I would say that in Phil case, I believe he just found a much better way to spend that money then spending on Big AAA exclusive deals but instead has decided to put that money into GP deals and day one release.  I would say that 100 million deal for Tomb Raider just did not do the work Phil would like for it to do which is bring in more Xbox users.  So if you are going to pay big money, then its best grow your number one service that has a better chance in expanding the Xbox marketshare.

New document from the CMA, from a redacted third party (market participant A)

10 pages and in this case in favor of the deal.

It's from someone in the gaming industry responding to the Issues Statement that was published in mid September and in favor of the deal. There are mainly saying that:

- The CMA has been a consumer champion for years: they mention different examples from recents years and how the future creation of the Digital Markets Unit or DMU (a new regulatory regime in UK for Big Tech, similar to the DMA in Europe) will set the standard in future digital markets policy among global regulators.

- Increasing digitisation that results in greater choice and innovation is welcomed, drawing parallels to other streaming platforms and digital ecosystems (Deliveroo, Uber or Airbnb). They also say that the increase in subscription and cloud-based platforms has been positive for consumers and the increase in content, investment, and choice in these markets has been pro-consumer.

- Increasing digitisation of the video gaming industry moving forwards is inherently positive because the video gaming market is moving towards a subscription and cloud-based gaming model, and the transaction could stimulate innovation and competition in this market moving forwards.

- The proposed transaction is pro-consumer because it provides wider access to quality content at low cost and Microsoft has no incentive to pursue a strategy of input foreclosure towards rivals.

- This transaction is an opportunity for the CMA to strengthen policy in digital markets, set the standard for a new policy in those markets making the commitments from MS official because it's the only way to preserve the benefits of the deal for consumers.

Source: Idas.

Then the CMA should be fast tracking this and giving Microsoft the green light.

Has to be either Ubisoft or EA.

Take-Two as we know are supportive of the deal but don't particularly speak positive about subscription services.

There is also a clear parallel between the adoption of subscription service platforms within video gaming and the increasing uptake of subscription platforms more generally. In the content-streaming market, Disney+ (including Hulu and ESPN+) was able to achieve the same level of subscribers as Netflix within three-years of launch, despite Netflix being the clear market leader at the time. Consumers are not forced to subscribe to Disney+, they do so out of choice and likely based on the quality of content that was on offer on the Disney+ platform. We have since seen a promulgation of original content created by these platforms given the fierce competition to grow their subscriber base and compete for consumers’ engagement, rather than having a captive audience given the previous barrier to film and television shows that was present. This is inherently positive as it provides consumers with more options to consume content, stimulates innovation to produce quality content and ensures such content is offered at accessible prices. Again, the parallel to multi-game subscriptions, such as Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, is clear to see with the low-cost subscription option offering a more accessible alternative to outright game purchases for consumers.

This is going to be a long year for Xbox. Greenburg better not have been trolling with that news update for Xbox fans.

SE... Worst publisher of the year lol. Must have demanded a GP bag. Fuck them Xbox gamers huh.

This is MS money going to work.  Not sure who this 3rd party is but I am sure the check is in the mail.

You guys are way to thirsty.  You already know whats coming so why is it a big deal MS did not show anything at the game awards.  At the end of the day, the most important thing MS needs to make sure of is when their games hit they are critical success, high quality AAA games with amazing gameplay and graphics.  That and that alone is the only thing that will drive up marketshare for MS and GP subs.

I personally rather they concentrate on hitting homeruns then trying to pump out some video.  Put your heads down and get it done, nothing short of amazing will turn the tide.

Potential for a new mobile app store to compete with Apple and Google to enhance competition and break down their “effective duopoly”

One final area worth highlighting is Microsoft’s development of a mobile gaming app store that is enshrined by its novel ‘Open App Store Principles’. The CMA’s recent study into mobile ecosystems suggested a ‘duopoly’ that Apple and Google hold, describing the various harms to consumers as a result of weak competition in the sector which acts as “a break on innovation”.13 Microsoft is focusing on building out its mobile gaming capability through this transaction and using it as a catalyst for innovation related to the development of its mobile game store. Such innovation is exactly what the CMA has identified as lacking in the mobile ecosystem. It is likely that this transaction could bring vital competition to Apple and Google in this market, help ensure consumers are prioritised and protected through enhanced governing principles and stimulate further innovation in the market to bring wider choice for consumers. This is inherently positive for consumers and for the industry.

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Lool. It'd be funny if this is Epic considering Sony's stake in them.

My guess on no Xbox trailer at the TGA is simply that they couldn't because it would actually harm them.

IMO MS have been trying for the past 18 months to transition from showing projects way to early (which they were force to do to generate hype for their new system release) to showing projects much closer to release. This obviously create a big gap where it is difficult to make new announcement or else the early announcement cycle continue.

Still they could have shown new trailer/gameplay video already announced titles but not really at the same time, the problem is those titles are either 2024+ or already have been their focus of past events. MS certainly don't want their 2023 projects to look like it's all they have when other actors are actually announcing new title for 2023, especially when 2 of 2023 most awaited titles ( which most likely would have been MS focus at TGA) have just been acquired.

This would have resulted in a spike in the kind of discussion MS want to tone down in the light of the merger reviews.