Support NeoGAF

[Cheezewizz]

• Creating high-quality games is the responsibility of the management. In this case, Xbox's. Again, they have the studios. Nobody is stopping them from creating high-quality AAA games to compete. They are just not doing it. And that does not justify these acquisitions, as in "we can't produce games like God of War or TLOU, so let us take big popular games off of PlayStation to level the playing field."

They certainly aren't doing it as regularly as Sony is for sure, but it's not hard to argue that it's a bit more nuanced than that. The studios that MS has that are capable of putting out those "high quality AAA games" should continue to do just that. Playground did so with it's last game, as did the Coalition. Turn 10 should continue to do so, as should Bethesda. 343 is the only studio that can't seem to get it's act together. None of this is being used to "justify" the ABK purchase though, and unless you can cite a source for all these "big popular games" that will be taken off of PS, then that's not really an argument that works.

• Currently, Activision games release on both PS and Xbox. There are equal opportunities for both platforms and their fans. This is healthy competition.

Same could be said for Street Fighter. I hate to use that as an example, but it's so easy to do given that this weak argument keeps being brought up. If you want there to truly be equal opportunities for both platforms and their fans, then you should've been crying about moneyhatting long ago... but you weren't. You're only doing so now because in this specific case, the benefits aren't tilted in your preferred console's favor.

• More importantly, this does not benefit Xbox gamers. They are still ABK games, and they will get ABK games after the acquisition. Nothing changes for Xbox gamers.

Nothing except that Xbox gamers will be guaranteed to get all these ABK games on Gamepass day one. They'll also be guaranteed to get the best or equal version of those games going forward as well. Unlike currently where Sony pays Activision to keep specific modes and features exclusive to PS.

• On the other hand, if Xbox invests a fraction of this money to create and/or fund 10 new AAA high-quality Xbox exclusive games, Xbox gamers benefit from additional 10 games on top of ABK games that they are gonna get anyways like they always do. And that can create a lot of healthy competition b/w Xbox and PS. I'm sure many people (including me) would welcome that level of competition. Xbox becomes more competitive; Xbox gamers get new and more games; Sony responds by creating new games. It's a win-win-win for everyone. Because it adds to the industry, not only remove from it (which this Activision acquisition will do).

This would be a valid point if it were really that easy to do. It's also worth noting that it would likely only be a rather short term fix even if they were able to accomplish it. That's assuming they were to copy Sony's formula of having all their studios share tools, ideas, support, etc... because you're eventually stuck with all your studios games being rather similar. This is the exact reason why Naughty Dog is taking forever with Factions, and will be obviously clear once all these GaaS games Sony's studios are working on start to release.

You can't simply go through money to create a homegrown studio and immediately expect it to turn out bangers like that. Between MS and Sony, MS is the only one who has even attempted it with the Initiative, and look at the problems they're having there. That's the very reason why Sony has also preferred instead to increase the size of their existing studios, and acquire 3rd parties instead of building new ones from scratch. This homegrown, built from the ground up bullshit that Sony fans keep pointing to the way to do it is just that... bullshit. Sony hasn't done it that way in decades.

 

[Cheezewizz]

What sort of effect?

The kind of effect he can concern post about or use as ammo in his endless campaign against anything Xbox. Lol

 

[Cheezewizz]

After the current incumbents have vacated their positions the roles will be made redundant for obvious reasons.

Aren't they interns though? If they're actually being paid, then maybe Gaf needs some layoffs as well.

 

[Three]

Nothing except that Xbox gamers will be guaranteed to get all these ABK games on Gamepass day one.

I wouldn't be so sure about this for all titles. The big seller like Minecraft did not release on gamepass for a long time even though they owned that since 2014. It came to Gamepass on xbox in 2019 and PC 2021.

 

[feynoob]

11,000 are way too many! Can this have an effect on the acquisition?

http://[URL]https://www.engadget.co...y-as-11000-employees-this-week-204254529.html

[/URL]

(not sure if it warrants a separate thread. If someone can, it'd be a good idea to keep a close eye out on the Xbox division and measure the downsizing impact on the Xbox division)

This isn't exclusive to MS.
Tons of tech companies are laying off their workers, due to the market uncertainties.

