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Sony appreciates "the CMA’s focus on protecting gamers" as it welcomes the announcement to further investigate the Activision acquisition

NeroDaGod

Gold Member
Does anyone actually have the power to block this deal? What are the implications on Microsoft if they just ignore what CMA say and go through with the deal anyway by their own terms?
 

S0ULZB0URNE

Member
Damnnnnn



pBUEY8y.png


It seems like CMA is suggesting XBOX doesn't actually know how to compete with their "rivals."

He looks like that madzgaming xbot clown on youtube.
 

GHG

Gold Member
Does anyone actually have the power to block this deal? What are the implications on Microsoft if they just ignore what CMA say and go through with the deal anyway by their own terms?

They are free to do what they like but they will no longer be allowed to do business anywhere the deal hasn't been approved.
 

Banjo64

cumsessed
Does anyone actually have the power to block this deal? What are the implications on Microsoft if they just ignore what CMA say and go through with the deal anyway by their own terms?
King Charles III vs Phil Spencer.

 
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To be fair Acitivision games are of high importance to Sony's business. Microsoft taking that away will significantly affect their PS revenue when Call of Duty (most likely mainline entries not Warzone) is eventually pulled from their store.

In the long haul it will sway heavily in Microsoft's favour as they increasingly cutting off big IP's from their competition. The fact that this is passing regulators is absolute farce as we can all see what this is..

Its Jim and Sony/PS kicking up a fuss now before MS gobbles up more, and they should.. MS shouldn't go around buying up a lot of major studio's/IP, weakening its competitors by practices like this and huge acquisitions should be scrutinized at lot more. And not just by regulators, but by normal people. If consumers found that that Modern Warfare games were only exclusive to Xbox, millions would straight up stop buying/playing PlayStations and get Xbox's.


IIRC MS hasn’t removed any Bethesda title from the PS store.

It’s so funny to think many people applaud when Sony goes shopping for exclusives (temporary or full, content or cosmetic dlcs) and orgnic growth by acquiring studios but when MS does any of these hell freezes
 
Welp another day another post on ResetERA that misses the point. TigerFish419 eh? Let's break it down, I guess...

You say this like it's a bad thing? this is exactly what Sony was last generation but I assume you were totally ok with that right? I find it hilarious that people think a 2:1 console advantage to Microsoft is considered this unholly thing that should not be allowed and should be concidered a monopoly or whatever but Sony has had that for the past 8 years and I didn't hear a single peep about Sony being a monopoly.

That's not what a monopoly is about. Having a product that appeals to more end customers in a given market, to the point those customers buy your product more than a competitor's, is within the spirit of competition as long as the company achieving such did not pay to block chip production/fabbing space for their rival, price-fix, or completely shut competitors out of attempting exclusivity deals with other companies.

As per to my knowledge, Sony were guilty of none of this last generation. It was Microsoft's choice to scale about XBO during critical years, not Sony's. It was Microsoft's decision to build the XBO in a way wherein they never made profit off of console hardware sales, not Sony's. And it was Microsoft who decided to turn down a deal with Marvel, turn down pursuing co-funding for SFV, avoided trying to make further exclusivity deals beyond RotTR, cancelled Scalebound and Phantom Dust, rushed out ReCore, released a broken Crackdown 3 etc....not Sony's.

This idea that Microsoft have no culpability in the situation they found themselves at the end of the XBO generation is just hilarious.

People on this very forum kept telling Microsoft to compete, they kept saying Sony's IP is the BIGGEST in the world and are UNRIVALED by anyone in the industry now you have people saying Sony is about to be totally screwed out of the industry no game competes with COD and Microsoft is now a monopoly all over a single deal. Not only this you have people say who cares about COD and no one plays COD anymore like it doesn't matter but on another hand say that this is going to ruin the industry and how can this be allowed.

