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

Bacon

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Spawn_of_Apathy

Spawn_of_Apathy

Posted
Posted
26 minutes ago, TwinIon said:

While I continue to think that this won't have a serious effect on the industry, I won't consider it a good thing. At least we got a bunch of emails and other documents.

 

It'll be interesting to see what acquisitions this deal kicks off. Sony will definitely respond, but will we see consolidation outside of the console manufacturers? Does EA or Ubisoft feel a need to build up their own "content moat"? Is there any real possibility that other tech giants start buying up gaming studios? I'm dubious that much will change, but maybe the market does shift in response.


didn’t EA already announce plans to separate their EA Sports from the rest of the EA development? That seems like the opposite of consolidation, but they still could buy up more smaller and independent studios, like they had in the past. 

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said:


didn’t EA already announce plans to separate their EA Sports from the rest of the EA development? That seems like the opposite of consolidation, but they still could buy up more smaller and independent studios, like they had in the past. 

 

It was merely a change in internal management structure, nothing more than that.

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  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: FTC files notification to appeal ruling denying preliminary injuction
  • Commissar SFLUFAN changed the title to Microsoft/Activision Blizzard Acquisition - Information Thread, update: ABK stock to be removed from NASDAQ-100 index on Monday
Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

Posted
Posted
12 minutes ago, crispy4000 said:

Apparently this is in Microsoft's response to the FTC:

 

rYAH22U.jpg

 

 

It is.

 

The respective MSFT and FTC "findings of fact" can be found here:

 

MSFT:

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.413969/gov.uscourts.cand.413969.306.0.pdf

 

FTC:

https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cand.413969/gov.uscourts.cand.413969.309.0.pdf

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

Posted
Posted

If the appeals court does not grant a Temporary Restraining Order to the FTC by Friday night, I have little doubt that the acquisition will be executed in every jurisdiction except the UK on Monday morning.

 

For the UK, I can see this scenario in the interim while the CMA re-examines MSFT's revised concession:

 

- Each current ABK shareholder will receive a certain number of shares of a newly-created entity that we'll call "ABK-UK"

- Bobby Kotick will remain as CEO of ABK-UK

- MSFT will license to ABK-UK the right to develop/distribute/market/etc. for perpetuity in the UK all intellectual property that was once owned by the now non-existent ABK entity

- ABK-UK will pay royalties back to MSFT for that perpetual license

- This arrangement will exist until MSFT and the CMA come to an agreement at which point MSFT will acquire the ABK-UK entity in a stock swap

 

In effect, for at least some time, Activision-Blizzard would continue to exist as an independent entity with Kotick as its CEO in the UK only.

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Spawn_of_Apathy

Spawn_of_Apathy

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

If the appeals court does not grant a Temporary Restraining Order to the FTC by Friday night, I have little doubt that the acquisition will be executed in every jurisdiction except the UK on Monday morning.

 

For the UK, I can see this scenario in the interim while the CMA re-examines MSFT's revised concession:

 

- Each current ABK shareholder will receive a certain number of shares of a newly-created entity that we'll call "ABK-UK"

- Bobby Kotick will remain as CEO of ABK-UK

- MSFT will license to ABK-UK the right to develop/distribute/market/etc. for perpetuity in the UK all intellectual property that was once owned by the now non-existent ABK entity

- ABK-UK will pay royalties back to MSFT for that perpetual license

- This arrangement will exist until MSFT and the CMA come to an agreement at which point MSFT will acquire the ABK-UK entity in a stock swap

 

In effect, for at least some time, Activision-Blizzard would continue to exist as an independent entity with Kotick as its CEO in the UK only.


couldn’t they also just pull all ABK business out of the UK forcing anyone there to either use a VPN or import games, regardless of platform? 

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Spawn_of_Apathy

Spawn_of_Apathy

Posted
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I’m not saying they would, just asking if they could. 
 

so is this really how much of these merger approvals go. The companies don’t really need approval unless if they don’t restructure the company being purchased? 
 

13 minutes ago, AbsolutSurgen said:

They still want their revenue from the UK.  Why give it up?

Just temporary to apply political pressure. It’s not like they’d lose all those sales. Many would still buy digitally but with a VPN. So MS would still get their money, but the UK government wouldn’t get their taxes. 

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Commissar SFLUFAN

Commissar SFLUFAN

Posted
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Judge Crowley has denied the FTC's motion to stay her original ruling denying the preliminary injunction pending appeal.

 

The FTC's appeal is now with the 9th Circuit's appellate panel.  The FTC will be seeking "emergency relief" in the form of an extension of the TRO to block the transaction beyond tomorrow night's expiration just before midnight Pacific time. 

 

The FTC is unlikely to be granted the TRO which means that MSFT/ABK will be clear to complete the acquisition in the US and EU.

