Didn’t realize Xbox “needed saving”…
We can all be disappointed, frustrated, etc. without the hyperbolic, and baseless “Xbox ded” nonsense every time there’s the slightest setback - general statement.
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I wanted the deal to pass. I didn’t post much (though I did post some) after the CMA changed the console thing not because I was disappointed but because a) I did think there was a better chance it would pass b) there wasn’t that much to discuss - if I’d kept saying ‘they might still block for cloud’ I wasn’t adding much to the conversation.
Its not a delight for me that its been blocked at all.
I guess my point is that we should live in the reality not the hope and reality has sadly bitten us.
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Last year there was an article by Jez or it was Brad Sams, how he was wondering what MS would do with all the billions meant for ABK if the deal didn’t happen. A interesting thought and I remember plenty of cool suggestions.
But if ABK ends up not happening, like Jesse and a few others have said who’s to say CMA won’t just block any acquisition MS tries going for? So I guess only smaller studios would be left then for MS? Does it work like that?
The jig is up. I was always against this acquisition but I understood why MS would try to make it happen. Now I like it even less and think it’s a huge waste of time and resources. Oh well. No longer invested lol.
Microsoft needs to fight this decision because the cloud argument can be used in industries other than gaming, for example AI
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Acquisitions under a certain threshold (which is different depending on region) aren’t scrutinized by regulators; so yes, purchasing smaller devs (a la 2018) wouldn’t be problematic at all.
That said, I’m hesitant to say how much of a precedent this is setting given the scope of ABK and its properties, compared to other large publishers. Regardless, I do think we’re on a slippery slope and an appeal is a necessity at this point to prevent this sort of lunacy from recurring or spreading to other markets.
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I think that’s slightly harsh. All I and others were pointing out was the CMA’s reluctance to ever accept behavioural remedies - especially for what they deem as nascent markets.
A lot of the well argued posts that argued how the CMA were wrong were absolutely correct in many ways but ignored the CMA’s argument - and the fact that they construct their framework and stick to it. I fully agree with everyone’s argument that this is a complete nonsense. It is.
I think its harsh to say I’m right by ‘happenstance’ - I never really predicted the deal - merely just used precedent to show that UNLESS the CMA changed their views there was a problem. I hoped they had changed them like everyone else but sadly they hadn’t.
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If the ABK deal falls through how would you feel?
- Terrible
- Great
- I didn’t care about the deal to begin with
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It’s basically Undertaker losing the streak level.
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They have to appeal it due to cloud precedent. Shame but lol.
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This needs more options.
I’m excited to see what MS does with its gaming division. Knowing the company’s history, they don’t quit nor do they back down. So if the deal is blocked they’ll figure out a way of moving forwards. I’m certain of that.
I’m basically happy to be a Xbox customer for 15 years tbh, even more so after today.
Funny how we have multiple professionals that have now suggested Microsoft look at ringfencing Xbox operations in UK and we have so many unlabeled-professionals here claiming it would never even be entertained. Just an observation…
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I need a “Meh, as long as MS is allowed to buy SEGA and other smaller publishers… It’ll still be okay.”.
But I’m more worried that this will become a weapon for Sony to block almost any acquisition that isn’t for Sony to be “growing into Cloud gaming!”.
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It’s because people have perhaps overlooked Britain’s new global status post-Brexit, where its standing is not what it once was.
The CMA’s traditional authority over these sorts of deals dates way back to a time when Britain was more relevant. Things have changed so we should perhaps learn to expect… the unexpected.
If the EU passes the deal, anything is possible. If not, it’s fubar I think.
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Yeah, no.
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The only missing today is Jim Ryan’s victory lap tweet on congratulating the CMA’s decision lol.
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It’s laughable how people think this will kill the Xbox brand when it survived the Xbox One era lol.
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Funny how Pachter suggested something like this could happen if MS really wanted this and people said he was crazy. Now Idas suggests that Xbox could separate it’s UK operations as Xbox UK.
Admittedly, Pachter was suggesting just the ABK side of the business, Idas is saying all of Xbox UK, but fundamentally it’s the same idea.
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Its not just Microsoft. This decision should scare all large companies. A miscellaneous non market can be labeled as nascent and used to block an acquisition outside of the territory of US companies. The rogue regulator can pick and choose whatever they want to or dont want to pass for whatever political implications. Companies moving forward have no basis to assess whether any merger or acquisition can be completed.
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