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Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: The Deal Has Closed

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

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Microsoft’s Activision buyout could be approved by the FTC as soon as next month | VGC

WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM
The Xbox firm has reportedly triggered a 30-day window for any final challenges…

 

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The FTC asked Microsoft and Activision Blizzard for additional information in March as it continued to review their proposed acquisition deal.

 

And according to paywalled merger news provider Dealreporter (via Seeking Alpha), Microsoft has now provided the FTC with the information it was looking for.

 

As noted by the FTC’s own guidance (via Real Mi Central), this means the body now has 30 days to challenge the acquisition, otherwise the deal can continue.

 

 

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: FTC could approve acquisition as early as next month
  • 1 month later...
Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

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UK's competition regulator to undertake in-depth investigation of Microsoft-Activision deal

WWW.EUROGAMER.NET
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has concluded its initial investigation of Microsoft's acquisition of Activi…

 

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The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has concluded its initial investigation of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, making the decision that the deal requires a more in-depth "phase 2" investigation.

 

In its report, the CMA has determined that the deal will be "giving rise to a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition in gaming consoles, multi-game subscription services, and cloud gaming services."

 

Crucially, the CMA decided the deal would have a large impact on the success of rival platforms: "Evidence consistently pointed towards ABK's content, especially Call of Duty, as being important and capable of making a material difference to the success of rivals' gaming platforms."

 

"ABK invests significant time and capital in creating regular Call of Duty releases, which consistently rank as some of the most popular games," the CMA wrote.

 

"These titles require thousands of game developers and several years to complete, and there are very few other games of similar calibre or popularity."

It's clear the CMA is referring to the prospect of the acquisition harming PlayStation sales, with Call of Duty being a massive console seller. Indeed, Sony currently has a multi-year agreement with Activision to make PlayStation the primary platform for Call of Duty.

 

Sony was explicitly mentioned later in the report, stating that "in the short-to-medium-term, the main rival that could be affected by this conduct would be Sony. Evidence suggests that Microsoft and Sony compete closely with each other in terms of content, target audience, and console technology." It also recognised that the PlayStation currently has a higher market share in the UK.

 

In contrast, the CMA believes that Nintendo will be less affected given the difference target audience and console technology.

 

The CMA also points to Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda parent company Zenimax in 2021, and its decision to make future games such as Starfield and Elder Scrolls 6 exclusive to Xbox platforms: "The CMA found that the potential strategic benefits to Microsoft of using ABK's content to foreclose rivals - such as expanding the Game Pass user base and strengthening network effects in its gaming ecosystem - could outweigh any immediate losses in terms of licensing revenues," it wrote.

 

 

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) signals willingness to open "in-depth" investigation of acqusition
XxEvil AshxX

XxEvil AshxX

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They're so worried that this acquisition will negatively affect Sony, yet doesn't bat an eye when Sony buys shares in FromSoftware and partners with Kadokawa, which i can fucking guarantee will negatively affect Microsoft. FromSoft hasn't not releasted a game on a Sony platform since the early Xbox days, so we know it's not about securing titles on their console, it's about keeping those titles off of other consoles. 

 

It may not be singularly on par with an Activition acquisition, but Sony has been making a lot of smaller moves this year while MS is tied up with this shit and it may all eventually add up. The rumored Squeenix buyout, the Kadokawa partnership, etc. can all tie together to keep some pretty significant stuff off of Xbox. All while MS has already clearly stated that keeping CoD off of Playstation wouldn't make any financial sense.

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: Jim Ryan claims that MS's Call Of Duty offer for the PlayStation was "inadequate on many levels"
Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

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22 minutes ago, Brian said:

 

 

You NEVER see something like that mentioned publicly :shock:

 

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"I hadn't intended to comment on what I understood to be a private business discussion, but I feel the need to set the record straight because Phil Spencer brought this into the public forum,"

 


AWWWW YEAH!  RICH WHITE MEN GETTIN' FEISTY!

