here are a month apart, which makes it seem more like a standard administrative timeline and not a hurried response to the FTC or the tide turning or whatever horseshit Microsoft's mules are trying to get everyone else to swallow.

 

[FatKaz]

4. The CMA is obliged by legislation to look at these, but would not have had to do so if the FTC had prevailed in court, as MS and ABK said they would abandon the transaction. Legislation also dictates their block remains in effect until any new review is done.

Yeah good point.

If MS submitted their new proposal on the 19th or close to it, then CMA would have already been aware of the FTCs injunction request.

Considering the CMA didn't have to immedatley investigate the new offer, it totally makes sense to wait and see what happens with the injunction, and not waste time and resources investigating something that could be abondoned by abk.

 

[Eternal_Wings]

GaaS makes a shit ton of money in long term, and an important of revenue sources that can be used to built platform.

Think about it as long-run firm Gaas is the long-run firm here since makes money consistently. Singleplayer games only make as much money in one short period, but with high production cost and takes a long time.

Just look at how much money Genshin Impact, Fate Grand Order for presumedly low production cost but somewhat high maintenance cost to keep it running.

Microsoft and Nintendo are competitor of Sony, but Nintendo is strong at IP and that why they manage to make money with SP games. Meanwhile Microsoft "try to compete" by buying the greatmother of Gaas and some other studios. Their foal is non other to drain Sony's pocket, which I think will backfire spectacularly as long Sony play the right card.

If they want to go big, they should acquire
Mi-Hoyo. They have guaranteed heavy hitters GaaS lineup. Their games are really popular across, PlayStation platforms, Mobile and huge on PC. The Studio is really talented and each game they do is a massive success. If Sony needs a constant revenue, Mi-Hoyo would be ideal.