Germany probes Microsoft's market power

techcrunch writes: "The Federal Cartel Office (FCO), aka the Bundeskartellamt, has announced it’s opened a proceeding to determine whether special abuse measures can be applied to the company’s business in Germany — citing Microsoft’s extensive digital ecosystem which it noted cuts across multiple markets, including operating systems and office software; cloud computing; gaming; professional networking; Internet search; and — latterly — novel AI applications."

[SullysCigar]

So Microsoft are being investigated by the anti-trust authority. It sounds like they might apply a special abuse control regime to Microsoft, like with some of the other tech giants.

EDIT @Crimson, below: I don't think this is to be conflated with the ABK acquisition. There's no mention to any particular transaction, but rather keeping an eye on reach and scope, like it did with Google and Meta, for example.

[CrimsonWing69]

They were just approved in Japan by the Japanese Fair Trade Commission.

I think with all of the drama Sony generated this is just Germany doing their due diligence and standard procedures.

I mean if they’re going after Microsoft as a whole with Windows and whatnot, good luck, you’ll then need to go after Apple and macOS.

[blacktiger]

Sony didn't create the drama it was FTC first. I feel bad for ms and Sony fanboys

[MrDead]

That's why there have been calls for over 20 years for MS to be broken up, too much influence in any industry they decide to enter.

Leveraging dominance from one market into another.

[Aloymetal]

Cancer spreads faster than a wild fire.

[The3faces]

lol

[theindiearmy]

Microsoft has been broken up for many years already. They've been broken up into independent divisions for some time now. Also, you clearly didn't following the calls for the break up closely. Because the calls didn't really come from regulators for being too influential. They come from investors and shareholders wanting them to operate with more modern standards and methods to better compete with the likes of Alphabet.

[MrDead]

"Microsoft has been broken up for many years already."

They where ordered to, but never did

"the calls didn't really come from regulators for being too influential. They come from investors and shareholders"

US District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson was not an investor or shareholder. "Thomas P. Jackson, the former federal judge who in 2000 ruled that Microsoft should be split into two companies as punishment for monopolistic business practices" it was overturned by a federal appeals court.

"They've been broken up into independent divisions for some time now."

Like the Xbox division is independent from Azure? I suppose MS firing people from Xbox and Bethesda a few weeks ago because of lower than expected growth in Azure was just a dream.

[rlow1]

Which would only benefit other countries like China.

[theindiearmy]

MrDead, that was before they did it themselves. Again, MS has been operating under multiple divisions/brands for many years. It's no different than Meta or Alphabet having multiple divisions/brands.

Again, the calls didn't really come from regulators. That doesn't mean there wasn't one. You happen to be referencing the ONE TIME a regulators did and it failed because there was no legal reason for them to break up. All the other dozens of times it was called for came from investors and shareholders.

[Lightning77]

Has nothing to do with ABK. Not sure why they're approving none gaming news on here

[SullysCigar]

Nobody said it's to do with ABK. It's wider than that, but ABK will still factor, because they're looking at Microsoft.

If you're not happy, use the report function. This might be a shock, but there is actually gaming news outside of ABK.

[SullysCigar]

^ @Lightning77, If you read the article, you'd see they are investigating Microsoft in it's entirety and mention XBOX DIVISION. Why are you struggling to comprehend?

^ @343, whatever, just report it using the report function if you really don't get it. I just spoon fed the other guy, I'm not reporting it for you as well.

[Christopher]

"It's not gaming-related!"

The article literally mentions reviewing Microsoft gaming and cloud gaming businesses. FY reports from Microsoft also aren't gaming news, but we post those because it includes their gaming business.

[Lightning77]

Ok so talk about it what does this mean? How will effect Xbox? Will it effect Xbox? What will come out of this? Why should PS or Xbox fans care overall.

Since you're so smart.

[Christopher]

***Ok so talk about it ***

The article literally tells you what it means.

"proceeding to determine whether special abuse measures can be applied to the company’s business in Germany — citing Microsoft’s extensive digital ecosystem which it noted cuts across multiple markets, including operating systems and office software; cloud computing; gaming;"

"Such a finding would allow us to take action at an early stage and prohibit possible anti-competitive practices."

"dialling up the regulator’s ability to act against anti-competitive behavior by drawing on updated powers which are designed to target digital giants with so-called “paramount significance for competition across markets”."

"The German regime offers a taster of what’s coming down the pipe across the European Union as the Digital Markets Act (DMA) comes into application later this year."

So tl;dr , it's reviewing Microsoft as a whole, which includes gaming and cloud gaming and the result is more restrictive anti-competitive applications for the company.

[shinoff2183]

Microsoft’s extensive digital ecosystem which it noted cuts across multiple markets, including operating systems and office software; cloud computing; gaming; professional networking; Internet search; and — latterly — novel AI applications."

Says gaming right in there. Might bot be related to abk specifically but gaming sure

[SullysCigar]

^ @Lighning77, you're beyond help at this stage. Multiple people have tried to explain, but it's obviously beyond your scope of comprehension. It's not your fault, but it's nobody here's fault either. Just move on.

[jznrpg]

@Lightning it means you choose to believe whatever makes you feel better and facts are secondary

[itsmebryan]

@Lightnng
They have to find something negative to say about Microsoft on thus site. Yet, I haven't seem any articles on Japan approving the the ABK deal or much on the US accusing Sony of being a monopoly in Japan.

[Christopher]

Seriously? You people create your own fantasy worlds.

https://n4g.com/news/254342...

https://n4g.com/news/254269...

https://n4g.com/news/254331...

Every single one of those is hotter than this news bit. People need to stop acting like victims when one bit of bad news pops up. The ABK news has pretty much been dunking on Sony most of the time, and for some good reasons, but this isn't about ABK but it is about a form of regulation that would apply to Xbox.

[Hofstaderman]

Trust the Germans to spark something off…I kids

[EvertonFC]

zeeee Germans 🤣😂 halt, went to Germany before lockdown, great place Berlin ☺️

[Hofstaderman]

Nein, MicroSuft. We spielen Sony 😂

[CrimsonWing69]

Please tell me that’s a Snatch reference, because if it is, you totally get bonus points. Lol.

Love that movie!

[Thundercat77]

The company accusing Sony yo have a monopoly in Japan has a probe for its marketing power.

How ironic.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

So Microsoft is investigated for monopoly I'm not surprised tbh

[TheKingKratos]

What a shit show this whole thing turned to be

I miss the days where we used to hear about new games and new exciting features in games ... I truly hate Microsoft and Phil Spencer and Jim Rayen
Life would be much better if all three just go away

[SullysCigar]

Agree! All the actual gaming news gets pushed to the background and you have to dig for it, because they're too busy playing monopoly to just COMPETE, like any normal company. Be better, gain the trust of your consumers by providing what they WANT. Anti-trust lawsuits here, there and everywhere will have the opposite effect!

[TheKingKratos]

True, this sux