FTC is appealing ruling that cleared Microsoft to buy Activision Blizzard

All eyes are now on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

[darthv72]

Everyone get your popcorn ready...

[1Victor]

called it 🤣 this is going up to the Supreme Court and they’ll have the last say so till then get a nice comfy chair this is going to keep goin till next year

[--Onilink--]

The supreme court actually chooses their own cases and not everything can actually get to the level of the supreme court.
This is probably the only level of appeal that this is going to go through (you cant really keep appealing to infinity) and I dont think anyone really expected the FTC to not appeal just as MS obviously appealed in the UK.
Ultimately, the most likely scenario at this point in time and mentioned by the article is that its really unlikely (if not impossible) for the Court of Appeals to rule on anything before July 14 which is when the TRO to prevent MS to close the deal expires. At the end of the day, people need to remember this ruling was for the injunction the FTC wanted, the actual antitrust case is a separate thing. The injunction is failing, the TRO will probably expire before an appeal is processed.

MS will close the deal between the 14th and the 18th, they will probably do some legal maneuvering in the UK in the meantime and the antitrust case from the FTC will continue (assuming they choose to go ahead with it) on August 2nd as its always been meant to and if the FTC somehow were to win that, then the merger would have to be dissolved.

[n1kki6]

That's not how it works. An appeal needs to be granted.

[derek]

The ninth circuit is one of the federal appeals courts directly below the Supreme Court.

[Markdn]

Microsoft played the we are the underdog card and the judge fell for the line of crap.
We are so week Sony are making our lives difficult.

Apple Networth 2966 Billio Dollars
Microsoft Networth 2297 billion dollars
Sony Networth. 110 billion Dollars
Nintendo Networth 95 Billion Dollars.

Sorry but who is the underdog.?

Gaming wise true Microsoft are losers but never let them. Say there the underdog at anything. Phil put on the waterworks and milked it.

Let's be honest Microshaft could buy both Sony and Nintendo but that wouldn't get approval any where in the world, so the next thi g you do is try and make them worthless and stopping software landing on there system.

CMA seen this and Microsoft already has a monopoly on operating systems software. So handing them big company ies like Activision is so anti consumer you guys just don't realise it. I hope the deal. Goes through then the FTC win the case and then they have to dissolve the merger. Wait for the fall out from that chaos. Companies are gonna disappear.

[Neonridr]

Appeal was just denied apparently.

[Bobertt]

It makes sense the Judge's son literally worked for Microsoft so she had a huge conflict of interest and shouldn't have even been given the case or recused herself. Hopefully the Judge for the appeal is less corrupt.

[Tedakin]

The judge told everyone BEFORE the case her son worked at MS and offered to recuse herself. FTC chose her to be the judge, MS wanted the case in DC. The FTC had a chance to make her recuse herself and they said they trusted her to give a fair ruling. Now they're mad cause they didn't get their way.

[Abracadabra]

@Bobertt

It has been explained several times, and you continue insisting on the same thing over and over again... stubborn much!

[InUrFoxHole]

@Tedakin
💯

[1Victor]

@n1kki:”That's not how it works. An appeal needs to be granted.”

The U.S. Courts of Appeal hear appeals from lower courts of both civil and criminal trials, but do not investigate the facts of a case. Rather, the Appeals Courts investigate whether or not the law has been fairly and correctly applied by the lower courts.

That’s what they do and they do oral hearings if the ftc got a good lawyer that can explain verbally (the dumbest down the oral argument and the better answer will win it )the risks of the purchase and future implications/impacts to the public they surely got a chance to stop it and then Microsoft will take it to the Supreme Court if the 9th circuit stop the purchase

[Christopher]

Perhaps they should have presented a stronger case in the first place?

[theindiearmy]

Got to go back a few steps before that. They need to go back to actually finding a strong case. Can't present one if you don't even have one.

[outsider1624]

It's never gonna be over is it?

Anyway pass the popcorn..

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

I predict this crap is going to drag out for years before it either fails or gets approved.

[Abracadabra]

FTC's objective is delay, delay and more delays until the deadline.

[-Foxtrot]

Literally not surprised

They FTC has been in hot water in the past after letting Ticketmaster & LiveNation merger go through as well as WarnerBros & Discovery one without any "real" opposition from them. It's funny though that now they do oppose something, basically doing their job and people still bitch...just like people with the CMA.

