Microsoft looks to Sony for help in its defense against FTC lawsuit

To hold its own against the FTC and acquire Activision Blizzard, Microsoft has filed a subpoena against Sony so it can build a defense against the US regulator.

[Orchard]

Smart move. Subpoenaing them for their revenue data - this will instantly disprove Sony's "oh woe is me, we're bankrupt without Activision" stance.

[blackblades]

Wasnt it you or was it someone else said it'll go threw smoothly. It doesnt seem like its going smoothly whoever thought it would. I would go back to check but its not worth it.

[Orchard]

I said it will go through but only with concessions in court.

Whether you consider that smoothly or not is up to you :P

[MrNinosan]

Yepp, he changed his wording last couple of months, but from the beginning it was a smoth walk, and lately it's been with some terms etc.

[-Foxtrot]

"oh woe is me"

Lol. You mean Microsofts ENTIRE counter defence through all this.

[Outside_ofthe_Box]

Exactly, Microsoft is the one that's like "oh woe is me Sony won't let us compete by letting us remove a slew of multiplat games from their platform."

[-Foxtrot]

Oh totally

I mean say what you want about Sony and their response to all this BUT think about it, if they were that wrong, if they had no point at all it would have been easy as hell for Microsoft to bitch slap them down a peg or two, enough for Sony to back off but here's the thing, what has Microsoft done? Oh yeah, their counter claims have literally been about talking shit and down playing themselves

That they are small as a company
Downplayed Gamepass
Said Sony's exclusives were better
That franchises like Elder Scrolls or their new IP Starfield were only "mid sized games"

So they just made it easy for Sony rather than getting into some well thought out counter claims

[shinoff2183]

Elder scrolls is by no means a mid size game

As of March 2022 Todd Howard said it had sold 30 million copies. That is not a mid size game. Ms is trying to hard and it's making them look bad even though being born in the 80s I grew up during the 80s and 90s I know ms is shiesty

[Fragslayer]

Meh you all have your points but they just dont hold. Yes how they are acquiring exclusives should irritate some people. Im not rich and own almost every console made (long time hobby). But your points are moot I expected this to be a spectacle but in the end it should go through. Cause your the same people who have said Xbox sucks cause it has no exclusives blah blah blah. Now people are irritated that long established IPs potentially could be. If MS is smart they should keep COD multi plat I honestly don't see them not doing so. They aren't jumping out the gate with that cause maybe Sony and the rest of these hoops (FTC) will demand more I dunno honestly. Really MS just wants the Devs to compete cause if your saying Sony's exclusives arent better when you referred to MS argument your in Denial. Starfield you haven't lost anything its a new IP amd Sony would have done the SAME thing. Sony is to established to it any other way right now and MS is heavily invested. I accepted having to buy all the consoles to get everything I want. If this doesn't go through then the FTC and people like you are the problem in this world. Competition helps anything period especially gaming. The Sega Nintendo battle was epic and really gave us great stuff. COD i see staying multiplat and just hitting Gamepass cause clearly that's MS goldem goose. If not then sure its stupid and i feel for Sony loyalists but still don't think it ahould stop anything. I don't see you anyone saying its bs Sony is keeping FF off Xbox? I mean they just started getting it the remake was supposed to come to and isn't... throwing stones is just stupid ill enjoy FF on my PS5 but some of my friends can't. If your REALLY thinking Sony is a victim in this your batcrap crazy period. Won't bother checking with replies cause its so dumb im just sick of seeing these same responses to this. Just buy a Xbox to and welcome to 2022 forward. They even made it easy for you the the S bye bye now.

[Godmars290]

How is asking for examples of how the franchise is doing on Playstation consoles prior to the sale going to prove the sale wont effect anything?

[Asplundh]

The idea isn't to prove whether or not it will effect Sony, it's to determine just how much it would effect them. Microsoft is hoping that it will show that Sony would be in a healthy position even without ActiBlizz games.

[shinoff2183]

Orchy I don't think you know what your talking about just green knighting

[SoulWarrior]

"woe is me" when the one trying to acquire is spouting a loud of rubbish painting themselves as the poor little 2 trillion company that can't compete unless they can start a monopoly? :(

MS have done nothing but lie to get this pushed through, inflating Sony's exclusives, making baseless assumptions regarding the exclusity of some FF titles, playing themselves down as the little guy, already proving they can't be trusted, for example with Bethesda, first it was 3 years of CoD, then 10 years, then CoD will always ship on PS as long as it exists, which is it? All Phil does is lie and blow hot air.

[Vengeance1138]

Don't you mean Microsoft's "oh woe is me, we desperately need to own Actiblizz to compete" MS is beyond playing wounded dog alot more than Sony.

