Microsoft-Activision-Blizzard Discussion Thread (Part 1)

[pg2g]

@Cayde4Ever

What I’m more curious about is the Sony/COD contract. Does it state in writing that COD needs to be released on their console? Or is it simply at the end of every trailer for COD the PlayStation branding needs to appear? Will be kind of funny to watch commercials of Call of Duty saying “Play it day 1 on gamepass” then directly cuts to the PlayStation logo lol

Haha I gotta imagine it has to come, that would be hilarious though. I dunno if MS would do them dirty like that.

[jfsolo]

@pg2g

People need to get out of the “it has platforms announced so it can’t change” mindset. There is no contractual obligation due to announcing a platform. There might be some concern over appearance, but just like “not buying a public company” it can happen when it happens.

When it happen to Xbox everyone is like, " that sucks, but what can you do", but if it looks like it’s going to happen to PlayStation, the mindset is, “it’s PlayStation, you can’t go back on an announcement to put a game on that platform, you just can’t”

[Joe_Sinister1 (Joe_Sinister)]

I don’t usually like to bring posts from “other Era” here, but this is such an excellent post about how Sony’s timed exclusivity has basically hurt the xbox brand when it comes to certain genres. It should really be read by as many people as possible, especially gaming media types getting salty over this.

Joe_Sinister

[javycane (Javier Ruiz)]

@Joe_Sinister1

I don’t usually like to bring posts from “other Era” here, but this is such an excellent post about how Sony’s timed exclusivity has basically hurt the xbox brand when it comes to certain genres. It should really be read by as many people as possible, especially gaming media types getting salty over this.

Best post Ive seen on it

[Vivir]

@Joe_Sinister1

I don’t usually like to bring posts from “other Era” here, but this is such an excellent post about how Sony’s timed exclusivity has basically hurt the xbox brand when it comes to certain genres. It should really be read by as many people as possible, especially gaming media types getting salty over this.

https://media.tenor.com/images/0d7f9702c1804550ccc704d22747435d/tenor.gif(image larger than 10.2 MB)

bars

[andrew_schmidt (HaloGaming08)]

@Joe_Sinister1

I don’t usually like to bring posts from “other Era” here, but this is such an excellent post about how Sony’s timed exclusivity has basically hurt the xbox brand when it comes to certain genres. It should really be read by as many people as possible, especially gaming media types getting salty over this.

fucking nailed it

[Knottian (Daniel)]

Knottian | XboxEra BLM

Just saying…

[Plagueborne]

Not really worried about the US Gov cause they are lazy bums and incompetent at their jobs.I think EU would be a stinker (if they even have a say this time?)

[Knottian (Daniel)]

@Plagueborne

Not really worried about the US Gov cause they are lazy bums and incompetent at their jobs.I think EU would be a stinker (if they even have a say this time?)

I think it’s just the principle, as mentioned in the full thread, more than anything else.

[Searsy82]

American politics: 100% theater, 0% Action.

[Chyld989 (Tom)]

@Joe_Sinister1

I don’t usually like to bring posts from “other Era” here, but this is such an excellent post about how Sony’s timed exclusivity has basically hurt the xbox brand when it comes to certain genres. It should really be read by as many people as possible, especially gaming media types getting salty over this.

That person is far better at articulating something I’ve tried (and failed) to say clearly for years

@Searsy82

American politics: 100% theater, 0% Action.

Hey now! It’s like…2% action.

[DopeyFish]

Just did a quick and dirty rundown:

I posted (maybe accidentally) in another thread pointing out that Sledgehammer is likely to be a 3 project studio with the UK location being support. All the studios at the bottom are multi studio locations releasing under a singular banner (id software and inXile being quite a bit different in scope than the others)

edit: accidentally omitted the main Sledgehammer studio in Foster City, California… oops.

[MJ_INC]

Woke up to even more drama that had me in stitches. Anything senior management at Microsoft/xbox say about this deal or the future of A/B is going to be carefully worded on advice from their lawyers.

[TavishHill]

@Twinblade

Still got through in the end and those examples were market leaders going on a buying spree to become a even stronger version of Goliath. This deal is David climbing up the ladder to reach 3rd place in gaming. Anti trust will do their investigation, but the deal won’t be at risk at all, even if CoD is fully exclusive.

MS’s deal will also get through, very possibly on the back of committing to keep CoD multiplat. I am not seeing any actual argument based on logic that keeping CoD exclusive would still easily get thru the regulatory agency scrutiny. Just assertions that it must be the case based on…nothing.

@AllianceOfficer

Keeping COD on PS can easily mean existing games.

I’m not sure you understand the point I made, which is that games on the platform already today falls under ‘existing contracts’.

[AllianceOfficer]

@TavishHill

I’m not sure you understand the point I made, which is that games on the platform already today falls under ‘existing contracts’.

Because I don’t agree with it. There’s no contract that states a company needs to keep their existing old games on your system.

[Twinblade]

@TavishHill

I am not seeing any actual argument based on logic that keeping CoD exclusive would still easily get thru the regulatory agency scrutiny. Just assertions that it must be the case based on…nothing.

Why would CoD being exclusive be a problem for anti trust? You failed to explain it and the irony is you base your argument on… nothing.

Can Microsoft dictate first person shooter pricing? Is it an unfair advantage? Does it eliminate competition? Does it significantly limits choice for consumers? Can’t one of the hundreds studios develop a new shooter? Has PS no first person shooters left after CoD is gone? Help me out here, why do you think CoD needs to stay multiplat to not risk the deal for anti trust regulators?

[AllianceOfficer]

This is interesting, the DOJ may have to kick over any investigation to the FTC because the DOJ head was a former Microsoft lobbyist.

DOJ antitrust chief’s past work for Microsoft looms over $69B Activision deal

[TavishHill]

@AllianceOfficer

Because I don’t agree with it. There’s no contract that states a company needs to keep their existing old games on your system.

Ummm…there absolutely is a contract for getting the game on the platform in the first place and it being sold in the ecosystem.

[TavishHill]

@AllianceOfficer

This is interesting, the DOJ may have to kick over any investigation to the FTC because the DOJ head was a former Microsoft lobbyist.

He will just recuse himself and let the FTC handle it I bet.

@Twinblade

Why would CoD being exclusive be a problem for anti trust? You failed to explain it and the irony is you base your argument on… nothing.

So lemme get this straight, you don’t even know what my argument is and yet you somehow imagine you are able to declare it is based on ‘nothing’? You must be telepathic. How wonderful!

I explained the reasoning in this thread already. To answer your question, yes it is an unfair competitive advantage because MS unilaterally gets to decide whether Sony gets a giant gaping hole in their ecosystem revenues or not. Company A should not be able to unilaterally and directly control the revenue outcomes for a competing Company B in the space the two compete. CoD as a property represents a huge portion of PSX ecosystem revenue and w/o commitments/assurances, MS would be able to blow up PSX ecosystem revenues on a whim. That sounds a lot like something bordering on anti-competitive practices to me.

[AllianceOfficer]

@TavishHill

Ummm…there absolutely is a contract for getting the game on the platform in the first place and it being sold in the ecosystem.

I do not have Playstation specific knowledge, but I have released games and apps on the Android store and there were terms and conditions as there are for everything. That’s not what Phil is talking about with contracts.