A bit of wider industry news today. News which completely blows my mind - Microsoft are out to acquire Activision Blizzard. Pending all the regulatory approvals they need to go through which takes times and can be denied.
This continues the very worrying trend of these mega companies amassing huge resources. Microsoft now control a ridiculous amount of publisher and developer teams, easily helping towards more lock-in with Microsoft services and products. For Microsoft, it makes sense of course, since they can continue dumping titles into Game Pass and get more subscriptions for recurring revenue.
Activision Blizzard has been in a lot of hot water lately, which is probably a big understatement. Employees and investors have repeatedly called for the removal of the current CEO, Bobby Kotick. The press release is a bit vague on what will happen with Kotick, as it mentions Kotick "will continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard" and then "Once the deal closes, the Activision Blizzard business will report to Phil Spencer, CEO, Microsoft Gaming". So it somewhat makes it sound like Kotick might only be there until the deal is fully done but it's pretty vague. Probably intentionally vague due to the ongoing issues. Update: Kotick will remain, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed via email. Update #2: They tried to clarify again later that they were speaking generally about the acquisition so it's anyone's guess what will happen with Kotick (IGN).
This will be an "all-cash transaction valued at $68.7 billion" which is so much money I can't even begin to imagine it.
Microsoft will then own the likes of Activision, Blizzard and King studios with Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Call of Duty, Candy Crash and global eSports activities through Major League Gaming. The press release states this will make Microsoft "the world’s third-largest gaming company by revenue, behind Tencent and Sony".
Since Microsoft isn't quite the same as the Microsoft of old, we might end up seeing more Activision Blizzard games come to Steam and so making it even easier to run them on Linux through Steam Play Proton. Imagine having Diablo, Starcraft, Overwatch, various newer Call of Duty games and so on being a few clicks away on Steam + Linux.
What do you think to this news? The deal is expected to close in 2023.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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ElamanOpiskelija Jan 18, 2022
Quoting: KimyrielleOk, and tbh, is anybody really going to miss what was one of the most toxic companies to work for in America?
Other than that, geesh, did REALLY nobody in charge ever read a Economics textbook to realize that market concentration is bad? Will this stop only when there is only MS and Sony and their two consoles left? Does nobody realize that for a free-market economy to work, it takes a think called competition. And does nobody realize that if companies can spend that kind of money to buy all their competitors, we're not taxing corporations nearly high enough?
Hear, hear.
I didn't see positives in what is a creative enterprise (making games) when one has such a boss, and now even less positives when one has such a boss who also has a boss.
I would like to see more opportunities for small indie developers. I am hoping that the Steam Deck makes certain games more attractive, like Tooth and Tail, Blasphemous, etc... and on the other hand, looking at games like that makes (for me) the Steam Deck more attractive.
In the meantime, the list of intellectual property that would be in the hands of Microsoft after this merge is chilling:
Call of Duty
Diablo
Warcraft
Overwatch
Starcraft
Crash Bandicoot
Guitar Hero
Tony Hawk Pro Skater
Fallout
Doom
Quake
Psychonauts
Elder Scrolls
Prey
Wolfenstein
Dishonored
Minecraft
Candy Crush
Not to forget the XBox franchises:
Halo, Forza, Fable, Gears, Perfect Dark, Age of Empires ...
There is grounds for some lawyers to at least look into this.
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BlackBloodRum Jan 18, 2022
Crash Bandicoot? Wasn't that Naughty Dog? (owned by sony?) 
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ElamanOpiskelija Jan 18, 2022
Quoting: BlackBloodRumCrash Bandicoot? Wasn't that Naughty Dog? (owned by sony?)
As far as I know, latest ones:
- Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (Activision, to be acquired)
- Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! (King, to be acquired as well)
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Well shit they already gonna get money out of me because they own bethesda and i dont care what they have done in the past i am playing the next Fallout (as long as its single player) and the next elder scrolls game if i have to create a windows partion i will and thats how badly i want to play those games.
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Quoting: subSo no more native Linux games from Activision Blizzard.
Wait ...
