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

Bacon

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Chris-

Chris-

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, SuperSpreader said:

 

That seems shortsighted 

 

Blizzard is their least profitable division and has the lowest operating margin of the three, and they don't really provide any strategic value given all of the other 'core' developers that Microsoft has acquired (such as Bethesda). They are the most expendable part of the deal.

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SuperSpreader

SuperSpreader

Posted
Posted
48 minutes ago, Chris- said:

 

Blizzard is their least profitable division and has the lowest operating margin of the three, and they don't really provide any strategic value given all of the other 'core' developers that Microsoft has acquired (such as Bethesda). They are the most expendable part of the deal.

 

Yeah but they have more than 1 franchise, cod can't be huge forever 

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

Posted
Posted

The EU regulators have taken the very unusual step of directly responding the part of the FTC filing that referenced their discussions with Microsoft regarding the Zenimax acqusition:

 

Quote

 

In a weird turn of events, the EU states to MLex that Microsoft actually never offered concessions for the Bethesda agreement.

 

"Microsoft didn't make any commitments to EU regulators not to release Xbox-exclusive content following its takeover of ZeniMax Media"."

 

 

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: EU issues statement that contradicts FTC filing regarding Zenimax acquisition concessions
DPCyric

DPCyric

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, SuperSpreader said:

 

Oh they'll definitely fuck it up 

 

EA has done great with Respawn if Diablo IV does well I could see them going for a light touch with Blizzard. Granted I would still much rather see them with Microsoft imagine a Heroes of the Storm revival with all M$ characters available. 

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Ghost_MH

Ghost_MH

Posted
Posted

With the FTC suing here, it makes me wonder if Adobe knows where all the bodies are buried. Did someone accidentally upload the pictures to Creative Cloud. They should never have been allowed to buy Figma. That acquisition is exponentially worse than even if Microsoft decided to keep CoD exclusive to Xbox and Game Pass.

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Spawn_of_Apathy

Spawn_of_Apathy

Posted
Posted
On 12/8/2022 at 2:27 PM, Dodger said:


Yeah that’s what I’ve seen as well. Fuck I was really hoping not to spend $70 on Diablo IV. I might have even tried to get into CoD if it was “free” on games pass.


same for me exactly. 
 

On 12/8/2022 at 3:38 PM, Dodger said:

I have seen comments that part of the CMC concern was over cloud gaming and Games Pass. Not sure what MS could with with cloud stuff other than just not do it, or cancel their Samsung deal to have Xcloud on their tvs. Games Pass shouldn't be any concern, Sony has more PS+ subscribers and it's their own choice they don't put first party games into the service. 

 

yeah, it’s not that Sony can’t compete with GamePass. They REFUSE to. 
 

Also, Sony’s not worried about losing the COD gamer to Xbox. They’re concerned with losing the licensing fee for each copy of COD sold. They’re trying to either kill the deal to keep the revenue flowing, or extort a concession where MS/Activision is legally required to pay Sony 30% without any risk or cost to Sony. 

  • True 1
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TwinIon

TwinIon

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Ghost_MH said:

With the FTC suing here, it makes me wonder if Adobe knows where all the bodies are buried. Did someone accidentally upload the pictures to Creative Cloud. They should never have been allowed to buy Figma. That acquisition is exponentially worse than even if Microsoft decided to keep CoD exclusive to Xbox and Game Pass.

I totally agree. It's bizarre that the Figma purchase hasn't gotten more scrutiny. Figma was Adobe's only real competition in that space, and they seemed like they had the potential to challenge adobe on other fronts as well. For them to be acquired and just have Figma just become the Adobe product is a terrible outcome.

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Ghost_MH

Ghost_MH

Posted
Posted
26 minutes ago, TwinIon said:

I totally agree. It's bizarre that the Figma purchase hasn't gotten more scrutiny. Figma was Adobe's only real competition in that space, and they seemed like they had the potential to challenge adobe on other fronts as well. For them to be acquired and just have Figma just become the Adobe product is a terrible outcome.

