• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Microsoft / Activision Deal Approval Watch |OT| (MS/ABK close)

Do you believe the deal will be approved?

  • Yes, will be approved without changes.

    Votes: 221 24.9%

  • Yes, will be approved but with structural changes to ABK.

    Votes: 102 11.5%

  • Yes, will be approved but only with behavioral concessions.

    Votes: 262 29.6%

  • No, will not be approved.

    Votes: 301 34.0%
  • Total voters
    886
  • Poll closed .
Status
Not open for further replies.
K

Kenshin775

Member
intheinbetween said:


Not sure if already posted but just in case
Click to expand...


I got a lot of shit for saying they could close everywhere but the UK and the whole ringfencing idea. But this is really surprising that they are going to close in the UK too. If this is true I mean.

Maybe MS will just say they are closing the deal legally but not merging operations until the final decision is made in the UK. This way they could avoid severe fines.
 
Bernoulli

Bernoulli

M2 slut
Dick Jones said:
This is the dumbest choice by MS if true. ABK will be broken up later and MS fined 20bn from the UK alone.
Click to expand...
That's what i want to see

Please Microsoft DO IT
Just Do It Shia GIF by MOODMAN
 
jm89

jm89

Member
Just when i'm starting to get bored of this topic.

200.gif


I wonder how CAT will view this.... If there is any truth to it

Also i could sworn someone here mentioned during the last Case management hearing with CAT, ms where denying they where going to work around the FTC? Can't imagine that being a good look in future hearings.
 
Last edited:
N

NickFire

Member
This might be performance theater by the FTC to come out looking like roses after CMA did the leg work. The reported deadline is coming up quick, MS had a big showing they can now point to (if deal dies) as the future of Xbox, and there's no news of CMA changing its decision or reason to believe they will before the deadline. If MS pays termination fee before FTC did anything then FTC won't get as much credit for blocking deal. But if they file for injunction right before MS moves on, we all know the FTC will take a victory lap and claim credit.
 
feynoob

feynoob

Member
NickFire said:
This might be performance theater by the FTC to come out looking like roses after CMA did the leg work. The reported deadline is coming up quick, MS had a big showing they can now point to (if deal dies) as the future of Xbox, and there's no news of CMA changing its decision or reason to believe they will before the deadline. If MS pays termination fee before FTC did anything then FTC won't get as much credit for blocking deal. But if they file for injunction right before MS moves on, we all know the FTC will take a victory lap and claim credit.
Click to expand...
I think you need to look at the tweet before that.
The reason for this is because MS is looking to close it now or later.
 
Last edited:
graywolf323

graywolf323

Member
feynoob said:
I think you need to look at the tweet before that.
The reason for this is because MS is looking to close it now or later.
Click to expand...
couldn’t they also face a lawsuit from shareholders if they push forward since it’d be in violation of the contract that the shareholders approved? 🤔
 
DeepEnigma

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
feynoob said:
I think you need to look at the tweet before that.
The reason for this is because MS is looking to close it now.
Click to expand...
Will wait for actual news.

BennyBlanco said:
If they manage to close this after getting outright blocked and not going through appeals they should disband the CMA. What’s the point of them existing and using taxpayer money if people can just hand wave their rulings so long as you’re a trillion dollar company?
Click to expand...
CMA forced breakups in the past. Forced companies to sell off purchases.

What makes it any different here?
 
M

M16

Member
NickFire said:
This might be performance theater by the FTC to come out looking like roses after CMA did the leg work. The reported deadline is coming up quick, MS had a big showing they can now point to (if deal dies) as the future of Xbox, and there's no news of CMA changing its decision or reason to believe they will before the deadline. If MS pays termination fee before FTC did anything then FTC won't get as much credit for blocking deal. But if they file for injunction right before MS moves on, we all know the FTC will take a victory lap and claim credit.
Click to expand...

no. the FTC was playing the delay tactic to try to get MS to drop the deal. theres zero reason they'd want this to go to federal court where they will most likely get creamed. this is a pure desperation move. and even their injuction request is just for more delay until the case is heard in front of their internal administration law judge, which will be laughed out of court.
 
Last edited:
DeepEnigma

DeepEnigma

Gold Member
M16 said:
no. the FTC was playing the delay tactic to try to get MS to drop the deal. theres zero reason they'd want this to go to federal court where they will most likely get creamed. this is a pure desperation move.
Click to expand...
The deal is still blocked via the CMA tho.
 
