The UK’s CMA has expressed concern that Microsoft‘s Activision merger could “significantly weaken” PlayStation (Updated with lawyer breakdown)

[Rekkapryde]

The deal has been cleared unconditionally in Brazil, Saudi Arabia and Serbia.

What’s next Libya, Lichtenstein, and Taos??

They ain’t nobody

 

[iceberg_is_on_fire]

What’s next Libya, Lichtenstein, and Taos??

They ain’t nobody

It matters in the sense that they continue to bolster Microsoft's case.

Translated text from the Serbian decision.

A few translated quotes:

When assessing the effects of the concentration, the Commission took into account that there is a vertical relationship between the participants in the concentration. Namely, Microsoft offers Xbox consoles for video games and the Surface series of personal computers (on the wholesale market of video game hardware), while the target company publishes video games that are played, among other things, on the aforementioned devices distributed by the applicant. The Commission assesses that the concentration will not
have negative vertical effects either, bearing in mind that, according to the information in the application, Microsoft did not sell Xbox consoles in Serbia, and that the market shares of the participants in the concentration on the video game publishing market individually and collectively.

The application states that globally in 2021 , the applicant achieved a market share of / 10-20/% in the wholesale hardware (console) market for video games, while the competitor with the largest market share in the wholesale hardware (console) market for video games company Nintendo Co. Ltd (Nintendo) with /40-50/% market share. Sony Group Corporation (Sony) is the second largest competitor with /30-40/% market share in 2021 on the observed market. Accordingly, the applicant considers that there are no prospects that there will be any vertical effects of the concentration in question, which prevent or limit competition. In this regard, the applicant stated that Microsoft has publicly committed that Activision Blizzard content will continue to be available on competing consoles (Sony and Nintendo). It was also stated that the participants in the concentration do not have the necessary market power to implement the strategy of preventing or limiting the access of competition. While Activision&Blizzard publishes certain franchises for popular games (such as Call of Duty), Microsoft would not be able to prevent competing distributors of video games for consoles by refusing to put their games on
competing consoles or by worsening the conditions under which those games would be available. Activision Blizzard's content has a very limited position in the upmarket.

Taking into account all of the above, the Commission stated that the concentration in question will not harm competition in the relevant markets, assessing that there are no concerns regarding any criteria for assessing the permissibility of the concentration from Art. 19 of the Law, so it was decided as in paragraph I of the enacting clause of this decision.

Brazil and Saudi Arabia came to this decision. Anyone who looks at this from any other perspective is simply not being honest and has other motives.

 

[Rekkapryde]

It matters in the sense that they continue to bolster Microsoft's case.

Translated text from the Serbian decision.



Brazil and Saudi Arabia came to this decision. Anyone who looks at this from any other perspective is simply not being honest and has other motives.

Dem countries ain’t nobody

 

[daze23]

Sony Stans out here disrespecting whole countries

 

[CoolinInTheCut]

Brazil and Saudi Arabia came to this decision. Anyone who looks at this from any other perspective is simply not being honest and has other motives.

aka "anyone who disagrees with me is dishonest"

They didnt even make any reasonable arguments in that whole thing you posted.

 

[Diunx]

Serbia? Wtf.

 

[Rekkapryde]

Sony Stans out here disrespecting whole countries

Nobody give a fukk about dem

Honduras approves the acquisition!!!

nikka please

 

[Gizmo_Duck]

Nobody give a fukk about dem

Honduras approves the acquisition!!!

nikka please

“Bolivia will change the CMA’s/EU’s minds!”

 

[Instant Classic]

I feel approval or concerns should only be headlined if it's FTC, CMA, and EU. No offense to other countries, but they don't really have much sway in this deal.

 

[TripleAgent]

Some concessions will get made for it to go through since Kotick, I mean Microsoft, has a lot riding on it.

But if it does fall apart, I'm gonna laugh. (again, don't think it will).


Buying an established IP instead of developing your own? What has MS done in that area? They USED TO have an IP that rivaled Call Of Duty that was internal, but fukked it off.


Sony just bought Bungie, but had specific language in their contract to keep it multiplatform. Why can't MS do the same?
Activision doesn't and didn't even want it on Gamepass. So I guess Sony's logic is we aren't keeping Destiny away from Xbox and making it available only on PS Plus Day 1. Why not do the same for CoD???? Again, just my opinion on the rationale since precedence is there with Destiny.

It was BUNGIE'S requirement. Sony either had to go along or not get them. ABK doesn't care, they want to get the 69Bs.


Here is an actual attorney talking about the latest developments with no fanboy fakkitry

 

[Rekkapryde]

It was BUNGIE'S requirement. Sony either had to go along or not get them. ABK doesn't care, they want to get the 69Bs.


Here is an actual attorney talking about the latest developments with no fanboy fakkitry

No one was denying it was their requirement. My whole point was that there is precedent.

And I’m not giving any of these YouTube goofies clicks

Wake me up when it’s the end of March

 

[TripleAgent]

No one was denying it was their requirement. My whole point was that there is precedent.

And I’m not giving any of these YouTube goofies clicks

Wake me up when it’s the end of March

You're twisting the "precedent" to fit yor narrative when it doesn't.

 

[Rekkapryde]

You're twisting the "precedent" to fit yor narrative when it doesn't.

you overthinking it.

Bottom line is just having language in the deal to keep the game on the platform without restrictions whether dlc/time, etc. That's it.

Not that complicated fam.


And if MS wants to have it on there day 1, that is well within their right. I don't agree with Sony trying to stop that.

 

[Obreh Winfrey]

you overthinking it.

Bottom line is just having language in the deal to keep the game on the platform without restrictions whether dlc/time, etc. That's it.

Not that complicated fam.


And if MS wants to have it on there day 1, that is well within their right. I don't agree with Sony trying to stop that.

@Gizmo_Duck come talk to ya man

 

[TripleAgent]

you overthinking it.

Bottom line is just having language in the deal to keep the game on the platform without restrictions whether dlc/time, etc. That's it.

Not that complicated fam.


And if MS wants to have it on there day 1, that is well within their right. I don't agree with Sony trying to stop that.

You're not dumb, so you know the selling company having the requirement is night and day from the main competitor crying, but whatever, I only dance with pretty girls, so say whatever makes you feel good