By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Ryuu96 on 15 July 2023



Around the Network
DroidKnight on 15 July 2023
VersusEvil said:

End of an era indeed. This week on Xbox won’t be the same.

I'll still will post it every Friday.



...to avoid getting banned for inactivity, I may have to resort to comments that are of a lower overall quality and or beneath my moral standards.

DroidKnight on 15 July 2023

My current favorite Xbox game that I'm playing right now is Diablo IV.



...to avoid getting banned for inactivity, I may have to resort to comments that are of a lower overall quality and or beneath my moral standards.

Ryuu96 on 15 July 2023

But there are options available, according to Tom Smith, a competition lawyer at Geradin Partners and ex-CMA legal director.

"It's all quite debatable, but I believe the most likely route to allowing the deal to close by Tuesday is for the CMA to issue a derogation from its interim order," said Smith, a competition lawyer at Geradin Partners and ex-CMA legal director, referring to the formal notice the deals watchdog issued in May ordering the companies to remain separate pending a final decision.

"They could allow the deal to close but require the Activision Blizzard business to be held separate pending the final order," he said. "The CMA would look reasonable while preserving their position."

Microsoft, Activision Eye UK Rights Sale to Get Merger Done

Restrictions on acquiring an Interest

5. Except with the prior written consent of the CMA, Microsoft and all members of the Group of Interconnected Bodies Corporate to which it may belong must not:

(A) Acquire an Interest in Activision or any of its Subsidiaries;
(B) Acquire an Interest in an Enterprise holding an Interest in Activision or carrying on the business of Activision from time to time; or
(C) Hold an option to acquire an Interest referred to in subparagraphs (a) and (b) above.

Interim Order

The CMA's move to reopen deliberations about its final decision, which is unusual so late in the regulatory process, revives the potential for Microsoft to resolve the watchdog's concerns about competition in the cloud gaming market. The CMA did not provide details of Microsoft's submission, which was made more than a month ago.

Financial Times

The Competition and Markets Authority has pushed back the date for delivering its final ruling on the deal by six weeks to allow for "full and proper" consideration of further details provided by Microsoft.

The American technology powerhouse has told the regulator that there has been a change in circumstances since the deal was blocked that could allow it to go ahead. It is understood that the submission does not reference a decision by a court in the United States to clear the transaction and does not outline proposals to restructure the deal.

Microsoft Wins Extra Time for Activision Blizzard Deal Decision



DroidKnight on 15 July 2023
Spade said:

We won.... 

Xbox... WON. 

We got the best first party now.

This will be worth a bump or two...or 10.



...to avoid getting banned for inactivity, I may have to resort to comments that are of a lower overall quality and or beneath my moral standards.

Around the Network
Ryuu96 on 15 July 2023



Ryuu96 on 15 July 2023

Idas Said:

I mentioned last week that I was expecting "a cascade of announcements" for this one. But I think that so many twists and turns in just 4 days exceeded my expectations :p xD

Well, now that the US is ready to go I guess that there are two main scenarios for next week:

1.- New Zealand approves the acquisition (with or without remedies); the CAT appeal process is officially paused; the CMA keeps the interim order in place but allows MS/ABK to close in every country where the merger can do so; ABK gets replaced/delisted in the Nasdaq; stock market closes on Monday; MS/ABK officially close the merger in 15 jurisdictions and agree to a 6 weeks extension in relation to the CMA "new deal"; Australia finishes its investigation because the merger is completed (and an approval from New Zealand is probably enough for them).

2.- New Zealand approves the acquisition (with or without remedies); the CAT appeal process is officially paused; the CMA keeps the interim order in place; ABK is not replaced/delisted from Nasdaq yet; stock market closes on Monday; MS/ABK officially agree to a 6 weeks extension in relation to the CMA "new deal" and to close everywhere at the same time; Australia keeps the review process suspended until the merger is completed.

Right now I think that scenario 1 feels more likely to happen, but the big question mark is the CMA: will they consent to close everywhere else or not? 🤔

The big turning point of this saga was the FTC PI on June 12th, no doubt. That started the huge domino effect that we have seen during the last 4-5 weeks.

But the mystery still remains, why did the FTC go ahead with it when everything was so under control? I see two options:

A) They panicked because during June the CMA and MS reached an agreement to restructure the deal in one way that would be likely accepted (while contesting the interim order + threatening to close over them + Brad Smith meetings), then the FTC had to move fast because MS could close in the US due to the waiting period being terminated. But in this case, why did the CMA panic 15 days later, rushing an appliation to delay the CAT appeal? If they had an agreement with MS, that move didn't make a lot of sense (they could just have paused the appeal).

B) The CMA and the FTC panicked in early June because they thought that MS was (seriously) considering closing over both: the FTC due to the waiting period being terminated and the CMA through other more complex and unusual ways. The FTC filed the PI and 15 days later the CMA requested to delay the CAT appealing because they saw that the FTC hearing wasn't progressing well. Once the FTC hearing ended, the CMA and MS resumed conversations to reach an agreement to restructure the deal if the FTC PI was denied.

I still think that scenario B was the most likely one, but A could be an option too.

Anyway, at least a few more days to go until this is done (and Monday 17th looks very, very promising for more insanity xD)


VersusEvil on 15 July 2023

So I’ve only finished 1 game in weeks, the SpongBob DLC for Powerwash Simulator. It’s a 6/10 from me.



Ride The Chariot || Games Complete ‘24 Edition

Ryuu96 on 15 July 2023



aTokenYeti on 15 July 2023

I do think the FTC and CMA were confident the EU was going to block, and they had all of their eggs in that basket. When the EU approved, both were caught flat footed. The FTC’s leverage collapsed overnight and the CMA was in danger of figuratively and literally being stuck on an island. So they both panicked.