 

[Heisenberg007]

What sort of effect? I doubt it has any effect. They already layed off a fair few in october, I don't think it influenced anything with regard to this deal.

Yes, but that was less than 1,000 employees. This time it may be more than 11,000 employees -- which is a lot!

By effects, I mean (a) moral and public pressure that MS is laying off 11,000 employees but also buying a company for $70 billion, or (2) regulatory pressure if people in Xbox are also being downsized, as in why are you adding more people and laying a large % of people at the same time? One could make an argument that this acquisition is mainly about IPs or what the future of ABK employees would under MS management who are laying off 11,000 people.

Again, not sure if any of this matters or has an effect. Hence, the question.

 

[Three]

This isn't exclusive to MS.
Tons of tech companies are laying off their workers, due to the market uncertainties.

I don't think anybody said it was exclusive to MS. Just asked if it had any effect on the deal.

 

[Sweden85]

This isn't exclusive to MS.
Tons of tech companies are laying off their workers, due to the market uncertainties.

Ofc, but they have enough cash to buy a publisher for 70 billion. Yeah they need to do it..

 

[feynoob]

Ofc, but they have enough cash to buy a publisher for 70 billion. Yeah they need to do it..

If it was that easy, companies wouldn't have layed off their workers.

 

[Heisenberg007]

They certainly aren't doing it as regularly as Sony is for sure, but it's not hard to argue that it's a bit more nuanced than that. The studios that MS has that are capable of putting out those "high quality AAA games" should continue to do just that. Playground did so with it's last game, as did the Coalition. Turn 10 should continue to do so, as should Bethesda. 343 is the only studio that can't seem to get it's act together. None of this is being used to "justify" the ABK purchase though, and unless you can cite a source for all these "big popular games" that will be taken off of PS, then that's not really an argument that works.

It's common sense that ABK IPs will no longer be releasing on PlayStation, unless MS agrees on an exception. Starfield and Redfall are prime examples. The Outer Worlds 2 and Hellblade 2 are not releasing on PlayStation either.

Regulators have also raised the same concern in their issued statements.

Same could be said for Street Fighter. I hate to use that as an example, but it's so easy to do given that this weak argument keeps being brought up. If you want there to truly be equal opportunities for both platforms and their fans, then you should've been crying about moneyhatting long ago... but you weren't. You're only doing so now because in this specific case, the benefits aren't tilted in your preferred console's favor.

Not the same thing at all. Capcom was struggling badly and could have gone down under; Sony helped them and funded SF5, which wouldn't have been made otherwise.

Neither Street Fighter 4 nor Street Fighter 6 are PS exclusives, which validate this.

This would be a valid point if it were really that easy to do. It's also worth noting that it would likely only be a rather short term fix even if they were able to accomplish it. That's assuming they were to copy Sony's formula of having all their studios share tools, ideas, support, etc... because you're eventually stuck with all your studios games being rather similar. This is the exact reason why Naughty Dog is taking forever with Factions, and will be obviously clear once all these GaaS games Sony's studios are working on start to release.

You can't simply go through money to create a homegrown studio and immediately expect it to turn out bangers like that.

Then Xbox should have started 10 years ago. It's not Sony's or PlayStation's fans fault that Xbox didn't think about growing their studios or funding games for so many years. And that's no justification why they should be allowed to minimize PlayStation games library in an attempt to level the playing field now.

Between MS and Sony, MS is the only one who has even attempted it with the Initiative, and look at the problems they're having there. That's the very reason why Sony has also preferred instead to increase the size of their existing studios, and acquire 3rd parties instead of building new ones from scratch. This homegrown, built from the ground up bullshit that Sony fans keep pointing to the way to do it is just that... bullshit. Sony hasn't done it that way in decades.

This is false. Sony has almost always acquired studios that they have been nurturing for years and have been working with them as second-party studios for years.

Example: Bluepoint, HouseMarque, Insomniac, Firesprite, Haven, Valkyrie, etc. Now they are funding other projects and empowering other studios by making them second-party: People Can Fly, Sumo Digital, Team Ninja, Ballistic Moon, etc.

 

[intheinbetween]

Ofc, but they have enough cash to buy a publisher for 70 billion. Yeah they need to do it..

