FTC to file anti-trust lawsuit to block Activision deal

[The Mad Titan]

"This aint about COD to them" is some of the dumbest shyt to come out of this acquisition. Idk how people fall for this obvious okie doke.

Yeah, its definitely not about one of the biggest assets in this acquisition, and gaming in general, which directly benefits a business that MS is currently in, and instead about an entirely different market that MS isnt even participating in yet.

You would think that if this wasn't about COD, then MS would've given the CMA what they wanted in terms of legal remedies.

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

Just divest Activision from the deal then

 

[CoolinInTheCut]

Oh did Windows Central say otherwise?

 

[CoolinInTheCut]

Just divest Activision from the deal then

Facts. If it aint about COD, then let the people have COD.

This is such an obvious distraction from everything going on that its unbelievable anyone fell for it lol.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

I’m interested to see their antitrust case against the deal. I’m not convinced they could actually prove this deal meaningfully harms competition in the field. Seems more like we don’t want big tech getting bigger so we sue. Seems more like barking to force concessions.

The FTC are the only ones that have a legit argument.

Cloud/subscription is a new market in which microsoft is in the unique position of owning all the servers, having huge head start and now trying to own some of the largest IP.

They gotta get some explanations/concessions from MS about how competition will be possible in that space.

 

[The Mad Titan]

Oh did Windows Central say otherwise?

Out the gate I've said this wasn't just about COD. It's just a nice concession.

Sony understands it's not about COD either, and while it would hurt them. That's not even the power move, that's why they throwing everything they can at this hoping anything sticks.

They need time to get things rolling this generation without MS not only snagging AB, but moving into mobile, and having AB IPs working on gamepass and cloud services via....

Mobile

All of IPs currently fix perfectly into the gamepass, cloud, mobile model.

 

[winb83]

The FTC are the only ones that have a legit argument.

Cloud/subscription is a new market in which microsoft is in the unique position of owning all the servers, having huge head start and now trying to own some of the largest IP.

They gotta get some explanations/concessions from MS about how competition will be possible in that space.

Who other than Microsoft is really deeply investing into cloud gaming though? Amazon to a lesser extent and maybe Netflix. Really at the moment only Microsoft seeks to be a serious cloud gaming player.

For that matter who is deeply investing into making a gaming based subscription service like that?

So the argument is we don’t want Microsoft to become too dominant in a field mostly only they’re pushing forward? The reality is Microsoft’s interest in these fields stems from their failure on traditional paths and the companies more successful at traditional paths are uninterested in pushing cloud / subscription based services forward because it interferes with their current business models.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

Facts. If it aint about COD, then let the people have COD.

This is such an obvious distraction from everything going on that its unbelievable anyone fell for it lol.

This is that weird thing you sony stans do where you argue with yourselves and pretend it’s other people saying shyt.

From jump y’all said this wasn’t about COD, it was about microsoft creating a monopoly.

Microsoft has always said it wasn’t about making cod exclsuive.

The only ones talking about COD is Jim Ryan, and the Sony stans that work at the EU.

 

[MeachTheMonster]

Who other than Microsoft is really deeply investing into cloud gaming though? Amazon to a lesser extent and maybe Netflix. Really at the moment only Microsoft seeks to be a serious cloud gaming player.

For that matter who is deeply investing into making a gaming based subscription service like that?

So the argument is we don’t want Microsoft to become too dominant in a field mostly only they’re pushing forward? The reality is Microsoft’s interest in these fields stems from their failure on traditional paths and the companies more successful at traditional paths are uninterested in pushing cloud / subscription based services forward because it interferes with their current business models.

I think the idea is preventing something like how now Apple/Google pretty much have a oligopoly on any software sold on smartphones.

I guess there needs to be a path for future competitors

 

[CoolinInTheCut]

Out the gate I've said this wasn't just about COD. It's just a nice concession.

Sony understands it's not about COD either, and while it would hurt them. That's not even the power move, that's why they throwing everything they can at this hoping anything sticks.

They need time to get things rolling this generation without MS not only snagging AB, but moving into mobile, and having AB IPs working on gamepass and cloud services via....

Mobile

All of IPs currently fix perfectly into the gamepass, cloud, mobile model.

Multiple things can be true at once.

This can be about MS wanting to enter a new market, and this can also be about MS wanting to acquire a bunch of legacy IPs for Game Pass.

But to act like this isnt about COD whatsoever is absolutely ridiculous and entirely disingenuous when there are so many obvious benefits for MS to acquire control over the COD franchise.

This is that weird thing you sony stans do where you argue with yourselves and pretend it’s other people saying shyt.

From jump y’all said this wasn’t about COD, it was about microsoft creating a monopoly.

Microsoft has always said it wasn’t about making cod exclsuive.

The only ones talking about COD is Jim Ryan, and the Sony stans that work at the EU.

Go take a nap or something cause you're confused.

 

[Rice N Beans]

Color me surprised.

 

[Bathing Ape]

This is that weird thing you sony stans do where you argue with yourselves and pretend it’s other people saying shyt.

From jump y’all said this wasn’t about COD, it was about microsoft creating a monopoly.

Microsoft has always said it wasn’t about making cod exclsuive.

The only ones talking about COD is Jim Ryan, and the Sony stans that work at the EU.

Exactly I can’t argue with these guys. If the deal went thru, they wouldn’t even have to make COD multiplat at all.

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

Theres nothing to argue, no one really knows whats gonna happen. Not even these youtuber lawyers people keep posting

Anyone that thinks its a sure bet either way are lying to themselves even the execs at Microsoft

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

Exclusive: EU antitrust regulators ramp up Microsoft scrutiny, probe likely - sources

Microsoft is likely to face an EU antitrust investigation as regulators intensify their scrutiny into its practices in a case triggered by Salesforce.com's workspace messaging app Slack, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.

www.reuters.com

Another one

 

[winb83]

I think the idea is preventing something like how now Apple/Google pretty much have a oligopoly on any software sold on smartphones.

I guess there needs to be a path for future competitors

If currently Microsoft is the only one with a real interest in taking these paths then the idea that they wouldn’t be the dominant force in it is absurd.

I don’t think there’s a provable way to demonstrate this harms the industry. The people objecting to this are either taking Sony’s stance or objecting for objection sake.

Realistically even if this deal was blocked directly seems like the deal could still be achieved by selling some of the more valuable components of Activision piecemeal. They could literally sell Microsoft the teams like Infinity Ward that make Call of Duty and the rights to the franchise or sell the most valuable pieces of the company but maintain it then take the remaining skeleton portion of it private and pay the shareholders out that way.

In a way like how Square Enix sold Embracer Group western development teams and franchises but SE as a company remains.