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Forums - Gaming - CMA blocks MS /ABK merger (Update: UK gov smears the CMA)

DeletedAccount3 on 17 May 2023

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Blood_Tears on 17 May 2023
LurkerJ said:

"One of the reasons that companies like Microsoft and Google want to invest in the UK is because we have independent regulators that aren't controlled by politicians," Jeremy Hunt told a business conference. "I would not want to undermine that at all, but I do think it's important all our regulators understand their wider responsibilities for economic growth". 

In other words: "I wouldn't want to interfere with their independence, but I will". Brazen. 

The next line though of "But for our tech sector, it isn’t just about being able to get through big deals, competition really matters.”   

And imo that's what CMA is trying to do, protect the competition for this fast and up coming cloud market. So I really don't believe he will interfere in this. But we'll see.  



DeletedAccount3 on 17 May 2023

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DeletedAccount3 on 25 May 2023

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Last edited by DeletedAccount3 - on 25 May 2023

Soundwave on 25 May 2023

To be honest if MS was going to continue to offer COD on Playstation platforms like they do with Minecraft ... then really this deal never was going to be a big deal for the XBox brand specifically, other than the Game Pass thing, which I think Microsoft can just pay for separately if they really want to (COD on Game Pass day 1).

It may be an actual good thing for XBox that now maybe some of that money can go into games that are actual exclusives.



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EpicRandy on 25 May 2023
Soundwave said:

To be honest if MS was going to continue to offer COD on Playstation platforms like they do with Minecraft ... then really this deal never was going to be a big deal for the XBox brand specifically, other than the Game Pass thing, which I think Microsoft can just pay for separately if they really want to (COD on Game Pass day 1).

It may be an actual good thing for XBox that now maybe some of that money can go into games that are actual exclusives.

I think you underestimate how much value ABK IPs would have added to Game Pass, specifically in European markets where Xbox + Bethesda + Mojang are not that of a big deal but ABK IPs are, and more so than the other 3 combined like in France.

Also under MS, it would have been easier for them to finally get two a 2-year cycle instead of 1 year which would have benefited the franchise E-sport scene and freed so many dev teams, both directly and from studios that have been converted to cod support, for creative work again either with new IP or revisited one.

It would also have secured them a very strong foothold in mobile gaming.

As for the exclusive front, MS doesn't shy away from funding them through second-party deals of first-party development at every opportunity they get so the deal being blocked won't change anything there.



smroadkill15 on 30 May 2023

So the CMA lawyer just got punked in court. Court date set for July 24th.



EpicRandy on 31 May 2023

Here's an insightful interview with an industry expert, it covers yesterday's hearings and the overall current state of the deal.



DeletedAccount3 on 05 June 2023

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VAMatt on 05 June 2023

The more we hear coming out of the UK and from various analysts, the more the CMA's decision looks ridiculous. It sure looks like nothing more than political nonsense to me. It's similar to what's going on with the FTC, though the FTC took an approach that shields them from so much criticism because they are not actually standing in the way of the deal closing.

Last edited by VAMatt - on 05 June 2023