Microsoft-Activision-Blizzard Discussion Thread |OT3| - Sony bends the knee!

[ShinMegamiTenseiX]

Is it done yet??? Jesus.

Lsst week has felt like a year

[TheAshCohen09 (Ash Cohen)]

Be interesting to see if we hear anything this evening UK time

[BRiT]

@leburn98

Interesting that Microsoft still hasn’t filed their opposition brief yet.

https://twitter.com/FOSSpatents/status/1679892177269272576

So MS may not even need to file.

It would be great Karma if MS/ABK can run the clock out by not filing until the very last moment if its not today!

[Cairnst (Bill Cairns)]

@Sparda3g

https://twitter.com/insidergamingig/status/1679861768602910721?s=46&t=O_AGT9SEnlptKOF_2SxtqQ

If true and goes exclusive, ooooooh what luck.

To be fair has any main Starcraft game actually been on console - even if it’s exclusive that just means it’s more widely available than usual
Isn’t Starcraft HUGE in Korea though? Launching on Xbox, even if it comes after launch, is probably a given once this acquisition closes but so far as Playstation goes maybe looking at what would benefit them best in Korea would be smart (I say not really knowing the market breakdown over there - just a thought)

[Sparda3g]

@ShinMegamiTenseiX

Is it done yet??? Jesus.

Lsst week has felt like a year

Still 12 hours to go over here if not 14 hours when considering west coast.

[Visceron]

https://twitter.com/fosspatents/status/1679873393993170945?s=46&t=t7dDVKaP__8VXQdcGMQghA

More good news.

[Popppi (Phil Spencer's shelf)]

@Cairnst

To be fair has any main Starcraft game actually been on console - even if it’s exclusive that just means it’s more widely available than usual
Isn’t Starcraft HUGE in Korea though? Launching on Xbox, even if it comes after launch, is probably a given once this acquisition closes but so far as Playstation goes maybe looking at what would benefit them best in Korea would be smart (I say not really knowing the market breakdown over there - just a thought)

There was a starcraft on the N64 iirc. Don’t think it did too hot though. Never even released in europe I believe.

[SteadyMercury]

@Cairnst

To be fair has any main Starcraft game actually been on console - even if it’s exclusive that just means it’s more widely available than usual
Isn’t Starcraft HUGE in Korea though? Launching on Xbox, even if it comes after launch, is probably a given once this acquisition closes but so far as Playstation goes maybe looking at what would benefit them best in Korea would be smart (I say not really knowing the market breakdown over there - just a thought)

You could play the OG on N64 if you had the expansion pack for the console.

But yes, making it exclusive seems hilarious. It hasn’t shown up on any console in 23 years and an exclusive RTS game on console is hardly going to set the world on fire.

It is traditionally on Mac though, so maybe Windows exclusive? Though again I don’t see why. It’s not going to move marketshare meaningfully and not launching it on Mac could give someone an example in a future acquisition case.

StarCraft 3 would be great though! And I’d absolutely love to see someone try and bring back some games in the SC universe in different genres. That would be a meaningful exclusive.

Even a shameless rip off of Star Wars Battlefront would be awesome.

[BadNews]

@Cairnst

To be fair has any main Starcraft game actually been on console - even if it’s exclusive that just means it’s more widely available than usual
Isn’t Starcraft HUGE in Korea though? Launching on Xbox, even if it comes after launch, is probably a given once this acquisition closes but so far as Playstation goes maybe looking at what would benefit them best in Korea would be smart (I say not really knowing the market breakdown over there - just a thought)

StarCraft was on n64

[QuietGamer90 (Tawsif (Rafee))]

@Zappy5

…thout something that preserved their usual resistance to behavioural remedies. Microsoft has chosen to move around the CAT precisely because they must know their chances there aren’t great. I know lots of people think Microsoft could do what they want but all I’ve ever said is the reality is slightly different to that and ultimately I think I’ve ended up right on the U.K. side. So I’d defend my record there. I have said all along the us stuff is just my scepticism about how the law works there we all know this deal is a good thing for consumers but I just don’t trust it over there, but I mean should this be closed on Monday I will be delighted. I also think now that it’s hard to see what can stop the deal. Regardless of Monday or not it should happen within the next few months at the latest.

You seem to think that only MS’s chances were not great (maybe that is true). However, isn’t it funny that CMA tried to stall the appeal beyond the summer and got lambasted for it by the CAT? Can we also not say that the CMA was doing that because they thought they did not have a great chance themselves? Why do that if you supposedly have a solid case to defend anyway?

Either way, it seems like this merger will be closing soon hopefully.

[ParkerPetrov]

@jasheeldz

Does anyone have a definite answer to the question “can the deal close without the cma?”

The deal could always close without the CMA. It’s as hoeg and others have said. Nothing is stopping Microsoft from sending abk 68.7 billion in cash and signing the paper work at any point.

Microsoft more doesn’t want to be seen as a bully who is forcing governments to do things. So its optics and if you do just close you could be made to separate later. However, legally nothing is stopping the MS from just closing the deal over CMA or any one else. Legally they could have closed it 18 months ago and let the process play out.

People have a strange misnomer about this like they need the cma when its not true. Its cleaner to wait for approvals from countries and then close your deal but there is no legal requirement to do so. You can just close.

[Rsebi]

@SteadyMercury

an exclusive RTS game on console is hardly going to set the world on fire.

Thats the thing, not every game is going to set the world on fire nor does it need to. AOE on consoles didnt yet it still came to Xbox because MS still needs to offer value for the platform and for Game Pass.

[Sparda3g]

God should screw FTC around and have the day timeskip to next day now.

[Rsebi]

@QuietGamer90

You seem to think that only MS’s chances were not great (maybe that is true). However, isn’t it funny that CMA tried to stall the appeal beyond the summer and got lambasted for it by the CAT? Can we also not say that the CMA was doing that because they thought they did not have a great chance themselves? Why do that if you supposedly have a solid case to defend anyway?

Either way, it seems like this merger will be closing soon hopefully.

This is what people seem to disregard, the CMA know they have a losing case, its either settle and work out a solution with MS or get landslided in the CAT appeal, the deal closes anyway and the CMA embarrass themselves on the world stage

The fact that they desperately tried to delay multiple times is telling. These arent the signs of someone with confidence that they’d win

Foss mentioned Gamesmanship which is the appropriate term tocuse here

[Sparda3g]

https://twitter.com/charlieintel/status/1679894826366513153?s=46&t=O_AGT9SEnlptKOF_2SxtqQ

Timing.

[Deus (Encyclopaedia Ludica)]

https://twitter.com/FOSSpatents/status/1679903633431834631?s=19

[leburn98]

@Sparda3g

https://twitter.com/charlieintel/status/1679894826366513153?s=46&t=O_AGT9SEnlptKOF_2SxtqQ

Timing.

Totally just a coincidence, nothing to see here

[Sparda3g]

https://twitter.com/fosspatents/status/1679904781555335186?s=46&t=O_AGT9SEnlptKOF_2SxtqQ

Yeah they’re done sugar coating.

[Mort]

@leburn98

Totally just a coincidence, nothing to see here

Yep, just like the old CoD servers spinning up again. Move along…

[Staffy]

So much for a closure in the weekend. Or do we think there’s still a chance?