These cuts have nothing to do with this acquisition, actually rounds of layoffs happens once or twice per year in big tech companies, especially in times like these

 

[OmegaSupreme]

These cuts have nothing to do with this acquisition, actually rounds of layoffs happens once or twice per year in big tech companies, especially in times like these

In times of record profits? God forbid they get under a 2 trillion-dollar market value.

 

[pasterpl]

It's common sense that ABK IPs will no longer be releasing on PlayStation, unless MS agrees on an exception. Starfield and Redfall are prime examples. The Outer Worlds 2 and Hellblade 2 are not releasing on PlayStation either.

Regulators have also raised the same concern in their issued statements.

Not the same thing at all. Capcom was struggling badly and could have gone down under; Sony helped them and funded SF5, which wouldn't have been made otherwise.

Neither Street Fighter 4 nor Street Fighter 6 are PS exclusives, which validate this.

Then Xbox should have started 10 years ago. It's not Sony's or PlayStation's fans fault that Xbox didn't think about growing their studios or funding games for so many years. And that's no justification why they should be allowed to minimize PlayStation games library in an attempt to level the playing field now.

This is false. Sony has almost always acquired studios that they have been nurturing for years and have been working with them as second-party studios for years.

Example: Bluepoint, HouseMarque, Insomniac, Firesprite, Haven, Valkyrie, etc. Now they are funding other projects and empowering other studios by making them second-party: People Can Fly, Sumo Digital, Team Ninja, Ballistic Moon, etc.

Why ms should follow Sony growth strategy? There is no requirement for any company to follow what competitor is doing. Ms choose another path.

 

[pasterpl]

In times of record profits? God forbid they get under a 2 trillion-dollar market value.

Record profits have nothing to do with lay offs. There is planned restructuring, mergers between departments, etc. it is quite normal with tech companies to lay off people regardless of financial results. They will not keep unproductive staff only because they are, as a company profitable. What logic is that?

 

[Heisenberg007]

Why ms should follow Sony growth strategy? There is no requirement for any company to follow what competitor is doing. Ms choose another path.

Yeah, the anti-competitive path. Why do Microsoft and Xbox gamers and Xbox journalists complain when Sony files complaints and regulators attempt to block that anti-competitive path?

 

[intheinbetween]

In times of record profits? God forbid they get under a 2 trillion-dollar market value.

Most of these companies over hired many people because of high demand due to the pandemic, now they are facing an regulation of demand plus entering into a financial challenge in many countries because of inflation. Companies such as Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Oracle, VMware, etc. have been rising their prices since last year to their customers and they are known of laying off many people once or twice per year.

Just take a look a the thelayoff.com message board and you will find out how common is this.

 

[DenchDeckard]

anything new happening? Ive seen walls of posts and links but Im an idiot.

 

[reksveks]

Short answer: no, the layoffs have no impact on the deal.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

ChorizoPicozo (not quoting because of large images), but:

• Creating high-quality games is the responsibility of the management. In this case, Xbox's. Again, they have the studios. Nobody is stopping them from creating high-quality AAA games to compete. They are just not doing it. And that does not justify these acquisitions, as in "we can't produce games like God of War or TLOU, so let us take big popular games off of PlayStation to level the playing field."

even taking away these "popular" games away (which again. A lot of Bethesda games have been struggling) WoW is PC centric as well as Diablo and Overwatch is free to play

is NOT going to level the playing field at all.

and then by your own words. if this acquisition is ",Anti-competitive" and even illegal......well Regulators should stop it. Right???????.

As simple as that.

• Currently, Activision games release on both PS and Xbox. There are equal opportunities for both platforms and their fans. This is healthy competition.

And this why Regulators are already stopping this deal in other countries....RIGHT?!?!?!!

you are undermining your own "argument" by what is happening in the real world.

and i will repeat this again. Regulators in USA/UK (the places where Xbox is more competitive) they are going to determine if this acquisition should/shouldn't be approved.

as simple as that. no need to repeat the same meaningless "this is not fair"

• More importantly, this does not benefit Xbox gamers. They are still ABK games, and they will get ABK games after the acquisition. Nothing changes for Xbox gamers.

I'm sure Regulators are already taking this into consideration in their analysis.