[blackblades]

People always gonna bitch look at GaboonViper below hes bitching. You bitch everytime there's live service related. That how the world works these days. People gonna bitch about FTC appealing.

[-Foxtrot]

What was the point of bringing me up in this? Seriously what actual relevance is there in that apart from having a sly dig.

I bitch about GaaS and Live Service Games because whether it's MS, Sony or third party they are shitty, there's literally no benefit to them. I give a shit about the gaming industry to not buy into them and feed the cycle.

This is totally different, they were being blasted for "not doing their job" and now it's prompted them to go full on in with this one.

[Crows90]

bitching about other people bitching...revolutionary!

[Stanjara]

He should complain. Who are you to say who can bitch or not?

[blackblades]

Stop spinning what i said Stanjara. He could bitch all he wants never said he couldn't same for others.

[S2Killinit]

At this point its too late though. They should have done their job right at trial. This is pointless, unless they are attacking the judge for not recusing herself (assuming that was at issue)

Regardless, I hope MS and activision choke on this merger and it goes terribly for both of them.

[S2Killinit]

Dont forget the telecommunications giants. FTC couldn't stop those mergers. Now the cellphone company rips you off, cable overcharges, and internet strong arms the consumer.

[OptimusDK]

Well it is just stupid as this is nothing the same. MS is the small guy in gaming. SONY and Nintendo are the big brothers. We have allways been seeing that MS has no games - now they are trying to change that and putting it into a service that you can choose or not. It is an offer if you want - free choice.

But now it is to much - eventhough this is how SONY got big in the first place competing with Sega and Nintendo. Sony invented the whole buy exclusivity with Tomb rainder etc. And this is not even dooin that as they promissed the biggest game to come to SONY platforms the nexst 10 years. People need to chill. It is a big waste of taxpayers money. If you read the ruling FTC cold not produce any evidence of harm at all - because there is no.

[S2Killinit]

MS is not the small guy if they are allowed to gobble up the industry with impunity and without restriction. They are only the small guy in terms of what they have achieved or produced for the industry.

MS relied so heavily on buying exclusivity that they decided to spend 69 Billion to eat up what was previously multiplatform gaming for ALL gamers, instead of developing their own. They continue this w VR.

FTC is incompetent, their lawyers are not on the level of those that defend the mega corporations.

[FinalFantasyFanatic]

@OptimusDK,
In all honesty, this is one of the few cases where I'm happy to "waste" taxpayers money, I've been dicked over by monopolies, even duopolies enough, that spending money on this doesn't bother me.

@S2Killinit,
Of course, the mega corporations can afford a slew of lawyers, multiples of the best lawyers money can buy, and they will find every loop hole that exists to win the case.

[Huey_My_D_Long]

I like this guy. Gets the bigger picture. This whole thing isn't just about video games or MS. This needs to stop. Corps have to much power over the consumer and the worker, and we are tired with our watchdogs and government regulators just being fucking useless.

[JackBNimble]

You guy's think you're getting ripped off for your cellphone and internet charges?
I'm not going to say you're not but just Google what a Canadian has to pay just for basic cellphone service and you might reconsider that opinion.

[ChasterMies]

The FTC’s enforcement of antitrust changes with each administration. Vote elephant and you get almost zero enforcement of antitrust laws. Vote donkey and you get an FTC with teeth.

[BlackTar187]

Lmao sure

[GaboonViper]

I am sick to f**king death of hearing about this shit, just close or block the damn thing.

[blackblades]

You can always ignore and not come into the articles

[sadraiden]

Right, but when 75% of the articles every single day on N4G is about the MS AB buyout, it's getting grating.

[Asplundh]

....

I have nothing to say, I just wanted you to get dinged with a notification so that you could click it and hear about this again.

[shinoff2183]

Hold up, you can get notifications if someone replies , I never knew and I been here for years lol.

[shinoff2183]

Or stop clicking

[Crows90]

Hearing about what?
Pretty sure you read about it...

: )

[YodaCracker]

The restraining order to close is lifted on Friday and Activision is being delisted from the Nasdaq on Monday:

https://www.globenewswire.c...

