Microsoft's acquisition of Activison Blizzard

[Zeroing]

From IDAS at Resetera:

Small update from MLex:

- Ahead of the meeting and talking with the press, Brad Smith said that: "We are more than willing, given our strategy, to address the concerns that others have”. "Whether it is by contracts, like the one we did with Nintendo this morning, or by regulatory undertakings, as we have consistently been open to”.

- MLex understands that although Sony has refuted the idea that licensing deals will ease competition concerns, it is engaged in talks with the Xbox maker on potential remedies.

- The Statement of Objections is still pursuing all three theories of harm against Microsoft that were mentioned in November (OS and subscription services included, then).


Remember when xbox fanboys were claiming the EU would be more lenient that the cma? Turns out they had more concerns than the cma did because theyre also including subscription services, IE gamepass.

Ahah wait people really thought that EU was going to be nice to MS? Ahah that is so funny, if the deal depended exclusively on EU they would have turn it down very fast.
Europe doesn’t like big corporations getting bigger and doing whatever they want.

 

[AshHunter216]

From IDAS at Resetera:

Small update from MLex:

- Ahead of the meeting and talking with the press, Brad Smith said that: "We are more than willing, given our strategy, to address the concerns that others have”. "Whether it is by contracts, like the one we did with Nintendo this morning, or by regulatory undertakings, as we have consistently been open to”.

- MLex understands that although Sony has refuted the idea that licensing deals will ease competition concerns, it is engaged in talks with the Xbox maker on potential remedies.

- The Statement of Objections is still pursuing all three theories of harm against Microsoft that were mentioned in November (OS and subscription services included, then).


Remember when xbox fanboys were claiming the EU would be more lenient that the cma? Turns out they had more concerns than the cma did because theyre also including subscription services, IE gamepass.

They have more concerns, but I had heard that they would be more easily swayed by behavioral remedies than the CMA.

 

[Swift_Star]

Lol, lowest common denominator for Xbox games is now essentially a low spec phone….

Desperation at its finest.

 

[KiryuRealty]

They have more concerns, but I had heard that they would be more easily swayed by behavioral remedies than the CMA.

That doesn’t really matter in the end, as they’ll have to abide by the strictest regulator at the end of the process.

If the EU are gullible twats again and accept this, but the CMA still wants structural remedies, they still have to go with the CMA’s remedies or the deal is dead.

 

[AshHunter216]

That doesn’t really matter in the end, as they’ll have to abide by the strictest regulator at the end of the process.

If the EU are gullible twats again and accept this, but the CMA still wants structural remedies, they still have to go with the CMA’s remedies or the deal is dead.

I see. Either way we won't know how this went until late March, barring leaks or things we can infer from MS/ABK public behavior.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

Leaked footage of Brad Smith at the EU meeting

Spoiler

 

[KiryuRealty]

Leaked footage of Brad Smith at the EU meeting

Spoiler

It should be Whizzo the clown. Depressed, existentially tormented and totally powerless.

 

[Bodycount611]

so big news about to drop today? Any chance we finally get closure here?

 

[KiryuRealty]

so big news about to drop today? Any chance we finally get closure here?

Today could be the death of the deal if the EU isn’t accepting behavioural remedies.

 

[nongkris]

Ah, so it seems like Sony and MS were in some kind of talks, though it may not amount to much here.

Take any of the paid MS "lawyers" and "pundits" saying this with a grain of salt. Jimbo and co. have been playing MS like a fiddle by not engaging in talks with them and it has worked masterfully so far, they have no reason and it's actually illogical that they would try to reach a deal with Microsoft when they are in the upper hand. Just more copium from the bloomberg corporate press.

The only thing MS lawyers have done well and I'm curious how they did it, is get all these labor unions around the world to cape for this agreement. MS is a trillion dollar company, unions have to be idiots to think that MS wouldn't be funding union busters in secret despite what ever lip service they're giving them.

 

[AshHunter216]

so big news about to drop today? Any chance we finally get closure here?

The hearing itself is private, so we won't hear much unless people start leaking details. We should start hearing about the remedies offered soon enough. If the EU doesn't accept behavioral remedies, the deal is likely dead. If they do, the fate of the deal rides on what the CMA have to say.

 

[Gediminas]

The hearing itself is private, so we won't hear much unless people start leaking details. We should start hearing about the remedies offered soon enough. If the EU doesn't accept behavioral remedies, the deal is likely dead. If they do, the fate of the deal rides on what the CMA have to say.

Don't worry, m$ leaks everything. We, for sure, gonna get knews from m$ shills, when they decide on talking points in media.

Remember, idiots leaked xbox series consoles in the middle of the night they all bunch of idiots.

 

[thicc_girls_are_teh_best]

Lol, lowest common denominator for Xbox games is now essentially a low spec phone….

Aw that's sweet of good ol' Brad Smith but, how exactly do you sign a 10-year contract for an IP YOU DON'T ACTUALLY OWN YET!?

It's like me saying I'm in talks to buy Ferrari, then signing a deal to provide Ferraris to a car dealership when I haven't actually gotten the OK by Ferrari let alone the regulators wanting to see if me buying Ferrari is anti-competitive.

This isn't just shooting yourself in the foot. It's shooting yourself in the chest.

 

[AshHunter216]

Aw that's sweet of good ol' Brad Smith but, how exactly do you sign a 10-year contract for an IP YOU DON'T ACTUALLY OWN YET!?

It's like me saying I'm in talks to buy Ferrari, then signing a deal to provide Ferraris to a car dealership when I haven't actually gotten the OK by Ferrari let alone the regulators wanting to see if me buying Ferrari is anti-competitive.

This isn't just shooting yourself in the foot. It's shooting yourself in the chest.

They're trying to reassure regulators that they will play nice with the IP if they're allowed to get it. Sketchy on whether it will work with the EU and doubtful it will convince the CMA.

 

[Dabaus]

Take any of the paid MS "lawyers" and "pundits" saying this with a grain of salt. Jimbo and co. have been playing MS like a fiddle by not engaging in talks with them and it has worked masterfully so far, they have no reason and it's actually illogical that they would try to reach a deal with Microsoft when they are in the upper hand. Just more copium from the bloomberg corporate press.

The only thing MS lawyers have done well and I'm curious how they did it, is get all these labor unions around the world to cape for this agreement. MS is a trillion dollar company, unions have to be idiots to think that MS wouldn't be funding union busters in secret despite what ever lip service they're giving them.

Easy to pay off union bosses.

 

[daniel5043]

Don't worry, m$ leaks everything. We, for sure, gonna get knews from m$ shills, when they decide on talking points in media.

Remember, idiots leaked xbox series consoles in the middle of the night they all bunch of idiots.

Would what we hear from them be free from bias though

 

[AshHunter216]

Would what we hear from them be free from bias though

No, a lot of the information we get about this deal comes from folks who really want it to go through.

 

[Puff]

Lol That wasn't Sonys fault. Its Microsoft's fault they are in this position

 

[AshHunter216]

Based on the CMA survey that was released not long ago, 3 companies were against the deal. We know Sony and likely Google are two of them, but who is the third?

 

[AshHunter216]

Lol That wasn't Sonys fault. Its Microsoft's fault they are in this position

That dude just needs to stick to making photoshop banners bragging about all the studios MS have bought.