Well, the results are here. In the USA the FTC was trying to block Microsoft from acquiring Activision Blizzard but Microsoft has won the fight. Now Microsoft are one big step closer to actually properly closing the deal, and a rather big consolidation of the gaming industry given how big Activision Blizzard are.
As per the decision:
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision has been described as the largest in tech history. It deserves scrutiny. That scrutiny has paid off: Microsoft has committed in writing, in public, and in court to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation for 10 years on parity with Xbox. It made an agreement with Nintendo to bring Call of Duty to Switch. And it entered several agreements to for the first time bring Activision’s content to several cloud gaming services.
This Court’s responsibility in this case is narrow. It is to decide if, notwithstanding these current circumstances, the merger should be halted—perhaps even terminated—pending resolution of the FTC administrative action. For the reasons explained, the Court finds the FTC has not shown a likelihood it will prevail on its claim this particular vertical merger in this specific industry may substantially lessen competition. To the contrary, the record evidence points to more consumer access to Call of Duty and other Activision content. The motion for a preliminary injunction is therefore DENIED.
This means the temporary restraining order against the acquisition will be removed on July 14th, unless the FTC obtains a "stay pending appeal from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals".
Microsoft still have a fight ahead in the UK though, since the CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) blocked the deal but naturally Microsoft is appealing the decision with a hearing set to begin on July 28th. So they're not completely out of the woods yet but it's probable Microsoft will end up winning there too. Update 16:21 UTC - Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President Microsoft, put a statement on Twitter:
After today's court decision in the U.S., our focus now turns back to the UK. While we ultimately disagree with the CMA’s concerns, we are considering how the transaction might be modified in order to address those concerns in a way that is acceptable to the CMA. In order to prioritize work on these proposals, Microsoft and Activision have agreed with the CMA that a stay of the litigation in the UK would be in the public interest and the parties have made a joint submission to the Competition Appeal Tribunal to this effect.
What do you think to this outcome?
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
ObsidianBlk Jul 11, 2023
Quoting: Purple Library GuyIt sucks. More consolidation is bad. I have no fondness for Activision Blizzard, but then I'm not a big fan of Microsoft either and neither of those is the main point. Corporate behemoths are too big; in general they should be getting chopped into smaller pieces, not allowed to stitch together into even gianter Frankenstein leviathans.
I feel most countries (USA especially) have long ago abandoned even the pretense of fighting against monopolistic behavior. I cannot say how bad this merger will be over time. I fear, in maybe a decade, it will be bad for people not on Windows or XBox... then again, I have a very negative bias against Microsoft and A/B (especially the Activision potion), so take what I said with a grain of salt, I suppose.
Quoting: ObsidianBlkI fear, in maybe a decade, it will be bad for people not on Windows or XBox
MS knows how to play the long game. Sure, they will give a little and cooperate now, maybe even throw Steam a bone. I can't see them not pulling the rug out as soon as they buy enough of the gaming world to lock it into XBOX. Then go and push UWP again and so long WINE/Proton/Steam Deck (Unless that executable situation isn't as hopeless as everything I've read before).
QuoteWhat do you think to this outcome?Most concerning. Activision alone was already powerful enough that it could refuse to support the biggest-selling console of the current generation and then just shrug it off later, for example (in the console space, this is something that can harm the outcome for a platform). This isn't going to turn out well.
StalePopcorn Jul 11, 2023
Microsoft really have some good games, they seem to release stable and solid games. I also hope this can change the culture in blizzard and bring them back to not just be about money and greed as activision like.
And there is still plenty of competition on the gaming market and I also hope we get to see blizzard games on steam :)
But Only one can! TUX!Our mascot against the M$ conspiracy!!
Eh nice. Honestly I don't know if this is a good for game industry even if MS give some concessions. I don't like the idea of concentration of money here either. it can be bad in the long run. But We'll see what happens next
On the other? Activision/Blizzard is so badly managed, so hostile and so much of a "let's pay Bobby to be the worst human" company (Kotick's salary is north of 125 MILLION USD) that I'm fine with Microsoft taking over, ejecting him, and forcing an actual corporate culture into the bloody thing instead of having a game development company operate completely out of spite.
Last edited by cybik on 11 July 2023 at 5:21 pm UTC
wvstolzing Jul 11, 2023
https://www.suse.com/news/SUSE-Preserves-Choice-in-Enterprise-Linux/
Quoting: RaabenThen go and push UWP again and so long WINE/Proton/Steam Deck (Unless that executable situation isn't as hopeless as everything I've read before).I don't have a good memory for acronyms; what's a UWP?
Quoting: cybikOn one side, consolidation is bad, yes.
On the other? Activision/Blizzard is so badly managed, so hostile and so much of a "let's pay Bobby to be the worst human" company (Kotick's salary is north of 125 MILLION USD) that I'm fine with Microsoft taking over, ejecting him, and forcing an actual corporate culture into the bloody thing instead of having a game development company operate completely out of spite.
I still think Microsoft it's going to keep Bobby, Microsoft is just to busy to replace anyone important to keep the company going and making that big money. Just let see what happen next even if I don't agree Microsoft buying Blizzard.
Last edited by Lomkey on 11 July 2023 at 5:38 pm UTC
https://www.thebignewsletter.com/i/131506734/all-rise-a-conflicted-judge-gets-to-run-the-economy
Quoting: Purple Library GuyUniversal Windows Platform - Windows store applications are UWP. Basically a different SDK. They've allowed some non-UWP applications into the store since, but UWP apps don't run on Wine since there is nowhere to download them fromQuoting: RaabenThen go and push UWP again and so long WINE/Proton/Steam Deck (Unless that executable situation isn't as hopeless as everything I've read before).I don't have a good memory for acronyms; what's a UWP?
Quoting: PikoloUWP apps don't run on Wine since there is nowhere to download them fromWasn't there some technical reason for them supposedly not being able to work in WINE? Encryption or something? Or am I remembering wrong?
Quoting: LomkeyI still think Microsoft it's going to keep Bobby, Microsoft is just to busy to replace anyone important to keep the company going and making that big money
I doubt he's going anywhere, maybe title shuffled or something for good press. Hate him as you will but the guy makes money. And time and time again, it's been shown that even with all the hatred people will never stop buying Acti products, so why bother replacing him?
Last edited by Raaben on 11 July 2023 at 6:06 pm UTC
MisterPaytwick Jul 11, 2023
Consolidation is such a nightmare. Well, I'm going indies all the way down for years now, I guess there is no redemption for that kind of structure anyway.
Quoting: wvstolzingSpeaking of a$$hole companies, did you all see this?
https://www.suse.com/news/SUSE-Preserves-Choice-in-Enterprise-Linux/
Last edited by MisterPaytwick on 11 July 2023 at 6:23 pm UTC
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