All signs point to this closing on Monday. Too little, too late for the FTC. Either Microsoft already reached an agreement with the CMA or they’re closing over them.

[S2Killinit]

The CMA will make a deal, that was always going to be the case.

[Amplitude]

I agree i couldn't care less about the court case.
The news that gets leaked directly from it is pretty sick though.

[ClayRules2012]

Agreed.

[AngainorG7X]

I guess they want that smoke again 🤣

[slate91]

😭😭😭

[Ryuk_2007]

“You could not live with your own failure. And where did that bring you? Back to me.” -Thanos

[StarkR3ality]

Well they need to bring a stronger argument to the table this time round. That hearing was like Amber Heard's legal team part 2. Highly probable the appeal will get denied I reckon, FTC are a shambles.

[shinoff2183]

I upvoted cause the amber heard legal team comment. Lol.

Idk enough about the ftc to know if there in shambles.

[StarkR3ality]

Take one look at Disney and that tells you everything about their competence at their jobs.

Not saying the ABK Xbox merger is that level, but they focused too much on cod and things that Xbox already made concessions on, was beating a dead horse, the judge told them to stop asking the same questions over and over multiple times.

Jokes man.

[S2Killinit]

FTC lawyers are not on the same level as the lawyers that protect the mega corporations because they dont know anything about the industry that they go up against. The corporations’ lawyers are the opposite, the industry is all they know and they have access to all information and verbiage that the corporation provides them. FTC never stands a chance.

[franwex]

Ok. I guess we shall wait to hear the ruling of the Supreme Court.

[XiNatsuDragnel]

Might as well give 3 billion to Activision already Microsoft.

[Blashted]

Honestly a waste of taxpayer money at this point and their points are moot. FTC had terrible arguments to begin with and now they are wasting time knowing full well this appeal will go nowhere.

[SICKINDIVIDUAL]

They HAVE to appeal and the next judge will do much better for gamers.

[Lightning77]

In what way exactly? They've exhausted all the major points already.

[BrainSyphoned]

Yes the government does nothing for regular people but the next judge will move heaven and earth to make sure we get all the shooter bro gamers locked into one location to keep them safe from society. On second thought this is a good idea and should be passed post haste.

[SICKINDIVIDUAL]

^^^^ TRIGGERED 😯

[CrimsonWing69]

@Lightning77

Shhhhh don't try to speak with logic and rationale when fanboys are just seeing this as a football match and talk without knowing anything about the situation at hand.

I'd assume the mentality is, "boo hoo we're losing a game and it's not fair!!!" This judge is anti-gamer, let's not even speak of the law and the decision based on the law. It's purely anti-consumer and whaaahhh not fair.

[SICKINDIVIDUAL]

^^^^^ 100% VIRGIN.

[SPEAKxTHExTRUTH]

I’m sure MS saw this coming.

[AmUnRa]

I'am shure they didn't, the verdict was just out and on Twitter MS and Kontick where beating theyr chest and spouting the same PR....

[gunfan]

That's exactly what it is PR. I assure you that the lawyers know this could happen.

[SPEAKxTHExTRUTH]

Doesn’t mean they didnt see an appeal coming. What are they supposed to do after a win act like they are waiting for an appeal in public? How smart would that be…

[MEGANE]

At this point I really don’t care, but I was talking shit b4 so I don’t want the deal to happen.😂😂

[ClayRules2012]

😂😂 I respect the honesty.

[shadowknight203]

I don't understand why people would want to see this go through. Elimination of such a large competitor is not, not good for this industry period.

[shinoff2183]

Ding ding ding. I buy all consoles , prefer Sony, but still buy everything, I don't like cod , but this deal isn't good for anyone in the end. Buying large publishers isn't good for us just watch

[ApocalypseShadow]

It's not people. Just a certain group that never cared about the industry or their buying habits. They didn't care to stop paying for online when Microsoft started it that spread and affected all gamers if they want to play online on console. Even when told not to do it. They didn't care about buying horse armor. So now, micro transactions are all over the place, DLC, loot boxes, season passes. Affects almost everyone and multiple games.

They didn't care and still looked back fondly about Microsoft's DRM 2013 as if Microsoft was going to really let them share games when you can't even share Windows. Didn't mind being watched by a camera for advertising. Loved swinging their hands in front of an inaccurate camera where you could win in racing games just by sitting still.

