I’d like to see a Developer_Direct at least once every two months, don’t think that’s asking too much lol.

I think we will get 1 per quarter in most cases, though 2 in Q1 this time thanks to the special Starfield focused developer direct. These are my expectations for Xbox showings this year:

• January: Xbox and Bethesda Q1 Developer Direct- Seems to be focused on games releasing in Q2 2023
• February or March: Starfield Developer Direct- Focused purely on Starfield with a likely 30+ minute Starfield deep dive
• May: Xbox and Bethesda Q2 Developer Direct- Since the Q1 show was focused on games releasing in Q2, it stands to reason the Q2 show will be focused on games releasing in Q3.
• June: Xbox and Bethesda E3 Showcase- Probably 90 minutes, focused on games releasing in the next year, much like Xbox's E3 show last year, so we will see trailers and demos and reveals for games releasing between Q3 2023 and Q2 2024 primarily, with maybe a few reveal trailers for games releasing later in 2024, but likely not anything 2025 or later.
• August: Xbox & Bethesda Q3 Developer Direct- Focused on games releasing in Q4, with longer demos for Q4 releases than were already shown on the E3 show 2 months prior.
• November: Xbox & Bethesda Q4 Developer Direct- Focused on games releasing in Q1 2024.
• December: The Game Awards- I think Xbox will make their TGA return this year, with reveals or gameplay demos for games releasing in 2nd half 2024 or 2025.

Google and Nvidia provided information that backs a key FTC contention — that Microsoft could gain an unfair advantage in the market for cloud, subscription and mobile gaming — according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the process is confidential. In its remarks to the FTC, Nvidia stressed the need for equal and open access to game titles but didn't directly oppose the acquisition, according to one of the people.

Google, Nvidia Express Concerns to FTC About Microsoft’s Activision Deal - Bloomberg

Google is so fucking annoying, to Brazil they were all like "here are all the alternatives to CoD and other ABK franchises, even if Microsoft acquires ABK there will be a significant number of developers/publishers on the market" but as soon as they shutdown Stadia (through their own sheer incompetence) and learn of Microsoft's mobile plans they're suddenly against the deal, it's so transparent, Lol.

Them also complaining that Microsoft could gain an unfair advantage in mobile gaming is so hilarious, coming from Google, the owner of the Android operating system, who shares the top spot with Apple and nobody else comes close, they're so afraid that Microsoft might break up their duopoly. Google being against the deal isn't a surprise in the slightest.

Nvidia does not sound against the deal, if that changes then that will be bad for Microsoft but as it stands right now they haven't came out against the deal, it sounds like they want a concession though. Thing is, if ABK stays independent, absolutely nothing for Nvidia changes, ABK has already been clear, ABK was already clear before this deal, they do not want their titles on GeForce Now, so Microsoft acquiring ABK changes absolutely nothing for Nvidia.

But Nvidia may use this opportunity to force Microsoft into supporting GeForce Now with ABK titles which is smart.

Heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Nvidia does actually want the deal to go through as long as they can force regulators to make Microsoft sign a concession with Nvidia, they know they won't get ABK titles any other way, that's why they express "concerns" but don't outright come out against the deal.

Google is so transparent, they were in support of the acquisition less than a half a year ago, now as soon as it leaked that Xbox is planning a mobile store for Android which will compete against Google Play and will apparently host Xbox owned mobile games, suddenly they are against it because they will potentially lose Candy Crush money from King and CoD mobile money from Activision and Diablo Eternal money from Blizzard. There is not even any information stating that Xbox will make their games exclusive to their own Android store, they may just be a different version of the same game, with Xbox features integration including achievements, developed simultaneously with the normal Android release on the Play Store.

Isn't Nvidia technically the leader in Cloud Streaming as well? GeForce Now reported 25m, xCloud reported 20m. Nvidia is smart though, Microsoft might as well throw a concession their way. IIRC...Nvidia works in that if you own a game on Steam, you can use GeForce Now to stream it anywhere? But you need to own it?

Think Microsoft could easily get them to drop their "concerns" if they say "hey, you know those Activision-Blizzard titles that you weren't getting anyway and were never going to get from an independent Activision-Blizzard? Well if you support the deal we'll support GeForce Now" Lol. Microsoft will just have to make xCloud appealing another way.

Google can get f*cked, Lol. They aren't in the streaming market, they shut down their shit through their own incompetence, they will still be #2 in Mobile Gaming by a gigantic margin (Apple #1) even if Xbox creates their own mobile store, especially when, Microsoft almost certainly won't be leaving Android or iOS...Microsoft wants to be everywhere.

Would be absolutely baffling if regulators who have lately been bitching a lot about Google/Apple's app store dominance, fall for such an obvious attempt to stop someone from threatening Android store just a tiny bit and sides with Google, ensuring their dominance. Although, I suppose that mostly only applies to EU, it has been them who have bitched about Android/iOS the most lately.

Right. GeForce Now is just a way to stream games you already own but on different devices. Pretty great quality too. They're upgrading their $20/month plan to support RTX 4080's!!!

Yeah, dealing with Nvidia's concerns are easy. ABK games already aren't on GeForce Now, so the easy concession there is simply to offer Nvidia a 10 year ABK games on GeForce Now via Steam ownership deal.

Google will be trickier to deal with, easiest concession there is to sign a deal guaranteeing that ABK games will release on both Xbox's upcoming Android store and Google's Play Store for 10 years.

Yeah...One thing I'll say about xCloud...Every other rival Cloud service has performed better on a technical level, it's a bit baffling how xCloud seems to be behind literally everyone on that aspect, so much for Microsoft's unrivalled power, Stadia and GeForce Now both seem to perform better on paper and I don't know about Luna but I assume that too.

It feels like Microsoft focused on getting the content down and right business model first though so maybe that is why, while others like Stadia focused more on the technical aspect first and barely tried with the games or had a shit business model, GeForce Now had issues IIRC with some publishers due to their business model as well, I seem to recall a lot of publishers at one stage pulling support?

Does Zenimax still support GeForce Now? At the end of the day, if you still need to own the games to play them on GeForce Now then Microsoft is still making money if people want to use GeForce Now on their titles so they'd be fools not to give Nvidia a concession, if they don't then they're stupid and they're going to turn Nvidia against the deal, it's pretty clear what Nvidia is doing Imo.

It's a little sneaky but fair play to them, it doesn't hurt Microsoft to support them, this is Nvidia's only opportunity to get ABK support on GeForce Now.

Nah. Fuck Google, they don't need a concession, lets fight that one Jk.

Might as well do a concession since I strongly doubt Microsoft would leave anyway but it would be 100x more ridiculous than having to make a concession with Sony for CoD, to have to make a concession with Google to support the Google Play Store, they along with iOS absolutely dominate this area and nobody else comes close, even if they lost ABK entirely they'd still absolutely dominate and probably wouldn't even notice it, Lol.

Hopefully regulators aren't in the business of protecting Google of all companies, can't be like big tech bad but lets protect this one, Lol.

@NobleTeam360 says it will be funny if right after the Xbox Direct, CMA comes out with a negative view on the deal and causes Microsoft to drop it.