Native no (released, internal they at least used to), but at least they've been decent at keeping them pretty WINE compatible esp with their anticheat and fixes. Even reversing all those Overwatch bans when it hit a false positive resulting in a large banwave. Will that go on?
I usually swing hard towards the No Tux No Bucks camp but I still see this is not a good look for the future, also now there being a 0 chance of ever seeing a native release from them in the future no matter if things change 'enough' for more AAA interest.
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I don't care for Blizzard, but I agree it's a very bad trend that MS just gobbles gaming companies. And Spencer is probably the reason MS is using DX12 today instead of Vulkan. So I consider MS as pretty hostile to Linux gaming in general.
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So, I've reached a real moment of Zen in realizing that a $68.7 billion dollar gaming acquisition by MS.... Doesn't impact my personal gaming one iota! Sweet.... Ahhhhh.....
Anyway, I think this is an absolutely stonking brilliant move by MS, if they manage it well. Totally taking advantage of Activision's weakness right now to swoop in and give X-Box a huge IP boost for the indefinite future. If we're ever going to get a Netflix of gaming, MS will likely be it... I mean, the IP here has to be worth waaaay more than MS is paying. Some of these properties themselves are individually in the billions or tens of billions if sold on their own. So, so much they can do with this IP over so many different media outlets.
The modern MS is proving VERY savvy.
PS: MS can say whatever they want today about Kotick, but there's zero way he has any future here (especially given some insensitive XBox gender history) other than a very neutered one if MS gives him a very limited sandbox.
Last edited by iiari on 18 January 2022 at 8:02 pm UTC
Anyway, I think this is an absolutely stonking brilliant move by MS, if they manage it well. Totally taking advantage of Activision's weakness right now to swoop in and give X-Box a huge IP boost for the indefinite future. If we're ever going to get a Netflix of gaming, MS will likely be it... I mean, the IP here has to be worth waaaay more than MS is paying. Some of these properties themselves are individually in the billions or tens of billions if sold on their own. So, so much they can do with this IP over so many different media outlets.
The modern MS is proving VERY savvy.
PS: MS can say whatever they want today about Kotick, but there's zero way he has any future here (especially given some insensitive XBox gender history) other than a very neutered one if MS gives him a very limited sandbox.
Last edited by iiari on 18 January 2022 at 8:02 pm UTC
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Personally as someone who is interested in DRM-free games anway, MS swallowing something means - no more games from such developers. In case of Activision-Blizzard it's irrelevant (might affect their older games though?), but MS also swallowed companies like inXile, Obsidian and others. So it's like a black hole that just sucks everything in. Good stuff, garbage, whatever. And nothing comes out.
Last edited by Shmerl on 18 January 2022 at 8:11 pm UTC
Last edited by Shmerl on 18 January 2022 at 8:11 pm UTC
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PublicNuisance Jan 18, 2022
Could always check out Veloren. No chance of Microsoft buying that.
https://veloren.net/
https://opencollective.com/veloren
https://veloren.net/
https://opencollective.com/veloren
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CyborgZeta Jan 18, 2022
Microsoft buying up large "gaming companies" has me even more disgusted with this era of mega-corps we live in. That Microsoft is the one buying up these companies also has me concerned as someone who now plays his games on Linux.
I suppose I should be fortunate that I largely play Japanese games (Japanese law forbids foreign companies from acquiring domestic companies), and that the majority of games I play in general are older games.
Also, while it might be too early for me to predict something like this, Sony might have to start making similar moves themselves less they want to be locked out of Western games. If Microsoft keeps buying everything, that will drastically limit what is available on PlayStation 4+5.
I suppose I should be fortunate that I largely play Japanese games (Japanese law forbids foreign companies from acquiring domestic companies), and that the majority of games I play in general are older games.
Also, while it might be too early for me to predict something like this, Sony might have to start making similar moves themselves less they want to be locked out of Western games. If Microsoft keeps buying everything, that will drastically limit what is available on PlayStation 4+5.
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Quoting: ShmerlI don't care for Blizzard, but I agree it's a very bad trend that MS just gobbles gaming companies. And Spencer is probably the reason MS is using DX12 today instead of Vulkan. So I consider MS as pretty hostile to Linux gaming in general.