Taking disingenuous, obviously wrong arguments and trying to make them sound legitimate isn't the same as them actually being legitimate. I don't think when the vast majority asked for Microsoft to compete better with Sony, they pictured them buying up two of the largest multiplat publishers in the span of two years and already signaling they'd like to buy even more in spite of lack of released, consistent results from the companies purchased thus far to abate further concerns and show (not just talk) they can manage this rapidly increased load of studios under them now.

If you want an example of how "building oneself up" can be done, look at Sony during the back half of the PS3 generation. They couldn't leverage negotiation deals for Western 3P AAA content the way Microsoft did, but their answer wasn't to go buy out publishers. They didn't even buy that many developer studios (heck, they probably closed a couple down!). They got their 1P studios into gear and invested in them over a period of years, cultivated relationships with (mostly Japanese) 3P developers to co-develop console exclusives, and gradually earned back goodwill over a period of several years leading up to PS4's launch. Even then, they still had setbacks, like the disastrous PSN hack of 2012.

There was nothing stopping Microsoft from replicating this strategy during the back end of the XBO generation. If they had done so, they'd of likely had a few standouts ready for Xbox Series's launch and may not have felt the pressure to do something drastic and buy ABK, or even Zenimax. The idea that they need to acquire a sea of publishers in order to have regular content for GamePass is a fallacy; the proven method of co-funding exclusives with 3P partners was still available. Signing exclusivity deals with 3P publishers for big AAA games were still options. Even if MS would've had to pay a bit more than Sony, they could've taken this route.

However, MS subscribed themselves to the idea that GamePass can only grow through direct funding, and not indirect association. Even if they would have been unable to get a lot of those games into GamePass Day 1, they would've still been on Xbox platforms, drawing people to the system even more, and then something like GamePass presenting itself as a value-add to the ecosystem through features for extending reach of those games for the end user. Push GamePass as a subscription backlog & Xbox/PC/mobile sync & steaming client with rewards and points sharable across the devices. Then later, maybe start putting a few smaller 1P and 3P games into the service Day 1 and seeing how that went, THEN grow towards adding bigger games Day 1.

IMO Microsoft skipped this part because of lack of patience; they wanted a way to easily differentiate themselves with Sony & Nintendo but then needed to justify a huge risky strategy after the commitment to live up to the bold promise when it turned out that 3P publishers, shockingly, weren't too keen to put their big 3P AAA releases into a subscription service Day 1! Basically, Microsoft thought of a solution to a problem that only partially existed, already had solutions available anyway (other game rental services, deep discount sales and bundles, etc.), and did not want to take the time needed for a gradual implementation of the solution that could be measured over time before making bigger commitments.

All this deal has done is really show what people actually think and want from both Sony and Microsoft, to me people don't want change they want status quo. People tell Microsoft to compete but try and dictate how they should compete and say no this isn't how you should be allowed to compete or not you have to do this.

Competing via willingly playing into mass consolidation that can destabilize the independent 3P community of developers, turn them into dependencies towards a singular platform holder, and potentially result in less content rather than more, isn't the idea of competition most people had in mind.

Buying your way to a larger revenue share of the market instead of naturally getting there by attracting more 3P business on your platform, having more console owners to buy said 3P software, and galvanizing the hardcore/core of your fanbase with 1P content to keep them committed to the platform WRT 1P AND 3P purchases, isn't the idea of competition most people had in mind.

Again, these moves essentially make Xbox division a lot more successful in terms of overall revenue, but it's a question of at what cost that is being done. You can't act surprised when people used to one way of things are being asked to just blindly/unquestionably accept a new, very unproven model that has yet to actually produce consistent, stable results where it matters most (revenue & profit figures...I mean there aren't a lot of other reasons why we still don't get GamePass revenue figures). These are normal reactions, and most of them don't come from a place of not wanting things to get better for Xbox; quite the opposite.

At the end of the deal this deal is going to help the industry grow, Sony will do better, Nintendo will do better if MS actually does put COD on Nintendo and Microsoft would do better. This deal lights a fire under Sony's ass which is a GOOD thing for even the most hardcore rusted on Sony fan, those fans might get SOCOM back because of this AND still be able to play COD.