[ironmonkey]

It'll go smooth lol

[crazyCoconuts]

Does it have to go so far as bankrupt Sony for it to be considered "wrong"? Anyway, even with sales numbers, it's difficult to estimate how many people would leave Playstation if Minecraft, Doom, Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein AND Call of Duty suddenly were no longer available on the platform. Probably wouldn't bankrupt them but I don't know if that makes it "right"

[SurgicalMenace]

Some people just don't get when to concede....

[Christopher]

Dumb move. They're essentially asking for insider info which isn't going to happen.

I honestly can't believe you're saying anything supportive of this request when the equivalent sharing of Microsoft info would prove how they spend even more money with lesser results based on known spending and Microsoft's claims of being unable to compete.

How amazing Microsoft was killing it and winning this geration with the Series X and Game Pass, let alone breaking their own records, but now Sony is too powerful to be stopped and without ActiBlizz they can't compete.

[1Victor]

@christ “Dumb move. They're essentially asking for insider info which isn't going to happen. ”

I don’t think so it’s a smart move if they can learn how to manage their studios from Sony papers as they hope to, not knowing that the secret sauce is not on the papers it’s in their trust on their developers and the freedom they give them.
I can give you the recipe for my amaretto cheese cake after trying it but that doesn’t means you’ll have the experience to make it as good

[SullysCigar]

It is dumb.

They're essentially asking for their biggest competitor to be legally required to divulge inside information on how they plan to compete in the coming years.

You've got to expect that to rankle the CMA...

[Hofstaderman]

@ MrNinosan;Them goal posts not even moved to another field, they on another field in a galaxy located in alternate universe on a divergent timeline.

[S2Killinit]

MS gas been lying left and right just get this passed. I mean have at least a shred of decency for god’s sake. Trying to take multiplats.

[notachance]

looking at how people like you zealously defend XB even when they’re doing shit like this, I’m pretty sure they’re a religion or something.

Even Nintendo got lambasted to hell by their fans with mediocre console like Wii U, yet XB with 2 straight gens of shitty libraries still managed to have a devoted fan like you, truly amazing leadership from Phil.

[gold_drake]

u say that about sony
but ms is 'woe is me, we cant survive without exclusived so we need to buy them" stance.

[giovonni]

The title is nothing more but click bait, and to cause emotional reactions. Orchard you are correct, this is a smart move by Microsoft because it forces Sony to come to court and prove their statements. The title makes it seem like MS is asking for Sony’s help. When it’s really a request to come to court and prove your statements.

[Hofstaderman]

I’ve never seen so many disagrees…I think we have a record here

[ChiefofLoliPolice]

"Oh woe is me"

That's literally MS defense of this. Their ONLY defense.

[jonny897]

lol, no company will fall into such a trap and disclose internal details. Desperate Microsoft lawyers should try something else.

[Orchard]

It's not really a trap they can simply avoid though, you're legally required to answer a subpoena (unless the court overrides it).

[shinoff2183]

Your lawyer can also get the subpoena canceled under bs

[SurgicalMenace]

No company can force the disclosure of privileged information from a rival company unless there's proof of fraud, tampering, or damage caused.

[ConsoleAgnostic]

How is this desperate? Sony is openly contesting the acquisition and absolutely should be called to answer questions. Let's be real here, if this was reversed and Sony was buying Activision, 90% of this site would be jumping for joy. In addition, Sony would 100% not allow any of Activision's games on other console. 🤦

[SullysCigar]

And yet Bungie is now owned by Sony and they've openly confirmed they will never take the Destiny franchise from Xbox...go figure.

"Let's be real here" - yeah, lets: do you think asking for your main competitor to divulge their future competitive strategies is good form and that the FTC will see it that way? Or the CMA? If you do, you probably also thought it was wise for the MS lawyers to publicly accuse the FTC of acting against the constitution lol

[BlackTar187]

lol console that was a load of fan fiction

[LoveSpuds]

This from MS who point nrefuse to publish any details regarding sales etc.

I am sure I had previously seen an article that showed how much revenue COD made for each of the platforms? Regardless, it seems like the kind of data that MS could easily access now they are acquiring the publisher. As for Sony's finances, they publish those details annually so again, this seems like MS throwing their weight around to me.

[FallenAngel1984]

I had to do a spit take when I read the headline

My side hurts from laughing so hard

[SullysCigar]

I lmao too! It's actually pathetic at this stage and yet you'll still get people saying things like, "oh yeah, smart move, the bestest lawyers, 5D chess, checkmate biaatch"!

Utterly deluded.

[Elda]

LMAO!!! 🤣 🤣

[Godmars290]

Can't tell if that desperate, or trying to trap a rival in hypocrisy

[AuraAbjure]

Sony owes Microsoft one. Sony contracting with Microsoft to use their Azure Cloud services helped both Sony and Microsoft edge Google out of the console gaming market. I recognize that both parties Microsoft and Sony benefitted from that alliance, like how every alliance works.