S

SneakersSO

Member
graywolf323 said:
honestly if Microsoft does try to move forward with this against the wishes of their two biggest territories regulators, we might be looking at a new round of monopoly busting…
Click to expand...
Yeah, this is major. The fact that MS got as far as to indicate this to market regulators, which is why the FTC filed the injunction, is a huge tell as to what happened. MS is fucking themselves here. All of their good faith arguments just went out the window when they tried to do something 2 regulators told them they couldn't.
 
feynoob

feynoob

Member
SneakersSO said:
Yeah, this is major. The fact that MS got as far as to indicate this to market regulators, which is why the FTC filed the injunction, is a huge tell as to what happened. MS is fucking themselves here. All of their good faith arguments just went out the window when they tried to do something 2 regulators told them they couldn't.
Click to expand...
Welcome to corporations world.
This is why it's bad to have trillion dollar companies. They don't take no as answer
 
Astray

Astray

Member
Yep, that means the end of the line is in the horizon, enjoy the popcorn before the show ends.

SneakersSO said:
Yeah, this is major. The fact that MS got as far as to indicate this to market regulators, which is why the FTC filed the injunction, is a huge tell as to what happened. MS is fucking themselves here. All of their good faith arguments just went out the window when they tried to do something 2 regulators told them they couldn't.
Click to expand...
Makes one wonder why they feel the need to do this, and what it means to the future of their current approach to gaming..

Phil and Booty's boastful statements about Xbox revenue etc felt kinda outside what the showcase is, I'm guessing it's to soften the impact of the potential death of this deal..
 
M

M16

Member
SneakersSO said:
Yeah, this is major. The fact that MS got as far as to indicate this to market regulators, which is why the FTC filed the injunction, is a huge tell as to what happened. MS is fucking themselves here. All of their good faith arguments just went out the window when they tried to do something 2 regulators told them they couldn't.
Click to expand...
only one regulator, and thats in appeals.
the FTC has to sue and win to block. there currently isnt a block in the US.
 
S

SneakersSO

Member
Astray said:
Makes one wonder why they feel the need to do this, and what it means to the future of their current approach to gaming..

Phil and Booty's boastful statements about Xbox revenue etc felt kinda outside what the showcase is, I'm guessing it's to soften the impact of the potential death of this deal..
Click to expand...
Okay so, to your first point: I laid out a couple of weeks ago that MS was seeking to close regardless of regulators because they likely feel that ATVI is not willing to renegotiate the Merger Agreement. All of this effort is to close it before July 18th. Theres a myriad of reasons why ATVI could be feeling they don't wanna re-negotiate, especially if there is no strong sign that the chances to get an approval will improve with the UK, or with the FTC's case in August.

As to your second point - the reason they pointed this out is more to the larger market and internal naysayers to their business plan. They aren't seeking to soften the blow, but really pointed questions behind the scenes have been increasingly asked as of late on the profitability of the Xbox marketplace for non-XGS publishing entities, not to mention internally there are loads of questions regarding the sustainability of the current business direction.

To be noted - you're correct in thinking that this isn't the sort of thing that typically ever gets talked about at gaming shows anymore, so if you thought it strange, thats because it is. My understanding is that MS really wanted yesterday's showcase to 'reset' the fiscal, industry, and public perception on the Xbox platform.


M16 said:
only one regulator, and thats in appeals.
the FTC has to sue and win to block. there currently isnt a block in the US.
Click to expand...
While there isn't an outright block by the FTC, their position is against the deal, and there is a court date currently in place for August. The FTC as a regulatory agency went against this merger last December; the only reason it wasn't a block is because they don't have the same sort of power in the US as the CMA does in the UK.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Microsoft has Closed the Activision Blizzard King Deal
22 23 24 25 26
1K
75K
MasterCornholio replied
Microsoft now says the CMA was ‘tough and fair’ over Activision Blizzard deal
Opinion Business Game Dev
17
2K
DaGwaphics replied
FTC appeals to block already-completed Microsoft-Activision deal
2
63
5K
Mythoclast replied
  • Locked
UK minister defends CMA's decision to block MS/ABK
News
0
770
Daniel_Mallorca1985 replied
  • Locked
Microsoft to sell off Activision cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft in bid for UK approval
News Business 2 3 4
154
14K
Spyxos replied
Top Bottom