This is you only looking at it from a bean counter's POV; we are GAMERS, ultimately it matters if the games get better, if the games become more ambitious, if we get games that otherwise we would simply not get. All of these are unproven when it comes to MS's acquisitions, that's partially why there is still trepidation. The next three years will be very telling, hopefully for the better, when it comes to Xbox brand growth in ways aside how much money they're bringing in.
 

CatLady

Selfishly plays on Xbox Purr-ies X
They are not xbox first parties. Xbox can't even provide firsty party games for their own players.
Jim is trying to make sure they don't steal games away from playstation. That's a different story my guy.

:pie_roffles:"pie_tears_joy::pie_gsquint::pie_roffles:"pie_tears_joy::pie_grinning_sweat::pie_gsquint:"pie_tears_joy::pie_roffles::pie_grinning_sweat::messenger_winking_tongue::messenger_tears_of_joy::pie_roffles:"pie_tears_joy::pie_moneyface::pie_confounded::pie_gsquint::messenger_confounded::messenger_squinting_tongue::messenger_tears_of_joy::pie_roffles:"pie_tears_joy:

Now Xbox is stealing games from games poor beleaguered PlayStation. Ah, NO Xbox is paying $68 billion for those games. With all the disingenuous rationalizations, hypocrisy, and history rewrites the takes just get sillier and sillier.
 

Three

Member
IIRC MS hasn’t removed any Bethesda title from the PS store.

It’s so funny to think many people applaud when Sony goes shopping for exclusives (temporary or full, content or cosmetic dlcs) and orgnic growth by acquiring studios but when MS does any of these hell freezes
Because this continued comparison is stupid and people aren't stupid. It would be like Destiny disappearing from the xbox store tomorrow. Nobody does shit like that so I'm not sure why you're trying to frame that as some kind of honourable thing that's comparable. Nobody is removing released games. You can still buy Sunset Overdrive too can't you. These dumbass comparisons don't help.
 
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zedinen

Member
Ten years ago, Microsoft was the market leader in NA and UK

ejt6Gjh.jpeg


XBOX 360 had a 25 million unit lead over the PS3, and killed Nintendo's home console business.

Futhermore, Sony's credit rating was downgraded to junk status in FY13.

Microsoft believed that both Sony and Nintendo were on their deathbeds, and unveiled the Xbox One and its draconian policies.

People didn't like Microsoft's anti-consumer practices, therefore PS4 won the generation by a slim margin in NA and UK.

The home console markets in NA and UK have become extremely competitive, after the Xbox One fiasco, so Microsoft, by leveraging its market power in key segments, plans to acquire Sony's partners, kill off competition and monopolize those markets.

The problem here is that Sony Group is the 800-pound gorilla in Japan, so the inevitable retaliation (Square Enix, Capcom, Koei Tecmo, Kadokawa, etc) would hurt, Xbox, Nintendo and PC gamers across the world.

I see a lot of armchair specialists 100% sure this will go through without a hitch

50/50

Investors know that the acquisition should be blocked, which is why Microsoft's $95 offer is a 25% premium over Activision's current share price.

Thing is that Microsoft is more powerful than Meta.

The FTC authorized a lawsuit in federal court to block the proposed merger between Meta and Within Unlimited. If the FTC succeeds, Microsoft is next.



This sounds familiar, doesn't it?

FTC Seeks to Block Virtual Reality Giant Meta’s Acquisition of Popular App Creator Within


“Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is already a key player at each level of the virtual reality sector.”

“The company’s virtual reality empire includes the top-selling device, a leading app store, seven of the most successful developers, and one of the best-selling apps of all time.”

"Meta purchased seven of the most successful virtual reality development studios, and now has one of the largest first-party virtual reality content catalogues in the world. The acquisition of the Beat Games studio gave Meta control of the wildly popular app Beat Saber."

“Meta is a potential entrant in the virtual reality dedicated fitness app market with the required resources and a reasonable probability of building its own virtual reality app to compete in the space.”

