UK CMA Says Microsoft-Activision Deal Will 'Not Result in a Substantial Lessening of Competition'

[On Demand]

UK regulator U-turns on Microsoft’s $75bn Activision deal

Surprise move clears big roadblock to global approval of acquisition of ‘Call of Duty’ maker

www.ft.com

I knew there was a back handing deal going on. There’s no way you just change your mind like that.

“Hey you have to sell COD if you want this deal to go trough”

“Sponge bob “10 minutes later”

“You know what? Everything is fine. There isn’t any anti competitive nature going on with this deal.”



I really really hate MS. Like damn this company is so bad at everything they do. No talent or inspiration needing to buy their way to success type of company.

Fucking yuck...

 

[Swift_Star]

It's always funny to see them immediately downplay any chances of Sony making a publisher acquisition. Apparently only Microsoft are allowed to make those. Or have 3P exclusives. Or have Japanese exclusives. Soon, even just exclusives in general.

And then when you ask them way, their bottom lip quivers as they stutter along "B-but PS2! But Sega! B0but Tomb Raider 2!!"

Granted, I don't cheerlead Sony making acquisitions any more than I did Microsoft. But seeing as how Microsoft are on their way to making a really flippin' big acquisition and will likely try to go after more, if this is now "competition" as Satya Nadella put it, why would you be against Sony making acquisitions unless this isn't about "competition" and it's actually about starving PlayStation out of the market altogether so Xbox has no competition, since Xbox could never beat PlayStation in actual competition for the better part of 20+ years?

Like, these people should just go full mask-off now. At least they would get a smidgen's more respect.



That was him? Usually I don't read their posts because they are just always (needlessly) negative and pessimistic IMO. But they aren't necessarily wrong on this one.

Although I'd say the concern is much bigger than just Microsoft, because now the other big tech companies have the perfect blueprint to work with in terms of their own gaming acquisitions. And that will start to happen; Apple buying EA or Ubisoft is on the table.

All I can say is, with this mass consolidation, I can't wait to see the industry die because of it. That would be the best ironic prize for all of this greed. At least I'll have classic games and systems to enjoy once it happens.

If the industry becomes mass GaaS driven, more than it already is, I'll just play older games and whatnot and forget about the new ones.

 

[Swift_Star]

UK regulator U-turns on Microsoft’s $75bn Activision deal

Surprise move clears big roadblock to global approval of acquisition of ‘Call of Duty’ maker

www.ft.com

I knew there was a back handing deal going on. There’s no way you just change your mind like that.

“Hey you have to sell COD if you want this deal to go trough”

“Sponge bob “10 minutes later”

“You know what? Everything is fine. There isn’t any anti competitive nature going on with this deal.”



I really really hate MS. Like damn this company is so bad at everything they do. No talent or inspiration needing to buy their way to success type of company.

Fucking yuck...

Yep. But they'll run ABK into the ground. They always do it. Look at Skype, Nokia, Rare and Bethesda. They can't manage shit not named windows and office 365.

 

[nongkris]

UK regulator U-turns on Microsoft’s $75bn Activision deal

Surprise move clears big roadblock to global approval of acquisition of ‘Call of Duty’ maker

www.ft.com

I knew there was a back handing deal going on. There’s no way you just change your mind like that.

“Hey you have to sell COD if you want this deal to go trough”

“Sponge bob “10 minutes later”

“You know what? Everything is fine. There isn’t any anti competitive nature going on with this deal.”



I really really hate MS. Like damn this company is so bad at everything they do. No talent or inspiration needing to buy their way to success type of company.

Fucking yuck...

Yeah this completely 180 makes absolutely no sense, like absolutely none. None of the concerns from the original finding just magically went away...

 

[Firefly]

Regulators in general are weak sauce so don't be surprised if they flip flop too.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

I would still rather sony just say fuck call of duty and let microsoft take it off cold turkey, cut their revenue in half instead of feeding the beast and making it harder for them in the future, especially if microsoft decide to take it off.

The best thing that could happen for sony in terms of marketshare is cod becoming less relevant

 

[Zeroing]

I would still rather sony just say fuck call of duty and let microsoft take it off cold turkey, cut their revenue in half instead of feeding the beast and making it harder for them in the future, especially if microsoft decide to take it off.

The best thing that could happen for sony in terms of marketshare is cod becoming less relevant

Here’s my thought, all Sony needs to do is bet on new IPs, because if you look at the gaming landscape, PlayStation is one of the few who actually still makes new IPs consistently.
There’s this weird perception that gamers only cares about big IPs, it it’s not, people want to play games and to have new experiences.

If MS wants to be the Disney of gaming making the same thing over and over until everyone gets sick by it… let them do it.
I would say the majority of gamers would flock to the next big game.

The more you create the more chances are, your next game might have big chances to be a huge success.

 

[CloudStrife]

I would still rather sony just say fuck call of duty and let microsoft take it off cold turkey, cut their revenue in half instead of feeding the beast and making it harder for them in the future, especially if microsoft decide to take it off.