They now look forward to paying for subscriptions because they might save a little money initially until it comes back to but everyone in the ass. But these are the same individuals groomed on terrible games getting 6/10 like state of decay, crackdown, etc. No wonder they don't want to pay. They still get unfinished and low quality games today like Microsoft's flagship 500 million dollar Craig... I mean Halo Infinite, Red Fall, etc.

And now they are for Microsoft buying up multiple publishers to get a dig at Sony and their base because Sony has been whooping Microsoft's ass for years. They want payback for Sony working hard and making better games than the competition. They have no problem with games being taking away from gamers who actually buy games. If their base did, Microsoft would be reporting the numbers. And we know by NPD that they don't.

FTC sucks at their job allowing all these mega mergers and acquisitions. But it's not something we haven't seen before of a large company getting away with corruption because they are too big to fail.

[Chevalier]

Well not the most insightful people so not surprising that they would cheer this on as if it's a good thing. But it makes sense selfish company and same of their fans.

[Lightning77]

"They didn't care to stop paying for online when Microsoft started it that spread and affected all gamers if they want to play online on console. Even when told not to do it."

How can gamers stop MS from charging them for online back in 2002 when it was something brand new and exciting for Xbox fans and the industry? Did you really expect backlash?

"They didn't care about buying horse armor."

As usual you're making things up. Horse armor was the first harmful DLC overpaying for cosmetics. What universe do you live in there wasn't crazy backlash for it? Videos news article etc I really shouldn't have to explain any of this it's well documented. Despite the backlash it didn't stop people at large for over pricing everything.

"Didn't mind being watched by a camera for advertising. Loved swinging their hands in front of an inaccurate camera where you could win in racing games just by sitting still."

Wait what? Lol I've never seen that you really are a funny guy.

In terms of Halo. That franchise has been ran to the ground. Part of the reason why Bungie left they didn't want to exhaust themselves making that game forever. Now the IP is as a series is practically no more except for new seasons and releasing content.

Whoevers genius idea it was to make Redfall is probably gone now. Telling a single player focus studio to make multiplayer LS game was never gonna go well. Regardless it is a stain on Xbox regardless who's fault it was.

[ravens52]

"How can gamers stop MS from charging them for online back in 2002 when it was something brand new and exciting for Xbox fans and the industry? Did you really expect backlash?"

Stuff like this too, they swear Xbox was the 1st to do things it wasn't. Brand new and exciting for the industry? Getting charged to play online was exciting? Cause Xbox sure wasn't the 1st console to have online. An online service maybe but not online.

[Lightning77]

Dreamcast had it first and Xbox made it main stream. You can't expect backlash if online gaming was something that hasn't been experienced to the masses yet.

[cheetah]

The only people that want it to go through are the ones driven by spite or greed. It is a terrible idea, and I won't support it out of principle. It will ultimately fail though because all MS will be left with in 10 years is the names, all the talent will leave and start up or join new businesses.

I got to watch Disney destroy Lucasfilm and don't really care anymore, just move on with new games from Sony studios. Doom, Diablo, COD dead to me.

[TheKingKratos]

I could care less about Activision or Microsoft or COD for that matter ... I didn't buy a single COD game over 10 years ago

I still don't get why this is good for gamers though as Xbox fanboys say ... I want a logical reasoning behind this

[WelkinCole]

Well its for MS shareholders as well as for xbox fanboys that love blocking games they were going to get anyways from being on a different platform

As we have seen with MS once they dominate they start doing anti consumer shit to milk as much as possible without any actual effort

[maniacmayhem]

*Elimination of such a large competitor*

Exactly how would they be eliminated? They would be even more of a competitor against the largest market leader.

The only people who don't want this are sony loyalist/fanboys who still want to hold on to bragging rights of Sony having more studios. Now that MS has more there's even more potential for them to gain an advantage over Sony.

I keep reading how the deal isn't good, not one person has explained why without resorting to fantasy land, made up scenarios filled with their personal hate of Microsoft being some evil galactic empire.

I keep reading how this is bad for gamers and yet I haven't read one real instance where this was the case.

[ApocalypseShadow]

You wouldn't understand it or fain ignorance even if we did explain it.