[BehindTheRows]

Sony owes them nothing. That's not even how business works.

"You 'contracted' with us, so you should help us in our legal fights? Did Microsoft ever help Sony in any legal battles?

[Godmars290]

Means nothing. Especially when Sony pays to use them.

And neither of them did nothing to Google. They messed that up all on their own.

If anything, if MS held console rivalry against Sony for using their servers, how would THAT be a massive red flag in letting MS have COD? Buying up major 3rd parties in general?

[Christopher]

Sony paid Microsoft for services so Sony owes Microsoft for helping Microsoft earn money?

[jlove4life]

Russia was an ally of US in World War 2 how did that pan out oh wait the cold War and now Ukraine an ally today can be an a hole enemy tomorrow says history

[AuraAbjure]

@Christopher That Azure business venture between Sony and Microsoft helped Sony more than Microsoft because the PlayStation Now service clinched the cloud gaming market for home consoles. Xbox Cloud gaming can stream straight to cell phones w/o an intermediary, unlike PlayStation Remote Play which does require an intermediary i.e. at least an owned console, or a computer and SteamLink. In an alternate reality where PlayStation Now didn't have the power of Azure to allure prospective customers away from Stadia, Stadia would still exist, and it would be eating into PlayStation's lunch. Meanwhile, Xbox would still be capable of competing directly with Stadia, thanks to Azure.

[SullysCigar]

Total hogwash.

[IRetrouk]

Azure wasn't used, they went with amazon again....
A memorandum of understanding is not an alliance, its an agreement to talk about one, it clearly went nowhere as sonys still using aws.

[Christopher]

*** That Azure business venture between Sony and Microsoft helped Sony more than Microsoft because the PlayStation Now service clinched the cloud gaming market for home consoles.***

Pardon me?

https://9to5google.com/2023...

https://www.techradar.com/n...

[gerbintosh]

Lets be real here. MS and Sony did not take Google out of the gaming market, Google did that to themselves with their horrible business model

[Angyobangyo]

No they don’t. They using a service the Ms offers and are paying to use it just like ASOS, Airbnb, Coca Cola, Dell, Expedia, General Motors, HSBC, Hilton, Nike, Oracle, and Starbucks.

[AuraAbjure]

@IRetrouk Sony never even incorporated Azure into their network? Well if that's a matter of fact, then my OP is incorrect hah.

[dmonee]

As long as i can get diablo 4 on PS5, idc what happens

[Hofstaderman]

Once I heard about the battle pass I scratched Diablo off my “to buy” list for 2023.

[SullysCigar]

Same, that ship sailed as soon as Diablo Immoral started raking in the cash. D4 will be turd unless you like being rinsed.

[DarkZane]

There are no pay to win microtransactions in Diablo 4. The only kind of microtransactions are cosmetics.

[shinoff2183]

Ms has 23 studios. Wtf guys get your own sh together. You have more then the competition your trying to buy games away from. What gives. They should have 4 to 6 games coming out yearly from their own studios. They don't need to go buying up PUBLISHERS(key word,all you well sony buys studios to guys) period.

[Lore]

Sony’s lawyers also apparently dogged on Microsoft’s by informing them that they subpoena’d them incorrectly

[SullysCigar]

Lmao how embarrassing - I would have done too!

[MrDead]

MS spending billions, not on making games but on making gaming library's smaller on competing platforms

As true as it was 20 years ago as it is today, U.S. District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, Microsoft Corp. uses monopoly power to harm potential competitors could accelerate a dilution of the company’s once-unquestioned dominance over the software industry. "Microsoft has demonstrated that it will use its prodigious market power and immense profits to harm any firm that insists on pursuing initiatives that could intensify competition against one of Microsoft's core products,"

[Kakashi Hatake]

Doesn't look good for MS if they're going to Sony for help on this.

[Hofstaderman]

Somewhere, on some beach Ken Kutaragi just sprayed his margarita while laughing at this.

[plmkoh]

That's why Microsoft can never be the top platform, Sony is forever living rent free in the mind of the executives.

They should instead invest in being it's own. Gamers respond well to authenticity.

[ZwVw]

Clickbait title. A subpoena isn't "asking for help." It's literally MS issuing Sony a deposition to provide facts or documents that them purchasing Acti-Blizz would be anti-consumer or a monopoly.

[SullysCigar]

Yes. They're asking for inside information from a competitor that's give them the run-around for decades. Seems perfectly legit lol

Do you think MS would ask for this information if wouldn't help? Of course not. Hence why they "look to Sony for help". It would help you understand if you hadn't misquoted the title. Your profile pic is so apt right now.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Sony ain't going nothing Microsoft please stop getting desperate and accept your L imo.