Well of course MS is pushing DX12 if i were in his position i would be as well get wide spread adoption get a locked in market then when people realize there is nothing else out there you switch the pricing model to licence then you dont have to make another game or product again you buy in the studios. Hell its worked for valve they havent made a game in almost 13 years they rely on licensing and profits from their store. Itsa a very viable if anti consumer business model.
Last edited by Whitewolfe80 on 18 January 2022 at 10:02 pm UTC
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Quoting: CyborgZetaI suppose I should be fortunate that I largely play Japanese games (Japanese law forbids foreign companies from acquiring domestic companies), and that the majority of games I play in general are older games.
One issue with many Japanese publishers - they are usually very resistant to releasing DRM-free. Though it started getting a bit better (you can find some Japanese games on GOG), but in general didn't improve a lot yet.
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Quoting: Whitewolfe80Well of course MS is pushing DX12 if i were in his position i would be as well get wide spread adoption get a locked in market then when people realize there is nothing else out there you switch the pricing model to licence then you dont have to make another game or product again you buy in the studios. Hell its worked for valve they havent made a game in almost 13 years they rely on licensing and profits from their store. Itsa a very viable if anti consumer business model.
Lock-in is still disgusting. It's not just anti-consumer, it's an anti-developer tactic.
4 Likes, Who?
Quoting: robvvApparently Microsoft’s shares fell by 1% after the announcement!I think coincidental, right? Big tech shares declined over the last week in general.
Last edited by 14 on 18 January 2022 at 10:33 pm UTC
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Quoting: wvstolzingQuoting: elmapulQuoting: NanobangOne of these days Microsoft will acquire Microsoft and we'll all die from the resulting black hole.
lol
actually this day exists its called yesterday.
You mean their stock buybacks? yahoo finance link
that was a joke, but, good point.
Last edited by elmapul on 18 January 2022 at 10:40 pm UTC
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It's not a bad move. Microsoft has no history of aggressive sourcing, and a quite high standard for Employees.
With what Activision/Blizzard produced the past years, completely failing their audience, it hardly could get worse.
I actually do not mind that particular takeover, since they were in the shits management wise and producing games which are good.
I see an issue with Microsoft to buy up so much in the gaming market. Not because it's Microsoft, but it's concentrating the market too much under a single banner and within that management and direction.
I hope though that Microsoft can find talent and accordingly skilled management to pull the cart out of the shits. My guess is that Blizzard would pretty much struggle in future if nothing happened, the current course just was a downward spiral.
Microsoft is not in the game for short term profits, they are a platform holder who are into long term profits. That usually is better for games.
We will see.
Last edited by STiAT on 18 January 2022 at 11:55 pm UTC
With what Activision/Blizzard produced the past years, completely failing their audience, it hardly could get worse.
I actually do not mind that particular takeover, since they were in the shits management wise and producing games which are good.
I see an issue with Microsoft to buy up so much in the gaming market. Not because it's Microsoft, but it's concentrating the market too much under a single banner and within that management and direction.
I hope though that Microsoft can find talent and accordingly skilled management to pull the cart out of the shits. My guess is that Blizzard would pretty much struggle in future if nothing happened, the current course just was a downward spiral.
Microsoft is not in the game for short term profits, they are a platform holder who are into long term profits. That usually is better for games.
We will see.
Last edited by STiAT on 18 January 2022 at 11:55 pm UTC
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TheRiddick Jan 18, 2022
Well if you don't SPEND your billions you will eventually need to pay it to the tax man so of cause this makes sense.
However I do wonder about the developer morals behind MS. I think they did good with the recent HALO release IMO, but we have yet to see what we'll get out of the Bethesda acquisition.
However I do wonder about the developer morals behind MS. I think they did good with the recent HALO release IMO, but we have yet to see what we'll get out of the Bethesda acquisition.
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Quoting: TheRiddickWell if you don't SPEND your billions you will eventually need to pay it to the tax manThat idea is so 20th century. Paying taxes is for us little people.
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