• On the other hand, if Xbox invests a fraction of this money to create and/or fund 10 new AAA high-quality Xbox exclusive games, Xbox gamers benefit from additional 10 games on top of ABK games that they are gonna get anyways like they always do.

have you seen the industry? have you even see my long-ass comment about it?.
(i even put a lot of screenshots to make it clear)

yisus son fucking frustrating peole dismissing the facts.

• And that can create a lot of healthy competition b/w Xbox and PS.

you know what is healthy? a good work-life balance and not been fucked over.










again, keep ignoring reality. Activision-Blizzard were in a pretty bad state.

this acquisition has the potential to disrupt all the fucked up shit inside this company and if there is just a tiny chance for this to happen, anyone who actually values this industry should be at least willing to see what happens.

• I'm sure many people (including me) would welcome that level of competition.

Oh, i'm sure people like you would be happy with that.

why so sacred of xbox? is so ridiculous

• Xbox becomes more competitive; Xbox gamers get new and more games; Sony responds by creating new games. It's a win-win-win for everyone.

and that is what sony is doing already.

• Because it adds to the industry, not only remove from it (which this Activision acquisition will do).

so, you are fine with broken/unfinished games being released, you are fine with predarory MTXs, you are fine with sequels, remakes, yearly releases and GaaS dominating the industry?

these AAA third party publisher/Studios are grabbed by the balls, they can't do shit even if the want to. (as i already illustrate and you keep ignoring).


SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE. forget about your PlayStation for a moment. it will be fine.

 

[Punished Miku]

as simple as that. no need to repeat the same meaningless "this is not fair"

That's all they've ever had though.

 

[Three]

anything new happening? Ive seen walls of posts and links but Im an idiot.

Nothing of note to the acquisition.

 

[Heisenberg007]

even taking away these "popular" games away (which again. A lot of Bethesda games have been struggling) WoW is PC centric as well as Diablo and Overwatch is free to play

is NOT going to level the playing field at all.

and then by your own words. if this acquisition is ",Anti-competitive" and even illegal......well Regulators should stop it. Right???????.

As simple as that.



And this why Regulators are already stopping this deal in other countries....RIGHT?!?!?!!

you are undermining your own "argument" by what is happening in the real world.

and i will repeat this again. Regulators in USA/UK (the places where Xbox is more competitive) they are going to determine if this acquisition should/shouldn't be approved.

as simple as that. no need to repeat the same meaningless "this is not fair"


I'm sure Regulators are already taking this into consideration in their analysis.



have you seen the industry? have you even see my long-ass comment about it?.
(i even put a lot of screenshots to make it clear)

yisus son fucking frustrating peole dismissing the facts.


you know what is healthy? a good work-life balance and not been fucked over.










again, keep ignoring reality. Activision-Blizzard were in a pretty bad state.

this acquisition has the potential to disrupt all the fucked up shit inside this company and if there is just a tiny chance for this to happen, anyone who actually values this industry should be at least willing to see what happens.



Oh, i'm sure people like you would be happy with that.

why so sacred of xbox? is so ridiculous


and that is what sony is doing already.


so, you are fine with broken/unfinished games being released, you are fine with predarory MTXs, you are fine with sequels, remakes, yearly releases and GaaS dominating the industry?

these AAA third party publisher/Studios are grabbed by the balls, they can't do shit even if the want to. (as i already illustrate and you keep ignoring).


SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE. forget about your PlayStation for a moment. it will be fine.

Your whole argument boils down to:

• If Activision remains independent, they will release broken games and will continue struggling because of management issues. When they just released the best-selling COD ever? And Xbox will fix the ABK management issues when they can't fix management issues in current XGS?
• If Xbox funds 10 new games, I'm supporting ... predatory MTXs and broken games? I don't see the connection.
• If Xbox funds the games, they will be the publisher, like they are with Flight Simulator and Contraband. No one else will have those AAA third-party publishers by the balls.

And I'm sure PlayStation will be fine. I'm not concerned personally: I don't play ABK games (didn't even buy COD MW2), and I don't play Bethesda games (haven't played a single Zenimax game for more than 4 hours ever), so these acquisitions have had 0 personal effects on me.

But I still recognize how awful this consolidation is for the industry and how anti-competitive this behavior is.