 

Bloomberg is reporting that an agreement has been reached with the UK CMA as described below:

 

Quote

 

Microsoft Corp. and Activision Blizzard Inc. are considering giving up some control of their cloud-gaming business in the UK as a way to appease regulators so they can complete their $69 billion merger by the July 18 deadline, according to people familiar with the matter.

 

That could involve selling off the cloud-based market rights for games in the UK to a telecommunications, gaming or internet-based computing company, said the people, who asked not to be named discussing confidential planning. A private equity company might also be interested, said one person.

 

 

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Spork3245

Spork3245

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

Judge Crowley has denied the FTC's motion to stay her original ruling denying the preliminary injunction pending appeal.

 

The FTC's appeal is now with the 9th Circuit's appellate panel.  The FTC will be seeking "emergency relief" in the form of an extension of the TRO to block the transaction beyond tomorrow night's expiration just before midnight Pacific time. 

 

The FTC is unlikely to be granted the TRO which means that MSFT/ABK will be clear to complete the acquisition in the US and EU.

 

Bloomberg is reporting that an agreement has been reached with the UK CMA as described below:

 

 


At what point is the FTC making a complete waste of tax payer money?

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Xbob42

Xbob42

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said:

Judge Crowley has denied the FTC's motion to stay her original ruling denying the preliminary injunction pending appeal.

 

The FTC's appeal is now with the 9th Circuit's appellate panel.  The FTC will be seeking "emergency relief" in the form of an extension of the TRO to block the transaction beyond tomorrow night's expiration just before midnight Pacific time. 

 

The FTC is unlikely to be granted the TRO which means that MSFT/ABK will be clear to complete the acquisition in the US and EU.

 

Bloomberg is reporting that an agreement has been reached with the UK CMA as described below:

 

 

Sell it to Michaelsoft, ran by Gill Bates. No one will be any the wiser.

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DPCyric

DPCyric

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, Bacon said:

I actually don't think it is a good thing, but it's fun to shit on sony.

 

I actually think this merger is a net positive for the industry and gamers for the following reasons:

1. Activision/Blizzard has been a bad working environment for a while now and especially with the recent failure of Redfall Microsoft will want to improve the work culture.
2. Microsoft has other studios making them money they aren't in a situation where they need to pump out Call of Duty every year to survive.

3. All those unused Activision IP's have an opportunity to be used now.

4. With development freed up where a Call of Duty isn't needed every year development studios can work on other things so employees won't be burned out doing the same game over and over again.

5. This forces Sony to be a bit more competitive if they wanted they could make their own Call of Duty but that isn't necessary. However maybe now they will be more careful when launching stuff and not supporting it (ala PSVR2 and the Vita)... maybe just maybe PS+ will be improved as well which is a benefit for Playstation owners.

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SuperSpreader

SuperSpreader

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, DPCyric said:

 

I actually think this merger is a net positive for the industry and gamers for the following reasons:

1. Activision/Blizzard has been a bad working environment for a while now and especially with the recent failure of Redfall Microsoft will want to improve the work culture.
2. Microsoft has other studios making them money they aren't in a situation where they need to pump out Call of Duty every year to survive.

3. All those unused Activision IP's have an opportunity to be used now.

4. With development freed up where a Call of Duty isn't needed every year development studios can work on other things so employees won't be burned out doing the same game over and over again.

5. This forces Sony to be a bit more competitive if they wanted they could make their own Call of Duty but that isn't necessary. However maybe now they will be more careful when launching stuff and not supporting it (ala PSVR2 and the Vita)... maybe just maybe PS+ will be improved as well which is a benefit for Playstation owners.

 

The only thing that's true is no5. Sony needs to come up with a solution. Everything else is gamers drinking the Kool aid.

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SuperSpreader

SuperSpreader

Posted
Posted
29 minutes ago, DPCyric said:

 

I actually think this merger is a net positive for the industry and gamers for the following reasons:

1. Activision/Blizzard has been a bad working environment for a while now and especially with the recent failure of Redfall Microsoft will want to improve the work culture.
2. Microsoft has other studios making them money they aren't in a situation where they need to pump out Call of Duty every year to survive.

3. All those unused Activision IP's have an opportunity to be used now.

4. With development freed up where a Call of Duty isn't needed every year development studios can work on other things so employees won't be burned out doing the same game over and over again.

5. This forces Sony to be a bit more competitive if they wanted they could make their own Call of Duty but that isn't necessary. However maybe now they will be more careful when launching stuff and not supporting it (ala PSVR2 and the Vita)... maybe just maybe PS+ will be improved as well which is a benefit for Playstation owners.

 

1- Microsoft who has laid off over TEN THOUSAND this year is gonna fix Activision? Get real. 

 

2- They bought it for COD they're gonna milk it all they can. 

 

3- The same shit that happened to Rare IPs is gonna happen to Activision ones. 

 

4- This isn't how corporations think. 

 

4- Yes, Sony needs a solution. 

 

Second post to add details. 

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