“Instead of competing on the merits, Meta is trying to buy its way to the top”
 
It would be better all round if the deal didn't go through. It would be nice if these type of acquisitions were cut off before all hell breaks loose.
 

Deanington

Member
If this doesn’t go through couldn’t MS and Act/Blizz just write up a contract for a lifetime exclusivity with all future games? Technically not owning the company but letting the money still do it’s work?
 
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Orbital2060

Member
Ten years ago, Microsoft was the market leader in NA and UK

ejt6Gjh.jpeg


XBOX 360 had a 25 million unit lead over the PS3, and killed Nintendo's home console business.

Futhermore, Sony's credit rating was downgraded to junk status in FY13.

Microsoft believed that both Sony and Nintendo were on their deathbeds, and unveiled the Xbox One and its draconian policies.

People didn't like Microsoft's anti-consumer practices, therefore PS4 won the generation by a slim margin in NA and UK.

The home console markets in NA and UK have become extremely competitive, after the Xbox One fiasco, so Microsoft, by leveraging its market power in key segments, plans to acquire Sony's partners, kill off competition and monopolize those markets.

The problem here is that Sony Group is the 800-pound gorilla in Japan, so the inevitable retaliation (Square Enix, Capcom, Koei Tecmo, Kadokawa, etc) would hurt, Xbox, Nintendo and PC gamers across the world.



50/50

Investors know that the acquisition should be blocked, which is why Microsoft's $95 offer is a 25% premium over Activision's current share price.

Thing is that Microsoft is more powerful than Meta.

The FTC authorized a lawsuit in federal court to block the proposed merger between Meta and Within Unlimited. If the FTC succeeds, Microsoft is next.



This sounds familiar, doesn't it?

FTC Seeks to Block Virtual Reality Giant Meta’s Acquisition of Popular App Creator Within


“Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is already a key player at each level of the virtual reality sector.”

“The company’s virtual reality empire includes the top-selling device, a leading app store, seven of the most successful developers, and one of the best-selling apps of all time.”

"Meta purchased seven of the most successful virtual reality development studios, and now has one of the largest first-party virtual reality content catalogues in the world. The acquisition of the Beat Games studio gave Meta control of the wildly popular app Beat Saber."

“Meta is a potential entrant in the virtual reality dedicated fitness app market with the required resources and a reasonable probability of building its own virtual reality app to compete in the space.”

“Instead of competing on the merits, Meta is trying to buy its way to the top”
You seem to know what you are talking about.

Im curious, do you have an opinion on what makes this deal any different than than the Disney-Fox deal, and why did that not cause the same issue as you are describing here?
 

Thirty7ven

Banned
Ten years ago, Microsoft was the market leader in NA and UK

ejt6Gjh.jpeg


XBOX 360 had a 25 million unit lead over the PS3, and killed Nintendo's home console business.

Futhermore, Sony's credit rating was downgraded to junk status in FY13.

Microsoft believed that both Sony and Nintendo were on their deathbeds, and unveiled the Xbox One and its draconian policies.

People didn't like Microsoft's anti-consumer practices, therefore PS4 won the generation by a slim margin in NA and UK.

The home console markets in NA and UK have become extremely competitive, after the Xbox One fiasco, so Microsoft, by leveraging its market power in key segments, plans to acquire Sony's partners, kill off competition and monopolize those markets.

The problem here is that Sony Group is the 800-pound gorilla in Japan, so the inevitable retaliation (Square Enix, Capcom, Koei Tecmo, Kadokawa, etc) would hurt, Xbox, Nintendo and PC gamers across the world.



50/50

Investors know that the acquisition should be blocked, which is why Microsoft's $95 offer is a 25% premium over Activision's current share price.

Thing is that Microsoft is more powerful than Meta.

The FTC authorized a lawsuit in federal court to block the proposed merger between Meta and Within Unlimited. If the FTC succeeds, Microsoft is next.



This sounds familiar, doesn't it?