 

[Orbital2060]

'Brevity is the soul of wit' or some other quote could be required here.

in other 'news' not really news



From Ida's from Era from https://www.mlexwatch.com/ftcwatch/articles/18923

Reading this, I wonder how the FTC can make such a poor judgment in terms of focussing on the «tech giant» narrative. Ive never heard anyone call movies - or videogames - for tech. They are entertainment and this is a deal in the entertainment sector. Its tech money - yeah. But its a deal in the entertainment sector just like Disney-Fox. No one put forward any claim that Disney is a tech giant that needs to be reigned in and that deal is 2-3 billions more valuable than ATVI. It just paints a picture that the FTC is unfairly preoccupied with getting a win on Microsoft for old times sake (this time we will get em guys!) that theyve lost sight of the basic premise of the acqusition - the second largest acq yet in the entertainment sector. And making up new bogus arguments in the process.

 

[gothmog]

Reading this, I wonder how the FTC can make such a poor judgment in terms of focussing on the «tech giant» narrative. Ive never heard anyone call movies - or videogames - for tech. They are entertainment and this is a deal in the entertainment sector. Its tech money - yeah. But its a deal in the entertainment sector just like Disney-Fox. No one put forward any claim that Disney is a tech giant that needs to be reigned in and that deal is 2-3 billions more valuable than ATVI. It just paints a picture that the FTC is unfairly preoccupied with getting a win on Microsoft for old times sake (this time we will get em guys!) that theyve lost sight of the basic premise of the acqusition - the second largest acq yet in the entertainment sector. And making up new bogus arguments in the process.

People have absolutely put forward a claim that Disney needs to be reined in. In fact, the whole reason they are focusing on this now is because of deals like that.

 

[Orbital2060]

People have absolutely put forward a claim that Disney needs to be reined in. In fact, the whole reason they are focusing on this now is because of deals like that.

I know Brazil pushed back at Disney at first but any claim that they were a TECH giant did not reach me where Im at.

Maybe they did. But the FTC - and every other regulator - let the transaction pass and thats the precedent that you have to follow here as well. You cant just make up new rules because you have a bounty to cash in.

 

[DeepEnigma]

I had a dream that Embracer bought Ubisoft.


You heard it here first, Microsoft isn't allowed to buy any studios because Playstation is more popular. Protecting consumers is key. /s

That's not what I said. Don't be a disingenuous clown.

There's been a few people that really want/need you to come out as some sort of fanboy over the last while, hasn't there? Seems to be a pattern with regards to those people from what I've noticed too.

It's all projection.

We shall see about that.

We went from CONFIDENCE THIS WILL BE A BREEZE shouted from the rooftops to "we shall see."

This is the natural order of things.

 

[Drell]

Too long to quote...

Your solution to the problem of the broken AAA video game industry is to have the biggest corporation buying the biggest publisher. That's not a solution, that's called breaking the market even further.

 

[gothmog]

I know Brazil pushed back at Disney at first but any claim that they were a TECH giant did not reach me where Im at.

Maybe they did. But the FTC - and every other regulator - let the transaction pass and thats the precedent that you have to follow here as well. You cant just make up new rules because you have a bounty to cash in.

Actually they can make up new rules and modernize old ones. They just proposed a new rule to ban non-compete clauses.

 

[PharaoTutAnchAmun]

'Brevity is the soul of wit' or some other quote could be required here.

in other 'news' not really news



From Ida's from Era from https://www.mlexwatch.com/ftcwatch/articles/18923

I'am,not paying a subscribtion to read that "opinion".....

 

[feynoob]

I'am,not paying a subscribtion to read that "opinion".....

You get breakdown.

 

[Flutta]

Your whole argument boils down to:

• If Activision remains independent, they will release broken games and will continue struggling because of management issues. When they just released the best-selling COD ever? And Xbox will fix the ABK management issues when they can't fix management issues in current XGS?
• If Xbox funds 10 new games, I'm supporting ... predatory MTXs and broken games? I don't see the connection.
• If Xbox funds the games, they will be the publisher, like they are with Flight Simulator and Contraband. No one else will have those AAA third-party publishers by the balls.

And I'm sure PlayStation will be fine. I'm not concerned personally: I don't play ABK games (didn't even buy COD MW2), and I don't play Bethesda games (haven't played a single Zenimax game for more than 4 hours ever), so these acquisitions have had 0 personal effects on me.

