200+ Comments.

Is it safe to say if this doesn't close in the next two hours then it won't close today since that is when the trading hours open up?

Finally!!

This dub is so big I had to sign in to celebrate. 

Xbox with a portfolio this strong was a dream for a lot bots that stuck during Mattrick days with X1. 

The rest of the site wanted us gone but we’re here to stay like bull headed clap. 🎉 🎈 🎊 

European Commission Clears (Again)

The European Commission said the new commitments given by Microsoft to the CMA did not interfere with its EU commitments.

Reuters

The European Commission on Friday ruled out a review of the merger because, it said, it did not constitute a new deal.

Financial Times

I made a post with pictures before how it is already happening accross some regions and because I read your comment I choose to go another store in my city to check the situation.  Their are three stores''franchises' in my city of (550k population) that has atleast a decent portion of games available.

Last Time I chose Mediamarkt a store that put xbox games in the Playstation shelves (for each xbox game their were 10 ps games)

This time I went to FNAC

1)  Switch Is kicking it with having the most games/Accessories available



2)  Playstation is close behind



3) Well xbox has no games section anymore and they just put the games with controllers, FC 2024 isn't even available on Xbox and the last game is Hogwarts.

4) Wanted to check the price of the Hogwarts games and behind it was not even a game (but with the Green I can see the confusion)

5) Atleast the console is available you have the choice between the day one release or the Diablo bundle, the S and New S are also available behind this consoles and one the right of picture 3

6)  New releases and ofcourse no Xbox game because gamers don't want the xbox version..

7)   And honestly this is the finisher,  In the middle of Europe selling an Xbox console for 550€ with Diablo 4;  or selling PS5 bundle that on its own is already 5 times more popular for 499€ with probably one of the top three best selling games of the year, Next week they will have the Spiderman bundle next to it.

CMA's press release sure is full of nonsense, Lol.

Idas Said:

A bit of drama from the CMA on the press release :P

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA said:

The CMA is resolute in its determination to prevent mergers that harm competition and deliver bad outcomes for consumers and businesses. We take our decisions free from political influence and we won't be swayed by corporate lobbying.

We delivered a clear message to Microsoft that the deal would be blocked unless they comprehensively addressed our concerns and stuck to our guns on that.

With the sale of Activision's cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft, we've made sure Microsoft can't have a stranglehold over this important and rapidly developing market. As cloud gaming grows, this intervention will ensure people get more competitive prices, better services and more choice. We are the only competition agency globally to have delivered this outcome.

But businesses and their advisors should be in no doubt that the tactics employed by Microsoft are no way to engage with the CMA. Microsoft had the chance to restructure during our initial investigation but instead continued to insist on a package of measures that we told them simply wouldn't work. Dragging out proceedings in this way only wastes time and money.

Martin Coleman, Chair of the Independent Panel who reviewed the original Microsoft deal, said:

Cloud gaming is an important new way for gamers to access games and this deal could have seriously undermined its potential development. On that we, the European Commission and the US Federal Trade Commission are in full agreement. Where we differ is on how we solve that problem. We rejected a solution put to us by the parties which would have left Microsoft with too much control.

We now have a new transaction in which the cloud distribution of Activision games, old and new, is taken away from Microsoft and put into the hands of Ubisoft, an independent party who is committed to widening access to the games. That's better for competition, better for consumers and better for economic growth.

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Whatever you say, CMA. The EC will always be better than you

Microsoft + Activision will be thrilled with this result and I'll laugh when Cloud Gaming is still insignificant in 15 years from now. Funny thing is, if Microsoft proposed this option back before the first block, they still would have rejected it because they straight up told Microsoft the only option is a divesture of Call of Duty, Activision, or Activision and Blizzard so it's a straight up lie, Lol.