FTC Seeks to Block Virtual Reality Giant Meta’s Acquisition of Popular App Creator Within


“Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is already a key player at each level of the virtual reality sector.”

“The company’s virtual reality empire includes the top-selling device, a leading app store, seven of the most successful developers, and one of the best-selling apps of all time.”

"Meta purchased seven of the most successful virtual reality development studios, and now has one of the largest first-party virtual reality content catalogues in the world. The acquisition of the Beat Games studio gave Meta control of the wildly popular app Beat Saber."

“Meta is a potential entrant in the virtual reality dedicated fitness app market with the required resources and a reasonable probability of building its own virtual reality app to compete in the space.”

“Instead of competing on the merits, Meta is trying to buy its way to the top”

This so much.

When Xbox was nothing it introduced paid online, then MS took a bath in the billions to get the 360 to the market first even though the hardware wasn’t ready which gave us the red ring fiasco. Don’t know any 360 owner in person that didn’t have to have their console repaired/replaced. When they were number uno they tried to fuck consumers with the Xbox One. And people still want to believe MS, even though they are effectively trying to kill the competition by buying the industry whole sale. People are funny.
 

//DEVIL//

Member
Watching PS5 and Xbox Fans both praying...... in different directions while PC players just eating popcorn and laughing lol.

 
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freefornow

Member
This sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Not really.
“The company’s virtual reality empire includes the top-selling device, a leading app store, seven of the most successful developers, and one of the best-selling apps of all time.”
MS Xbox division is not even close to this. Playstation and Nintendo exist (and last time i looked, seemed to be doing better than "ok").

I continue with my assessment that this deal will go through, despite all the posturing.
 
Erm it’s the deal they signed , not that Sony lets them. They wouldn’t of signed the deal if they still couldn’t be multiplatform


Yes because Sony lets them. Who exactly is going to stop them if they decide to backtrack on that? They all signed their control over bungie away. It was a deal built on trust and nothing more
 
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3liteDragon

Member
Erm it’s the deal they signed , not that Sony lets them. They wouldn’t of signed the deal if they still couldn’t be multiplatform

The only deal that was signed by both parties is that SIE will acquire 100% of Bungie's shares & they'll become a subsidiary of SIE after the deal goes through. These are just public statements from them, doesn't make any sense to put that in a contract when they're being fully bought out by Sony, any final decision will come from Jimbo in the end.
 

Zok310

Banned
The only deal that was signed by both parties is that SIE will acquire 100% of Bungie's shares & they'll become a subsidiary of SIE after the deal goes through. These are just public statements from them, doesn't make any sense to put that in a contract when they're being fully bought out by Sony, any final decision will come from Jimbo in the end.
Dont waste your time, some folks need to tell themself a lie sometimes so they can feel comfortable.
End of the day it should be clear that sony can do whatever they want with Bungie and their ips, they freaking own them.
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
The only deal that was signed by both parties is that SIE will acquire 100% of Bungie's shares & they'll become a subsidiary of SIE after the deal goes through. These are just public statements from them, doesn't make any sense to put that in a contract when they're being fully bought out by Sony, any final decision will come from Jimbo in the end.
This is from a Forbes article

But the Bungie/Sony deal seems to have resulted in the best terms of all. Not only is Destiny staying multiplatform and not becoming a Sony exclusive, but Bungie has said it will remain independently operated and be able to release its future new games and IPs multiplatform as well.


You don’t publicly come out and say that if it isn’t true
 

DenchDeckard

Moderated wildly
Dont waste your time, some folks need to tell themself a lie sometimes so they can feel comfortable.
End of the day it should be clear that sony can do whatever they want with Bungie and their ips, they freaking own them.
Depends on contracts. If its in writing that bungie requested and agrees that they retain complete control of where they launch their games, Sony can not enforce their control over that.

Just like, if Microsoft agrees to release call of duty on PlayStation for the next x amount of years to close the deal they can't then j7st say we own them now" ner ner it's not coming"
 
Depends on contracts. If its in writing that bungie requested and agrees that they retain complete control of where they launch their games, Sony can not enforce their control over that.