But I still recognize how awful this consolidation is for the industry and how anti-competitive this behavior is.

 

[pasterpl]

Yeah, the anti-competitive path. Why do Microsoft and Xbox gamers and Xbox journalists complain when Sony files complaints and regulators attempt to block that anti-competitive path?

That’s your opinion, actual regulators have not blocked this deal yet. Zenimax deal passed without any issues as well. So the experts, and effectively people judging, green lighting these deals on gov level see no issues with these (none of the big one said no yet) for the ABK deal, and zenimax just got approved worldwide very quickly. You might not like it but this is your opinion, not based on any laws etc.

 

[twilo99]

This isn't exclusive to MS.
Tons of tech companies are laying off their workers, due to the market uncertainties.

All of the big tech corps have become extremely bloated. What Musk did with Twitter should be done to all of them. The HR departments especially lol

 

[twilo99]

We shall see about that. We will know this deal is done and a success by end of May guaranteed.

We will also know the FTC is out on a limb with no way of stopping it by then also if they haven't settled by that point.

Maybe, but the CEO there gives off more of a wishful thinking vibe than any sort of confidence.

 

[Flutta]

That’s your opinion, actual regulators have not blocked this deal yet. Zenimax deal passed without any issues as well. So the experts, and effectively people judging, green lighting these deals on gov level see no issues with these (none of the big one said no yet) for the ABK deal, and zenimax just got approved worldwide very quickly. You might not like it but this is your opinion, not based on any laws etc.

Lets be real for a sec, people who are defending this deal would sing a different tune if Sony was the one going after AKB.

We’re acting like MS isnt running around lobbying for this deal to go through and that it doesn’t have an effect on the outcome and it’s
all ”fair game” and shit.

People are so damn short-sighted that they can’t even see the negative effects of this deal as long as they get things for ”free”.

I would suggest people to look up MS history and how they usually operate and maybe just maybe you can see how things will play out.

 

[Bumblebeetuna]

Why do people keep spreading this nonsense idea that Xbox gamers gain nothing from this deal? All the future and past ABK games coming to GamePass is not a benefit? Not having to deal with PS exclusive content in all these games isn’t a benefit?

We’ve already seen games like Pentiment, Bleeding Edge, and Grounded since MS bought studios, all games the devs said were passion projects that wouldn’t have happened without MS money. Meanwhile you have nonsense in this thread about Sony somehow saving Capcom from bankruptcy and SFV would have never happened without Sony money

 

[gothmog]

All of the big tech corps have become extremely bloated. What Musk did with Twitter should be done to all of them. The HR departments especially lol

Yeah let's lay off hundreds of thousands of people so that executives and shareholders like Musk get to keep more of our money. Talk about rooting for the wrong team.

 

[DarkMage619]

Lets be real for a sec, people who are defending this deal would sing a different tune if Sony was the one going after AKB.

We’re acting like MS isnt running around lobbying for this deal to go through and that it doesn’t have an effect on the outcome and it’s
all ”fair game” and shit.

People are so damn short-sighted that they can’t even see the negative effects of this deal as long as they get things for ”free”.

I would suggest people to look up MS history and how they usually operate and maybe just maybe you can see how things will play out.

But the opposite is also very true. Many here against this deal would cheer it if it was Sony buying Activision. It mostly comes down to people who don't like Xbox are against this deal and people who like Xbox are largely for it.

Looking at Xbox's history it was never a monopoly or harmful to the gaming industry seeing how they've been in this space for 20 years. That coupled with the fact that no one can point to any laws being broken by this deal only reinforces the political nature of most of the opposition to it.

 

[reksveks]

Yeah let's lay off hundreds of thousands of people so that executives and shareholders like Musk get to keep more of our money. Talk about rooting for the wrong team.

This obsession in certain markets with growth especially over everything else is unsustainable. Need to some serious globally thinking on this, upset that we couldnt get a global tax policy together when we had a chance.

 

[Flutta]

But the opposite is also very true. Many here against this deal would cheer it if it was Sony buying Activision. It mostly comes down to people who don't like Xbox are against this deal and people who like Xbox are largely for it.