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: Jim Ryan calls MS's offer to keep CoD on the PlayStation "inadequate on many levels" (3 years beyond expiration of current agreement)
BloodyHell

BloodyHell

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On 9/1/2022 at 12:51 PM, XxEvil AshxX said:

They're so worried that this acquisition will negatively affect Sony, yet doesn't bat an eye when Sony buys shares in FromSoftware and partners with Kadokawa, which i can fucking guarantee will negatively affect Microsoft. FromSoft hasn't not releasted a game on a Sony platform since the early Xbox days, so we know it's not about securing titles on their console, it's about keeping those titles off of other consoles. 

 

It may not be singularly on par with an Activition acquisition, but Sony has been making a lot of smaller moves this year while MS is tied up with this shit and it may all eventually add up. The rumored Squeenix buyout, the Kadokawa partnership, etc. can all tie together to keep some pretty significant stuff off of Xbox. All while MS has already clearly stated that keeping CoD off of Playstation wouldn't make any financial sense.

Shares are nothing like an outright purchase. Comparing the two doesn't work (until it's a hostile takeover, but its far from that).

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  • 4 weeks later...
Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

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FTC decision on Microsoft's Activision deal may come by late November (NASDAQ:ATVI)

SEEKINGALPHA.COM
A U.S. Federal Trade Commission decision on Microsoft's (MSFT) planned $69 billion acquisition of Activision (ATVI) may come as early as late November. The review is still at the staff...

 

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A U.S. Federal Trade Commission decision on Microsoft's (NASDAQ:MSFT) planned $69 billion acquisition of Activision (NASDAQ:ATVI) may come as early as late November.

 

The review is still at the staff level and is expected to go through the Bureau of Competition and onto the commissioners over the next several weeks, according to a Dealreporter item.

 

The FTC staff are said to have significant concerns about the transaction, Dealreporter said, citing two sources. The regulator is talking to other parties and competitors about their issues with the deal, including Google (GOOGL) and Sony (SONY).

 

 

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: FTC decision may come in late November, staff have "significant concerns" about the deal (Seeking Alpha)
  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: US FTC decision may come in late November, UK CMA sets 01 March 2023 deadline for its final report
  • 3 weeks later...
Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

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diU34JdSV5g2woXjLLsQDP-1200-80.jpg

 

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Microsoft's Xbox boss Phil Spencer has made his most far-reaching promise about keeping Call of Duty on Sony platforms yet, saying during an interview with the tech and gaming podcast Same Brain that Microsoft intends to keep the games on PlayStation consoles for "as long as there's a PlayStation out there to ship to."

 

The future of Call of Duty is a big sticking point in Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Sony, understandably, is worried about Microsoft making the huge hit series an Xbox exclusive; Microsoft has insisted that it has no such intentions(opens in new tab). But those commitments have previously come with a time frame of some sort: In September, for instance, Microsoft guaranteed Call of Duty on PlayStation "for at least several more years beyond the current Sony contract." In response, Sony said the actual time frame of the offer was just three years(opens in new tab).

 

Perhaps Microsoft is facing more resistance from regulators than it expected, or maybe it's just tired of talking about it. Whatever the reason, Spencer basically made an open-ended promise while speaking on this podcast.

 

"We're not taking Call of Duty from PlayStation. I know that—which isn't exactly what you asked, but just to like punch that one in the nose, that's not our intent," Spencer said. "Our intent is not to do that, and as long as there's a PlayStation out there to ship to, our intent is that we'd continue to ship Call of Duty on PlayStation, similar to what we've done with Minecraft since we've owned that.

 

 

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

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No Microsoft remedies in first EU antitrust review of Activision deal - source

FINANCE.YAHOO.COM
Microsoft Corp's has not offered any remedies to EU antitrust regulators reviewing its proposed $69 billion bid for "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard ahead of an expected full-scale EU probe, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday. The U.S. software company is betting on the acquisition to help it compete better with leaders Tencent and Sony, with the latter being a critic of the deal. The European Commission, which is...