Never has consolidation lead to lower prices. Costumers will see an initial benefit. But it'll cost in the end. Even warning you what will happen doesn't seem to get through the concrete.

Ask gamers if they benefit from EA having a monopoly on ESPN, sports athletes, licenses to logos, images, etc? Do you really have a choice or options in licensed sports games? Does EA lower their prices on football after running Visual Concepts off with 2K? Since buying their racing competitors, when was the last release of a new Burnout game? But EA more than happily makes them work on Need for Speed.

But you act like you can't figure out why or what we're talking about.

[maniacmayhem]

*You wouldn't understand it or fain ignorance even if we did explain it. *

I swear, you guys say the same thing every, single, time.

The reason why you can't explain is because it would be nothing more than fanboy jibberish, "MS is bad, MS doesn't care about gaming, MS this, MS that." but there would be no real reason as yo what gamers would lose.

*Never has consolidation lead to lower prices.*

And when has it led to that otherwise? As we can see everyone from Nintendo, Sony down to the world is raising prices.

You bring up EA and Madden as if to say this is the same and it's not. You're reaching for thin straws, because no one has lowered their prices, not even developers that are exclusive to one platform.

[BlackTar187]

Maniac- he did explain and his argument is correct. There has never been a time where things get cheaper as a market consolidates. It is always the opposite because with no competition they get to dictate the price from the top down.

I almost guarantee the ps4 was as cheap as it was because they were in a close competition and lowered the price as a way to retain or gain market share. If they didn’t have competition and only one console was on the market it would have been a more expensive price. It’s simple logical steps.

[maniacmayhem]

@Blacktar

He's not correct, when was there ever an argument that consolidation would make things cheaper? Especially in terms of today's market where all prices are being raised, even outside of consolidation? So why would consolidation somehow be different?

*It is always the opposite because with no competition they get to dictate the price from the top down.*

But there will be competition, this is MS competing against Sony. There's nothing stopping Sony from competing against MS with their catalog of games and third party deals that they have been doing for all this time. This is the issue, a lot here are basing their arguments as if MS would control all of gaming and every game and that is NOT the case at all.

*I almost guarantee the ps4 was as cheap as it was because they were in a close competition*

Bad example, because both companies set their prices on market research and that doesn't explain why both Sony and MS raised their prices with their current consoles, was that also due to competition? Or was that because of where the market is today and inflation?

[ApocalypseShadow]

Answer the question. Did consolidation hurt gamers? Yes or no?

EA tried to compete with NFL 2K by lowering their price of Madden. When they locked up everything, they raised the price back up and it has never gone down since. It's actually increased in cost to buy Madden. While at the same time, Madden Football quality has diminished. There is no competition in many sports games because EA locked many things up for themselves. EA used their buying power over other 3rd parties and locked up things. Gamers lost the choice of different sports games with licenses.

As I said, you'd act ignorant even if we explained it to you. Microsoft wants to control popular franchises and have created a service that devalues games to compete. Once they gain control of the market, they will raise their pricing as they already have before releasing their own games. When more games come to it, it will go up even more.

When competition gets reduced, plan on spending more money in the end. But hey. Continue to play dumb. We expected you to.

[maniacmayhem]

*Answer the question. Did consolidation hurt gamers? Yes or no?*

No it did not, and your weak comparison and example doesn't support
your question.

Why are prices still rising for consoles and games despite there being no consolidation?

No one is being ignorant, your examples and reasonings are batshit stupid and as I said before and what you have proven, it devolved into BS fanboy "MS is bad" jibberish.

The whole license argument is different than actual competition and you KNOW this.

Anyone can make a war game to compete against CoD, anyone can make a first person shooter to compete against Doom, etc etc. These don't require licenses because no owns a genre unlike a specific brand like the NFL. A child would tell you this.

Can anyone just make a Spider Man game, or a Wolverine game? Is Sony consolidating the single player market on super heroes and ruining the industry because of this because they have permission from the license holder to do so? Is that why Sony games are now $70?

[Tedakin]

It's insane how many people keep going with the "The judge's son works at MS" narrative. The judge made it clear to everyone before the trial her son worked at MS and said it would not affect her decision, and offered to recuse herself. The FTC had no issues with this and in fact chose her to be the judge, and SF to be the location. MS wanted the trial in DC. The FTC was given the chance to make her recuse herself and didn't. Now they're mad that they lost.