[giovonni]

Asking someone to prove what they say is now a sense of desperation? Sony made a few statements one of them being “ MS buying Activision Blizzard will allow MS to raise console prices” and “ the acquisition will also hurt customers, competitors, and Independent sectors” This has to be proven with adequate evidence. Just because someone says these things doesn’t make it true. That’s what this subpoena is for. Come to court and prove your stance with strong evidence. For example, I told a loan company if I continued to pay on my loan I’d go bankrupt. You think they took my word for it? Hell no, I got subpoenaed to come to court. Now in the mean time in between time a deal could be struck before the court date. MS is smart for doing this because it pushes Sony to prove what they say. If they don’t show or say anything MS will throw it out and continue to push to close on the deal.

[GamingSinceForever]

The FTC is the plaintiff not Sony.

[giovonni]

Gamingsinceforever it doesn’t matter. A subpoena is a legal written document ordering an individual/company to either attend a court hearing or produce documentation in advance of that hearing. Microsoft wants Sony to prove what they are saying as evidence against the FTC. Since Sony has a lot to say on the matter and feel they will be effected prove it. If they can’t MS will eliminate Sony’s claims and push on to close

[GamingSinceForever]

Do we know that Sony is the only argument that the FTC is making here? I believe Sony is only a portion of the whole argument.

Now I am sure Sony could easily provider more than enough information to support their claim. Activision came out and said it themselves that Sony was their largest customer. Let’s not act like ABK isn’t important to Sony’s ecosystem, because we all know that taking away those franchises would cause a significant shift in the market.

The Zenimax deal will make a difference alone. It just hasn’t been felt yet because they haven’t released a single game since the deal.

[giovonni]

Gamingsinceforever to answer your question, no we know Sony isn’t the only one, however the others aren’t as vocal as Sony who is a direct competitor , not to mention the leading competitor. The point of this is for Sony, to provide proof to back up their claims that console prices will raise, consumers will truly be negatively effected, and also prove that Sony will be unable to compete. As specially, When MS guaranteed that COD would not be exclusive to Xbox, and even offered a ten year deal to keep it on a Sony console, which was rejected. As far as providing the evidence maybe they can, I’m not Sony I don’t work for them so I can’t say they can or can not. However, if Sony has it they should share it asap and be done with it.

[gold_drake]

so pathetic haha.

[computeSci]

The title should be: Microsoft looks to Sony... for help in its defense against FTC lawsuit.

You guys are making it seemed like Microsoft is crying to Sony for help. However, as it turns out, it's to help them, Microsoft, in their defense against the FTC lawsuit.

Many of you guys are reading it the wrong way. Definitely clickbatable.

[giovonni]

Exactly, Sony has a lot to say in this matter, and they’re one of the thorns in the side of MS with this purchase. by Subpoena they are pushing Sony to provide documentation. it’s like a put up or shut up kill two Birds with one stone kind of thing.

[Vanfernal]

"Microsoft looks to Sony for help"... By slapping them with a subpoena? Funny way of asking for help lol.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Slapping them with a subpoena to provide proof of what they are claiming

[BlackTar187]

Still isn’t them “asking for help”

[ChasterMies]

I assume the folks at gamedeveloper.com know how lawsuits work and they are just clickbaiting us.

[MegaLogic]

LMAO, talk about a spin, this is actually awful for Sony as they now have to turn over senstive info, huge fail for Sony

[z2g]

definitely didn't see that one coming.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

This is a good move.

Sony will need to prove all the statements they have made regarding the acquisition in financial statements. Brilliant!

[BlackTar187]

You don’t know that.

[esherwood]

Seems crazy because Microsoft definitely seems behind Sony

[anast]

Gaming will suffer if MS gains control.

[silkylove]

The same thing happened with the Epic v Apple lawsuit. A bunch of subpoenas put everybody’s business in the street.

[Vithar]

what a shit show lol i don't even care anymore

[wiz7191]

Lol I don’t think they need their help for anything , it’s more fact since Sony is so vocal against the deal show up in court to plead your case or shut up. They can’t now say that Microsoft wouldn’t cut them a good deal , everything will be out in the open. Including what ever deal Microsoft proposed to Sony.

[ChiefofLoliPolice]

Whoa...I had to do a double take! Just when I thought MS couldn't get more desperate. I said it before and I will say it again. "They are just buying up big name publishers with world renown IPs under their belt just so they make them exclusive and make Gamepass more appealing". You cannot expect people to believe your going to pay tens of billions of dollars and continue to make the games multi platform.

[mastershredder]

This shi7 is hilarious, doubled by asinine comments from devotee-fandom-yahooville. Just awesome. Love watching this bullet-time trainwreck, where even with bullet-time peeps be f-ing up, HARD lol.

[purple101]

This whole thing leaves a real bad taste in the mouth.

What a sh*Tshow

[Redrocket]

It's still will happen like it or not. Let's just be honest here.

[LucidIllusion]

......really?