Microsoft-Activision-Blizzard Discussion Thread (Part 1)

[cinste (Pete)]

@TavishHill

Those deals are too small to equate with ‘undue’ influence over the revenue stream of the competing ecosystem I’d wager. CoD as a property represents a HUGE portion of PSX ecosystem revenue. The same can’t be said for those other cases. Also, Sony is free to pay for exclusives that are big on Xbox if they like since the FTC doesn’t need to approve of those deals in the same way as a $70bil acquisition. Also, those are deals b/t Sony and a 3rd party, not decisions Sony is making unilaterally as would be the case here.

Of course Sony is free to pay for exclusives but if it is using it’s dominant market position (install base) to influence the pricing of those deals and we know that Phil (IIRC) has said that these type of exclusivity deals cost Xbox more/are not feasible due to install base size. And this has direct effect on the size of the impact of the Acti Bliz deal/CoD exclusivity on Sony one would imagine that a good lawyer could use this as a pretty strong mitigation.

Use of install base (monopoly) to either artificially lower your price of supply or increase your competitors seems to fit the statement control revenue outcomes for company B

[zedox]

Hey, I just heard that this company I work at just bought another small company for a small amount of money. Did you guys hear this too?

[QuietGamer90 (Tawsif (Rafee))]

@TavishHill

Still, you are trying to find a way to make both things true at once instead of just looking for the most rationale interpretation (which should be coupled to the statements from MS, Activision and Sony as well as insider sources too).

Like I mentioned, this wording does not seem specific enough obviously as he cannot make definitive statements yet.

I remember Microsoft CFO saying something along the lines of ‘Zenimax titles being best or first on Xbox’ and we know how that has turned out.

Several insiders/journalists (even some that have an anti-Xbox bias) said this statement seems carefully worded and not as straightforward as we think.

In the end, COD could be multiplatform for all I care. And if that happens, it is reasonable to assume that MS will only let that happen IF Sony agree to make concessions (not referring to GP on Playstation).

Also, COD is very likely to move out of its yearly release cadence which may negatively affect Playstation’s yearly software revenue to a certain degree. I do not think FTC can do anything about that.

[javycane (Javier Ruiz)]

Im sure Tavish spent all the Zenimax deal saying they wouldn’t be exclusive unless my memory serves me wrong so idk why we go down this hole again.

[pg2g]

Only so much can be argued about the meaning behind ambiguous words. We’ll find out once it materializes and until then none of us are going to know.

[Proven]

@TavishHill

…that is an individual title. CoD games from multiple entries are top sellers year in and year out on PSX systems. Also, you ignore the MTX’s, which are a HUGE chunk of change by themselves (so roughly double your value). You think revenues well north of $600mil a year is ‘nothing’! It doesn’t have to bankrupt PlayStation to constitute a potential regulatory issue. It just has to pose a risk of restricting competition. If you take that much $$$ from Sony’s yearly budget that will absolutely restrict their ability to compete and limit some of their decision making.

If Microsoft decides to make a Call of Duty game every 2, maybe even 3 years, this automatically hurts Sony. Microsoft can’t be forced to make decisions about their IP based on if their competitors might be impacted.

[QuietGamer90 (Tawsif (Rafee))]

@javycane

Im sure Tavish spent all the Zenimax deal saying they wouldn’t be exclusive unless my memory serves me wrong so idk why we go down this hole again.

Get ready for the exegesis of the words ‘intent’ and ‘desire’

[javycane (Javier Ruiz)]

@QuietGamer90

Get ready for the exegesis of the words ‘intent’ and ‘desire’

Lmaoo

[BadNews]

When this goes through I truly wonder if there is a marketing deal on COD to block it coming to gamepass. ALso wonder if there is a deal in place that COD games have to also be a part of Spartacus service

[Biggzy (Hassan)]

A pity Xbox doesn’t have a couple of games coming out so we could talk about them lol.

[Staffy]

@BadNews

When this goes through I truly wonder if there is a marketing deal on COD to block it coming to gamepass. ALso wonder if there is a deal in place that COD games have to also be a part of Spartacus service

Had not even thought of those possibilities.

[Plagueborne]

@Biggzy

A pity Xbox doesn’t have a couple of games coming out so we could talk about them lol.

Worst part about being an xbox fan. Always waiting for quality games lol 2022 onward looks different tho.

[Biggzy (Hassan)]

@BadNews

When this goes through I truly wonder if there is a marketing deal on COD to block it coming to gamepass. ALso wonder if there is a deal in place that COD games have to also be a part of Spartacus service

We know it existed for Resident Evil, so maybe. But I think it just meant that Sony would have first refusal for a year. In any case, if the marketing deal goes beyond a year, Microsoft is buying it out. There is no way Microsoft is not using CoD for their Game Pass adverts.

[Senua]

IGN is worried about PS6 now xD

What the Xbox & Activision Deal Means for PS6, Xbox Series Consoles - Next-Gen Console Watch

[Akosii]

@Senua

IGN is worried about PS6 now xD


so? /s obviously. But don’t really care what ign thinks.

[Senua]

@Akosii

so?

I mean this generation has just begun.

[Staffy]

@Biggzy

We know it existed for Resident Evil, so maybe. But I think it just meant that Sony would have first refusal for a year. In any case, if the marketing deal goes beyond a year, Microsoft is buying it out. There is no way Microsoft is not using CoD for their Game Pass adverts.

Do we know it for a fact that Sony made that deal with Capcom?

[Akosii]

@Staffy

Do we know it for a fact that Sony made that deal with Capcom?

Some documentation leaked about it if I remember correctly.

[pip-boy3000]

@Biggzy

We know it existed for Resident Evil, so maybe. But I think it just meant that Sony would have first refusal for a year. In any case, if the marketing deal goes beyond a year, Microsoft is buying it out. There is no way Microsoft is not using CoD for their Game Pass adverts.

How difficult would it be to buy out a contract like that?

[AllianceOfficer]

The regulators conversation is overblown. The department of justice won’t be handling and even if they did its run by a former Microsoft lobbyist. This deals rolling right on through.