 

Figma was in the middle of pivoting its rapid growth into challenging Adobe in more areas...and then Adobe dropped some $20b on them and now they're only real competitor in this space is gone. Are we supposed to believe Adobe is planning to continue developing Figma alongside Adobe Xd?

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TwinIon

TwinIon

Posted
Posted
On 12/9/2022 at 7:49 PM, Ghost_MH said:

Figma was in the middle of pivoting its rapid growth into challenging Adobe in more areas...and then Adobe dropped some $20b on them and now they're only real competitor in this space is gone. Are we supposed to believe Adobe is planning to continue developing Figma alongside Adobe Xd?

My understanding is that Adobe is going to more or less halt development of Xd and make Figma their primary or only product in the space, at least once the sale goes through.

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crispy4000

crispy4000

Posted
Posted
MWII-S01-RELOADED-014.jpg

Microsoft reportedly offered Sony the option to put Call of Duty on PlayStation Plus

WWW.EUROGAMER.NET
Microsoft reportedly offered Sony the option to add Call of Duty to its PlayStation Plus subscription service as part o…

 

No word on the terms of it.  (ie: if/how much Sony would have to pay, if releases would be simultaneous with Games Pass, etc)

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crispy4000

crispy4000

Posted
Posted
4 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said:
xbox-acti-blizz-1642539339263-1643719661

Microsoft Exec Says Xbox's Activision Deal Is Fair Because PlayStation Has Way More Exclusives - IGN

WWW.IGN.COM
Microsoft president and vice chairman Brad Smith has said Xbox's acquisition of Activision Blizzard is fair because PlayStation has significantly more exclusive games.

 


Sounds like a misinformed exec misreading a cheat sheet from the lawyers.  Buying Activision Blizzard isn’t going to mean just one more exclusive.

 

I’d also like to know if their list of Sony exclusives includes Jumping Flash. :p

 

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Keyser_Soze

Keyser_Soze

Posted
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5ISMCRU3D5KNJGQVO4YICDZHO4.jpg

Video gamers sue Microsoft in U.S. court to stop Activision takeover

WWW.REUTERS.COM
Microsoft Corp was hit on Tuesday in U.S. court with a private consumer lawsuit claiming the technology company's $69 billion bid to purchase "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard Inc will unlawfully squelch competition in the video game industry.

 

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jaethos

jaethos

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said:
5ISMCRU3D5KNJGQVO4YICDZHO4.jpg

Video gamers sue Microsoft in U.S. court to stop Activision takeover

WWW.REUTERS.COM
Microsoft Corp was hit on Tuesday in U.S. court with a private consumer lawsuit claiming the technology company's $69 billion bid to purchase "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard Inc will unlawfully squelch competition in the video game industry.

 

The Hoeg Law video on this was great. It's a terribly put together mess of a lawsuit.

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

Posted
Posted

Microsoft and Activision have responded to the FTC's complaint using a "Good Cop/Bad Cop" routine.

 

Microsoft's "Good Cop" response (37 pages)

Summary: "We're the third-place console platform holder and this acquisition won't materially change that at all.  We also have no presence in the fastest-growing mobile gaming market. It's not our fault that the dominant market participant hasn't accepted our generous proposals and is engaging in anti-consumer behavior, etc. etc."

 

Activison's "Bad Cop" response (35 pages)

Summary: "OLOLOLOLOLOLO - EAT SHIT AND DIE, FTC!  THIS COMPLAINT IS BASELESS, IDEOLOGICALLY-DRIVEN BULLSHIT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A LEGAL LEG TO STAND ON IN COURT AND DEFIES ECONOMIC REALITY, YOU FUCKING DIMWITS!  SUCK OUR COD-LOVING ASS!"

  • Haha 1
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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: MS and ABK release responses to FTC complaint
Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

Posted
Posted

After consideration, the contrasting "Good Cop/Bad Cop" tones between the MS and ABK responses to the FTC complaint seem reflective of their respective relationships with the federal government.

 

One company (MS) has long-standing contractual relationships with the federal government and is perennially in the hunt to enhance and expand those opportunities which could lead to a more "conservative" posture.  The other company (ABK) really has no such interests and therefore can be more "aggressive" in its defense of the deal.

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