 

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Microsoft Corp's has not offered any remedies to EU antitrust regulators reviewing its proposed $69 billion bid for "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard ahead of an expected full-scale EU probe, a person familiar with the matter said on Monday.

 

The U.S. software company is betting on the acquisition to help it compete better with leaders Tencent and Sony, with the latter being a critic of the deal.

 

The European Commission, which is scheduled to finish its preliminary assessment of the deal by Nov. 8, said its website was up to date. The site showed that Microsoft had not provided concessions.

 

 

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: Phil commits to keeping CoD on PlayStation "as long as there's a PlayStation out there to ship to", EU expected to launch full-scale probe of acquisition
crispy4000

crispy4000

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Not surprising given the money cow CoD is, and how they can still leverage it as a Games Pass boon.  On that note:

 

callofdutymodernwarfare2betaps5vsxboxser

Phil Spencer Would 'Love' to See Call of Duty on Switch - IGN

WWW.IGN.COM
After a lot of back and forth between Xbox and Sony about Call of Duty's availability on other systems should the upcoming Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard go through, Xbox head Phil Spencer has just tossed another piece of hardware into the mix: the Nintendo Switch.

 

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

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1 minute ago, crispy4000 said:

Not surprising given the money cow CoD is, and how they can still leverage it as a Games Pass boon.  On that note:

 

callofdutymodernwarfare2betaps5vsxboxser

Phil Spencer Would 'Love' to See Call of Duty on Switch - IGN

WWW.IGN.COM
After a lot of back and forth between Xbox and Sony about Call of Duty's availability on other systems should the upcoming Microsoft acquisition of Activision Blizzard go through, Xbox head Phil Spencer has just tossed another piece of hardware into the mix: the Nintendo Switch.

 

 

Speaking of the "CoD Money Cow"...

 

Modern Warfare II Tops $800 Million Sell-Through in Three Days, Delivers Largest Opening Weekend in Franchise History

WWW.BUSINESSWIRE.COM
Activision’s Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II has become the #1 top-selling opening weekend ever in the franchise, delivering more than $800 million

 

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Activision’s Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II has become the #1 top-selling opening weekend ever in the franchise, delivering more than $800 million worldwide in sell-through following the first three days from its release on October 28, 2022. The blockbuster opening tops any of the biggest worldwide box office openings of 2022, surpassing ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ worldwide box office openings combined.

 

Modern Warfare II also set a new franchise opening weekend record as the #1 top-selling Call of Duty digital opening through its first three days. Developed by Infinity Ward, the release of Modern Warfare II represents a bold new direction for the entertainment franchise, which will continue with the upcoming release of Call of Duty: Warzone TM 2.0 on November 16.

 

Through only its first three days of release, Modern Warfare II’s opening topped the previous five-day franchise record, set in 2011 by Modern Warfare® 3 in sell-through, to become the biggest opening ever in Call of Duty. Players around the world took part in the new launch, setting new player participation franchise records for number of unique players and hours played through its first three days of premium release.

 

 

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XxEvil AshxX

XxEvil AshxX

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4 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

 

Speaking of the "CoD Money Cow"...

 

Modern Warfare II Tops $800 Million Sell-Through in Three Days, Delivers Largest Opening Weekend in Franchise History

WWW.BUSINESSWIRE.COM
Activision’s Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® II has become the #1 top-selling opening weekend ever in the franchise, delivering more than $800 million

 

 

 

No fuckin way MS would give that up just to have it exclusive to Xbox. Sony just mad cuz they wouldn't be able to moneyhat it anymore. 

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silentbob

silentbob

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Microsoft would be shooting itself in the foot if they stop support for the PlayStation systems. The games sell like fucking hot cakes every year and PS leads the way by a good margin I believe still. Now I believe I read something about Sony had a deal beforehand that would keep the series off subscription services like GamePass. Don’t know if if that could be voided with the buyout, but who knows anymore. Part of the reason why I’m holding off buying this current game cause I don’t need it now to play.

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