Just like, if Microsoft agrees to release call of duty on PlayStation for the next x amount of years to close the deal they can't then j7st say we own them now" ner ner it's not coming"

Sony can cut their funding if they decide to make an Xbox exclusive for example. They certainly do have more control over them than before. Its why they are able to use them to help out other playstation studios without contracting them for the job.
 

Leyasu

Banned
People still thinking that Bungie will stay multiplateform forever? Lol

They will support destiny 2, but I don’t anticipate seeing anything new from them on any other console that is not a PlayStation
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
People still thinking that Bungie will stay multiplateform forever? Lol

They will support destiny 2, but I don’t anticipate seeing anything new from them on any other console that is not a PlayStation

where is the evidence to suggest this when every statement from them is remaining Multiplatform
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
A contract to who? Jason? Who sold all his shares? Listen to yourself

The reason Sony is giving bungie that control is the same reason they're paying an additional $1.2b. To keep them on board.

so lets get this straight. you believe that when a company is sold there is no contract? they just pay the money and that's it?
 
so lets get this straight. you believe that when a company is sold there is no contract? they just pay the money and that's it?

You believe in 20 years, when none of the staff who were part of the aquisition are even there anymore, that Sony is legally obligated to follow this conjuered up contract?
 
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Leyasu

Banned
where is the evidence to suggest this when every statement from them is remaining Multiplatform
No evidence yet, because it is early days. But I don’t believe that they will stay multiplat forever. Just like I don’t believe that COD will be on PlayStation next gen.

PR statements don’t convince me of anything.

Although multiplat could be ps/pc. We’ll see.
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
No evidence yet, because it is early days. But I don’t believe that they will stay multiplat forever. Just like I don’t believe that COD will be on PlayStation next gen.

PR statements don’t convince me of anything.

Although multiplat could be ps/pc. We’ll see.

yeah it could be that but they were fast out of the blocks to say they were staying Multiplatform which suggests there is something in writing to say that
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
You believe in 20 years, when none of the staff who were part of the aquisition are even there anymore, that Sony is legally obligated to follow this conjuered up contract?

its not about staff its about a legal document that will of been signed. that's how corporate documents work, have you ever signed one?
 

Leyasu

Banned
yeah it could be that but they were fast out of the blocks to say they were staying Multiplatform which suggests there is something in writing to say that
I know, but the cynic in me chalked that up to optic’s given what Microsoft were/are acquiring.

As I said we’ll see, but I wouldn’t hold my breath for destiny 3 or any new I.Ps from Bungie releasing on Xbox.

Especially when COD is no longer on PlayStation.
 
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Banjo64

cumsessed
There is a little thing called a contract that Sony will of signed to say they cannot do that
Why would Sony sign a contract with such a binding term instead of just verbally agreeing to it?

There’s no chance.

The proof will be in the pudding but I guarantee Bungie Will ‘voluntarily decide’ to do some exclusive Sony/PC stuff at some point.
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
Why would Sony sign a contract with such a binding term instead of just verbally agreeing to it?

There’s no chance.

The proof will be in the pudding but I guarantee Bungie Will ‘voluntarily decide’ to do some exclusive Sony/PC stuff at some point.

this is what we have to go on


Bungie CEO Pete Parsons also said: “We remain in charge of our destiny. We will continue to independently publish and creatively develop our games. We will continue to drive one, unified Bungie community. Our games will continue to be where our community is, wherever they choose to play.

“With SIE’s support, the most immediate change you will see is an acceleration in hiring talent across the entire studio to support our ambitious vision.”
 

phil_t98

#SonyToo
Why would Sony sign a contract with such a binding term instead of just verbally agreeing to it?

There’s no chance.

The proof will be in the pudding but I guarantee Bungie Will ‘voluntarily decide’ to do some exclusive Sony/PC stuff at some point.

that's how business works, you get everything in a legal document so it can't be back tracked on. christ do people not know how business works?
 
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