[Kornholic]

That doesn't mean that the judge's family ties didn't influence the decision. Not at all.

[Tedakin]

Yes, but the FTC could have had her recuse herself and they didn't. They also chose San Francisco and that judge to oversee the case. They had their chance to speak up about this before the trial and didn't, and said they had no issue with it. So now that they didn't get their way suddenly it's a problem? Maybe the problem is their case was horrible and nothing they argued was valid.

[sagapo]

I’m curious on what ground the FTC is appealing now. Can’t be “judge’s son works at MS” as they knew this from the beginning right?
Would suprise me if the FTC wins this appeal.

[GrmpyolGamer]

Frivolous and dumb but it's not their money I suppose

[autobotdan]

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. And on fhd Eighth day God said "Let there be console wars and let them fight amongst each other"

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

I just don’t think the FTC is properly illustrating how Xbox has broken promises for over a decade; and the Zenimax deal already gives them an undeserved foothold (monopolizing the entire genre of Western AAA RPGs).

All evidence indicates they are likely to mismanage and disintegrate even MORE studios with this deal:

-they had Bungie, and they drove them away.
-they formed 343 to do what Bungie refused to do, and they managed to burn through $500 million making a game that somehow still lacks content.
-Gears dried up.
-if they didn’t buy Zenimax, then we would still be without a single AAA exclusive for “the world’s strongest console”.

I was worried that they would ruin DOOM III, and now I’m worried they’ll get rich off of CoD, Diablo 4, and Candy Crush sales while they ruin it, too.

Let them make a decent game this decade besides Forza before they take ownership of most Western-gaming revenue streams.

[darthv72]

... did they ruin Doom III?

As for getting rich off stuff they bought... that's the point. Pretty much everyone wants a return on investment. Nobody likes to lose $$.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

1) DOOM III hasn’t been announced, I’m just assuming it’s on the way because I haven’t killed Satan yet.

2) my last point is: let M$ MAKE a good game on their own this decade before they take ownership of most Western studios. Sony and Nintendo MAKE new games from scratch, pushing gaming further year after year; in contrast, M$ only buys games that are already more than halfway done… they do NOT create, they buy.

M$ has NOT pushed gaming forward in over a decade, and now they control the most studios BY FAR…. How does that bode well for the gaming community at large?

[Lightning77]

You're not making sense.

-if they didn’t buy Zenimax, then we would still be without a single AAA exclusive for “the world’s strongest console”.

First you complain they wouldn't have anything with out Bethesda. Which is the whole point of buying them.

Then you said they buy but don't create. Are you purposely ignoring Hell Blade2 green lighting the sequel? South Of Midnight? Clockwork Evolution? Avowed? Plus don't you know games take 4 to 6+ years to make?

You're just complaining just to complain.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

How has Sony and Nintendo managed to make a dozen great games for the ps5 and Switch, but we’re still going on 3 years of waiting for our first AAA for the XsX?

Microsoft had plenty of studios before Zenimax, they just had the worst rate of output.

Zenimax was a bandaid purchase… they still haven’t made anything from scratch. Hellblade 2 will go against this, but it will be dropping in the latter half of the console lifecycle….

Xbox makes people wait the most for its games, that’s just a fact. And this wasn’t always the case either…. It’s just the trend of the last decade.

I don’t drop $500 on a console to wait 3+ years for its first great game.

[Lightning77]

"on 3 years of waiting for our first AAA for the XsX?"

Did you miss the part where I said it takes 4 to 6+ years to make games? Hifi, most ppl don't count Redfall because it was a flop Starfield, Forza, next year Avowed, Hell Blade 2, Flight Simulator 2 and Battle borne are in 2024. Not latter half if the gen like you're hoping.

Again you're complaining just to complain.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

Again: Sony has released at least 6 games that I LOVE for my ps5 so far, and Microsoft is sitting comfortably at ZERO until Starfield comes out. And if it wasn’t for Zenimax being bought, then we’d have to wait until 2024 for Hellblade 2 (4 years after the XsX launched, which IS the latter half of a 7 year lifecycle).