The best thing that could happen for sony in terms of marketshare is cod becoming less relevant

That actually crossed my mind but that would be a really bad move considering they don't have an alternative to point gamers to.
And not just any alternative. It would have to be an absolutely stellar game.

It would be crazy to see it happen though....lol

 

[Yobo]

I would still rather sony just say fuck call of duty and let microsoft take it off cold turkey, cut their revenue in half instead of feeding the beast and making it harder for them in the future, especially if microsoft decide to take it off.

The best thing that could happen for sony in terms of marketshare is cod becoming less relevant

Nah Sony have a 10 year reprieve from MS enacting exclusivity and they do need that time for making competitors. First thing to do is cancel Xbox versions of any Bungie projects and go after a really big fish

 

[Dr Bass]

Here’s my thought, all Sony needs to do is bet on new IPs, because if you look at the gaming landscape, PlayStation is one of the few who actually still makes new IPs consistently.
There’s this weird perception that gamers only cares about big IPs, it it’s not, people want to play games and to have new experiences.

If MS wants to be the Disney of gaming making the same thing over and over until everyone gets sick by it… let them do it.
I would say the majority of gamers would flock to the next big game.

The more you create the more chances are, your next game might have big chances to be a huge success.

I agree with this 100%. I've said it so many times on here and back on the "old" forum which shall remain nameless but ...

These acquisitions don't work because you are buying the past. And the past is not what determines where things are going. Look at every acquisition MS has made so far. They have essentially amounted to zero for the company in the grand scheme of things. And they do this with every company they buy, which is to say, run it into the ground.

Sony should stay completely focused on the future and developing its own content, make deals where it seems logical, and not be afraid of this. As the saying goes, two turkeys do not. make an eagle.

 

[Zeroing]

That actually crossed my mind but that would be a really bad move considering they don't have an alternative to point gamers to.
And not just any alternative. It would have to be an absolutely stellar game.

It would be crazy to see it happen though....lol

yes you are right, it would need to be something really big, and MS main business is not gaming, they can dry out the competition and still not feel any repercussions of COD not being on PlayStation.

But!!! Sony has more experience in making good games and Microsoft has more experience in meddling and mismanagement of studios so… odds are looking good for Sony!

Maybe COD becomes the next halo mess, maybe not…
One thing is certain, EA will become very friendly with Sony, because MS now doesn’t need EA to make their ecosystem a better value.

 

[Darth Vader]

If the industry becomes mass GaaS driven, more than it already is, I'll just play older games and whatnot and forget about the new ones.

Get a cheap ISH computer, get your ass on steam, gog, and itch, and play indie games. It's what I end up playing the most.

 

[Gods&Monsters]

Maybe COD becomes the next halo mess, maybe not…
One thing is certain, EA will become very friendly with Sony, because MS now doesn’t need EA to make their ecosystem a better value.

I wouldn't bet on that. EA is trash and they will side with MS the first chance they get. They always do besides Fifa because of Europe.

 

[Zeroing]

I wouldn't bet on that. EA is trash and they will side with MS the first chance they get. They always do besides Fifa because of Europe.

Nah I have my doubts, since MS brought Bethesda, EA have been fairly distant from MS.
Unless MS waves money at them, no reason for EA to slide on a platform with low marketshare and with exclusive games that compete with their own games.

 

[Swift_Star]

I wouldn't bet on that. EA is trash and they will side with MS the first chance they get. They always do besides Fifa because of Europe.

I'm 100% sure that CoD is going to flop soon.

 

[Yobo]

I'm 100% sure that CoD is going to flop soon.

Sounds like a cope

COD yearly purchases is as ingrained as FIFA

There's no mass exodus from COD because even a bad release is followed by reluctant buyers following their friends to the next game and expecting the next year to deliver

COD really hasn't been good for a long time but hasn't stopped momentum at all

Only way it changes is a genuine competitor comes up doing everything COD does better, with the entire military aesthetics. AND COD has a really bad, buggy and failed launch

 

[anonpuffs]

Lmao wonder who had their schlong sucked for this one. Oh well, it is what it is

 

[Fenton]

Dude got attacked by the Xbot mafia, and he deleted it

 

[Swift_Star]

Sounds like a cope

COD yearly purchases is as ingrained as FIFA

There's no mass exodus from COD because even a bad release is followed by reluctant buyers following their friends to the next game and expecting the next year to deliver

COD really hasn't been good for a long time but hasn't stopped momentum at all

Only way it changes is a genuine competitor comes up doing everything COD does better, with the entire military aesthetics. AND COD has a really bad, buggy and failed launch

When has MS ever managed anything successfully not named Windows and Office?

 

[Zeroing]

Lmao wonder who had their schlong sucked for this one. Oh well, it is what it is

Damn I should had done some rounds and I’m sure the deal would be blocked! Joking.