Oooooh, shyte!! Sony in trouble!
Iâm really interested to know if this case will change Sony negotiating position in all this, or whether or not, even if it does, it changes anything in terms of the FTC etc.
Even if Sony does a complete 180 now and drops itâs objections, I assume that it is too late now and that FTC and others will still have a good look at their anti-competitive practices when it comes to dealing with 3rd parties.
This could really end up biting Sony on the bum.
I think the issue was the there is so many documents and theyâre all in Japanese and it would cost them a lot to have them translated and collected, itâs tough luck when you try to actively torpedo a deal not involving yourself and need to back up their own statements with evidence.
I was thinking if the deal did get blocked I wonder if Microsoft and ABK could sign some sort of partnership like they did with SEGA. They could help each other out stuff like Azure for ABK and King for Microsoft to make mobile games with Xbox IP. Maybe Microsoft could make games with ABK IP and have them exclusive and so on.
Egg on their face if EC and CMA approve and Microsoft gets the docs from the FTC trial then close over them anyway and FTC end up dropping the case, that would be the absolute worst case scenario and a huge win for Microsoft lol, theyâll get to see all sorts of communications to all the big publishers. I would say publishers are probably worried too if they were two faced to Microsoft during discussions about deals themselves.
Microsoft already knows Warner Bros accepted a deal for partial exclusivity for Harry Potter⊠Or Square Enix for exclusivity for a number of deals. So if thereâs bad blood between MS and some publishers, it already exists. But it can change how Microsoft approaches future content strategy if it knows exactly what it takes for Sony to get all those deals.
I think that blocking rights should not be allowed at all past 3 months of a games launch. Youâve got your marketing part well finished by then.
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There are far more people paying for GP than there are Gold, all this would do is make things more expensive for most subscribers
Switching Gold for a GP lite version is a far better idea
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Microsoft knows because they didnât sign with them, obviously haha but they wonât know the terms Sony signed with them so if they went to Microsoft and said they were talking with Sony and they offered something higher and Microsoft didnât match it and then they see it was actually much lower then Microsoft would know they were trying to pinch them.
Like you said theyâll know the ins and outs of what Sony is offering and the exact terms of the contracts.
One thing for sure, I hope after this deal MS stops the peace and love approach with Sony. Sony has a pretty clear history on harming competition on console market. It passed the time that MS clearly assumes Sony as a direct competitor and at least gives them some juridical heat on some of its shady practices. Time to make Sony starts to expend some money with lawyers. MS is definetily no saint, but nowhere near as shady as sony on gaming business.
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I wouldnât be shocked if it turns out that Sony has an extensive web of blocking contracts across every facet of the industry making organic growth for GP and Xbox near impossible going forwards. If thatâs the case and itâs all revealed then Iâd expect an antitrust investigation or MS to sue.
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To play devils advocate, they dont need to show structural remedies are better, they could just show that Activision Blizzard Inc remaining independent is better.
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Reports Say EU & CMA Now Closer To Approving Activision Deal
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Maybe so but I still donât see it happening. Why even work with the EU or other regulators if youâre going to standout especially with this recent conference.
Yeah I agree, I just cant see a way they can make a case structural is better so its either approve with behavoiral remedies agreed to by the EC (in which case the CMA could technically agree without any concession to them) or make the case its best if rhey are independent and block it.
I think its going through 
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Hope this gets done on time would love to see that Blizzard IP and whatever new IP infinity ward is working on and hopefully we get the transformers franchise back.
Yea good fuck Sony and their bullshit, you canât claim that this deal would greatly harm Sony if Sony is not willing to prove it. And even if it harmed Sony tough shit, Sony does not have an inherent right to ALWAYS be the market leader in Gaming.
I hate that Sony is treated like they INVENTED console gaming, consoles were around decades before Sony and gaming will be intact and popular after Sony leaves gaming.
Iâm tried of the law and the industry always bending over backwards to make sure no one disrupts Sony market lead that they got by being anti consumer douche bags.
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I hope that when the deal goes through MS can use their new leverage to shut Sony up and make them back off all these lames as timed exclusive deals where Xbox fans have to sit around and wonder forever if a game is coming out to the Xbox.
After the deal Xbox will have so many huge first party studios that any timed exclusives from Sony they wonât really matter much anymore.
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Maybe it will teach Sony to stay the hell in their own lane next time instead of trying to manipulate government agencies to protect their market lead.
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