How do you keep overlooking the fact that Sony manages to do exactly what Xbox simply hasn’t: made SEVERAL AAA games for their $500 hardware EVERY year.

I am NOT complaining just to complain. I am an OG Xbox fan, and still cheer for them to overtake Sony, honestly. My complaining stems from a decade+ of consistent, year over year, disappointment from Xbox never living up to their ironic motto of “don’t worry guys, the games ARE coming! Just wait another year…”.

I know what it is like on both sides of the fence, and Xbox has been lacking since Halo and Gears dried up a decade ago.

Sony has consistent output of games, but Xbox has consistently broken promises. Simple as that.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

I know it takes 4-6 years to make games…. Are you unaware that devs get devkits for the next gen of consoles years before they launch to the market?

That’s how ps5 and Switch launch with great games, and continue output every year thereafter…. Microsoft has the same starting, yet they falter year after year.

What is Xbox’s excuse for not matching the output of their competitors?

They rely on lowered expectations by people that are ignorant to what’s possible…. You expectations can be much, much higher than waiting 3-4 years for XsX’s first AAA exclusive.

[Lightning77]

"Again: Sony has released at least 6 games that I LOVE for my ps5 so far, and Microsoft is sitting comfortably at ZERO until Starfield comes out."

Sony has also been consistent since late PS3 days also. They've also had the studios to be consistent unlike MS who can only release the same trifecta for ever now. 0 it's not 0 but it hasn't been since High rush and before that Halo Infinite and Horizon 5 late 2021 and nothing in 2022. It might be a 7+ year cycle considering this gen has barely gotten started with unique PS5 and Series X games.

Zenimax being a "bandaid" is literally you just complaining. That's just a salty remark, they own the publisher so they're supplying them with games.

"How do you keep overlooking the fact that Sony manages to do exactly what Xbox simply hasn’t: made SEVERAL AAA games for their $500 hardware EVERY year."

Ok what's there to over look? Playstion has had studios for awhile now to pump out. Xbox hasn't had the studios to pump out gsmes. What's there to overlook?

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

What’s your excuse for Microsoft’s decade-long game drought… Their lack of studios?

They had plenty of studios. They were doing great until CliffyB left mid-360 era.

Those studios lost talent, like CliffyB, like OG Bungie devs.

Sony and Nintendo have either retained or fostered new talent and leadership. That’s how you keep consistent, and Xbox shows zero track record of that.

[Lightning77]

"That’s how ps5 and Switch launch with great games, and continue output every year thereafter…. Microsoft has the same starting, yet they falter year after year."

Umm no they didn't. Sony and Nintendo had their studios lined up for releases because again they had studios ready to release. 2020 it's only been 3 years of newly bought studios and its been what 15+ years for Sony? They have a rotation unlike MS that's why we're seeing some of those games trickle out this year and releasing next year and in 2025. Games take 4 to 6+ years to make not 3 years.

It'd simple math you're choosing to ignore so yes you're still complaining just to complain.

[Lightning77]

"What’s your excuse for Microsoft’s decade-long game drought… Their lack of studios?"

You just said it lack of studios.

"They had plenty of studios. They were doing great until CliffyB left mid-360 era."

They barely had any studios just a bunch of 3rd party stuff.

[DivineHand125]

Why couldn't they just let this slide. If this deal was bad for gamers it could easily be proven. What grounds could they possibly have to appeal this case while they failed to demonstrate how the deal will negatively impact consumers.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

Sony and Nintendo make games from scratch and push the medium forward; M$ only buys them when they are more than halfway done and contribute NOTHING to actual gaming innovation.

And now the platform that innovates the least controls the most studios BY FAR.

How does that bode well for us gamers?

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

…how?!?

[DivineHand125]

That statement is false. Online gaming as we know it were thanks to innovations made by Microsoft Xbox during their 1st and 2nd generation.

[BrainSyphoned]

So tiring. Thankfully between Cities Skylines 2, Starfield and the GotY Baldur's Gate 3 it is going to be late in the decade before anything else makes it out of the backlog.

[Pyrofire95]

call me when it's all over.

[gold_drake]

Appealing isnt all too uncommon, i just wish this whole sh*tshow would be over already

[mark3214uk]

Lol at the xbox fan boys that thought it was a done deal the other day

[goldwyncq]

If this is a Resident Evil game, this is the part where MS uses the rocket launcher against the final boss.