Looking at Xbox's history it was never a monopoly or harmful to the gaming industry seeing how they've been in this space for 20 years. That coupled with the fact that no one can point to any laws being broken by this deal only reinforces the political nature of most of the opposition to it.

Where did i say Xbox history. I clearly said MS. Xbox is just a small part of MS. Two very different things.

My friend, laws don’t apply to the rich, elites of this world as they do to the peasants. You should know that.

Money talks, it’s been this way since the dawn of time. Everyone has a price, politicians, judges, lawyers, even the damn school teacher has a price

Everyone can be persuaded to do what you want if they are offered a large enough amount of money.

Your telling me a TRILLION dollar company won’t use it’s resources to have it’s way?

 

[gothmog]

This obsession in certain markets with growth especially over everything else is unsustainable. Need to some serious globally thinking on this, upset that we couldnt get a global tax policy together when we had a chance.

I think growth over everything else is a bit of a smoke screen. Most of the inflation based price gouging has always and continues to go directly to corporate profits. And now they're laying people off because they can get away with it by pointing to other corporations doing similar things. I work for one of these large tech companies and while there was a slight pause in contracts many of them have just been tweaked from growth optimization to cost optimization.

 

[Ronin_7]

Should be a very fun day tomorrow in EU & UK as regulators learn that MS is firing 10.000 people & many From Bethesda.

Yikes.

 

[Three]

That’s your opinion, actual regulators have not blocked this deal yet. Zenimax deal passed without any issues as well. So the experts, and effectively people judging, green lighting these deals on gov level see no issues with these (none of the big one said no yet) for the ABK deal, and zenimax just got approved worldwide very quickly. You might not like it but this is your opinion, not based on any laws etc.

FTC not one of the big ones. You heard it here first folks.

 

[DeepEnigma]

FTC not one of the big ones. You heard it here first folks.

 

[DarkMage619]

FTC not one of the big ones. You heard it here first folks.

FTC cannot block any deal unilaterally. Unless you are aware of a court ruling against the deal in the US. The statement that no regulator has blocked this deal is accurate.

 

[reksveks]

I think growth over everything else is a bit of a smoke screen. Most of the inflation based price gouging has always and continues to go directly to corporate profits. And now they're laying people off because they can get away with it by pointing to other corporations doing similar things. I work for one of these large tech companies and while there was a slight pause in contracts many of them have just been tweaked from growth optimization to cost optimization.

Was referring to the growth of profits more specifically than userbase, revenue. I am sure that the companies don't want to drop margins or profits especially whilst they have cover of other companies.

Work at a company (biggish, think media) is kinda a weird one cause we got fucked cause of the last two years so we are also just trying to claw back profits but I work in a small CoE team so unlikely to be impacted.

 

[Three]

FTC cannot block any deal unilaterally. Unless you are aware of a court ruling against the deal in the US. The statement that no regulator has blocked this deal is accurate.

Don't care if he was saying it would ultimately close but he said

"actual regulators have not blocked this deal yet. So the experts, and effectively people judging, green lighting these deals on gov level see no issues with these"

so don't play dumb.

 

[pasterpl]

FTC not one of the big ones. You heard it here first folks.

FTC didn’t block the deal. The proceedings are still ongoing unless you have got other information?

 

[Three]

FTC didn’t block the deal. The proceedings are still ongoing unless you have got other information?

This is like saying "the girl taking me to court for taking unsolicited upskirts have no issues with me or what happened" because the court case is ongoing.

 

[pasterpl]

Lets be real for a sec, people who are defending this deal would sing a different tune if Sony was the one going after AKB.

We’re acting like MS isnt running around lobbying for this deal to go through and that it doesn’t have an effect on the outcome and it’s
all ”fair game” and shit.

People are so damn short-sighted that they can’t even see the negative effects of this deal as long as they get things for ”free”.

I would suggest people to look up MS history and how they usually operate and maybe just maybe you can see how things will play out.

It would be different even purely from market share perspective. Market leader has to play by different rules compared to smaller players.

Btw. Look at history of Sony how many antitrust cases, fines for being part of pricing cartels they have got. Let’s be real for a second, people seeing all and in MS history but they don’t care about bad behaviours displayed by Sony that they were fined for. Sure, their fines are much smaller than MS but these are usually related to company turnovers/profits.