[343_Guilty_Spark]

Just stop it

[Redgrave]

Ok, sorry Dad.

[Asplundh]

Microsoft: The FTC won't let me be, yo let me be me so let me see
They tried to shut me down on AKB, but it feels so empty without me.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

Their own platform feels empty…

[Asplundh]

It is empty on exclusives, but not for long. 😬

[frostypants]

Told ya so.

[MadLad]

That's cool.

So, anyway, someone keep me updated on when the Activision catalogue starts to dump onto Gamepass.

[MIDGETonSTILTS17]

That’ll happen when the price of Game Pass doubles.

[MontyeKristo]

Ooooh, boohoo, FTC .. you screwed the pooch, now you're left crying of another failure.

On a real note, can this saga just end already, lol. Either let them buy Activision or don't. But, does anyone know if Microsoft is allowed to buy Activision with the, as of last seen, CMA denying the purchase? Do they hold any water, to stop the purchase by themselves?

[Abear21]

More checks and trips on private jets to grease the wheels of justice until money wins. Money is undefeated.

[jjb1981]

I hope this deal lights a fire under Sony's buttcheeks so that they make an actual shooter or bring back Killzone.

[wesnytsfs]

Its done this appeal has no chance the whole injunction was BS

[maniacmayhem]

Lena Khan is currently getting rinsed right now in court. It's obvious she has no clue about what is going on the industry.

[Dandizzle]

pshhh Microsoft is just going to buy the FTC. Thats how MS solves problems

[neomahi]

Man, I guess I won't be buying anymore Activision games. And if you're into Activision, maybe now is the time to buy games on competing platforms while you can. Tony Hawk, Crash Bandicoot, Spider-man, Transformers. There's a lot of games going to Xbox. I mean Crash Bandicoot is going to Xbox. I know Crash games have appeared on other consoles but it's the feeling all over again of seeing Sonic the Hedgehog on Nintendo.

What do you expect when you want to get any kind of business done in California. Half the State doesn't even want to be part of it and wants to merge with Idaho the governments screws are so loose.

I don't think the appeal is going to affect anything. The documents and other papers are being signed as we speak I'm sure. The more I've thought about all of this, it's really mind splitting, like the part of you wants to say: Acquisitions are where this must be going to secure exclusives. It's happened years ago on both sides. So you want to say that's just how it goes, if you can, you can. But the other part looks at the proposed amount here and says that this shows that you can make a series of really poor decisions to nearly kill a brand and then through no Merritt of your own just go to your parent company and ask for an exhorbant amount of money you know the competition can't match and that's where your strength lies. You'll just buy your way out. Developer and publisher relationships don't matter, Xbox may be nearly dead and as though this is their last move and they just buy their way out. $70 billion is a lot of money. Why is Nintendo okay and not in disagreement over it? They lose Skylanders, Tony Hawk, Crash and Microsoft shows Nintendo they'll just offer a ton of money Nintendo can't match to take SEGA, which Nintendo needs and SEGA has been a staple. Xbox won't stop at Activision but Nintendo was totally fine with this. Sonys own homeland in Japan gave the go ahead instead of defending their own company that support Japans economy. I'm sure Japan thought as a lot of people do: it's their business and their right, but how does that affect Japan if Japan loses another giant business. That's confusing

[InUrFoxHole]

Life line to a sinking ship.... GREAT!

[Chocoburger]

Hopefully we can get a non-crooked judge next time. No sane person would want this consolidation to go through and irreversibly damage the biggest entertainment medium in the world.

[Gravesinger_]

This is so dumb, the deal is still gonna close and it will be even harder to separate after that point, just let it go already lol

[derek]

The FTC problem wasn't a lack of an adequate factual basis to support their claim it was the quality of the legal team representing them. Microsoft on the other hand has access to the best lawyers money can buy. America is so weird, the Justice Department should have lawyers specifically designated to represent the ftc in these matters short of that they are outgunned. They seem to have launched into their application for a temporary injunction without proper preparation or strategy.

[sadraiden]

One wonders what other important court cases could be taking place outside of the neverending saga of 2 of the worst companies in gaming.

[hduce]

Judge Corley denied it.
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