460°

Microsoft Submits "Change of Circumstances" to CMA Over Its Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Microsoft has sent its final submission to the CMA citing reasons why its acquisition of Activision Blizzard should not be blocked.

MrDead305d ago

I wonder how many members of the CMA will end up with nice exec jobs in MS after this?.. just like what happened to OFWAT after water companies hired the regulators and gave them very nice roles in private companies if they weakened the rules for them.
MS is one of the worlds biggest lobbyists, not because they like to give money away but because they get to buy the rule makers, this deal was already decided when MS went crying to their mouthpieces in the Tory party.

Never forget MS has spent $80 billion to remove games from gamers and wants to mirror the subscription services like Disney that is currently destroying the film industry.

Ryuk_2007304d ago (Edited 304d ago )

Who is M$ taking games away from with this deal? Sony keeps them and Nintendo gets them, along with a host of other cloud services.

tay8701304d ago (Edited 304d ago )

Have you been living under a rock? The only game that is guaranteed to stay on playstation is COD, and that is for 10 yrs. Judging by what they have done with bethesda, you can bet there will be many exclusive games for MS. Bet you guys will be singing a very different tune when Sony buys a publisher. Say they buy capcom, and guarantee that only resident evil stays on MS, you cool with that? Or how about if they were to buy take 2 ? MS can have gta, but they cant have red dead, bioshock or borderlands. Sound like a great deal eh?
I suspect xbox fans feelings on consolidation will drastically change once sony starts buying publishers and locking its content.

richardmmorales304d ago

Exactly this. they aren't taking games away. at least not yet.
The way I see it is paying to block games is worse. Because the way I see things when you own something you have the right to do with what you want with it. But when you don't own something. You don't have the right to tell the people who do own it what to do with it. I notice most people don't look at it this way though. Most thing blocking games is fine and buying publishers and studios is bad. But I notice it mostly from Sony fanboys. With that said a lot of them either don't know or forget that's exactly how Sony got into the industry way back when Nintendo decided to cancel working with them and went with one of their rivals in Philips instead. When they were looking to develop a CD add-on for the Super Nintendo. I remember randomly coming across this video a few weeks ago that pretty much somes up how Sony got into the industry pretty well. https://www.youtube.com/wat...

shinoff2183304d ago

A couple games they get to keep , Activision has more then just cod.

Host of other cloud services eh, the world's internet isn't completly ready for that. Fuck cloud.

4Sh0w304d ago (Edited 304d ago )

Microsoft Submits "Change of Circumstances":

1. Microsoft’s agreement with the European Commission on enforcing the various cloud agreements they signed.

2. Microsoft’s agreement with Sony.

3. Fresh material from the FTC case that “undermines the (CMA’s) conclusions.”

-Good, CMA never had a case -so I'll be glad when this mess is all done.

-Disney is ruining their brand because instead of making great movies with compelling stories they decided to go woke, diversity over talent and lack of new creative IP's. Nothing to do with sub service, Disney just forgot what made those hit franchises hits & again lack of fresh creative properties.

wiz7191304d ago

@Tay that’s why as a gamer you own multiple systems lol so regardless of who buy who you’ll still be able to enjoy that game .. Ppl who only buy one console aren’t really gamers at all , they didn’t buy publishers but most definitely got to some of the most talented studios first. I wonder what they gaming landscape would look like if the 64 used CDs to , the real reason developers flocked to the PS1 over the 64 in the first place. Sony wouldn’t be able to afford TakeTwo or Capcom even if they were up for sale so there’s no fear in that. Let’s not forget MS only bought Bethesda because Sony was going crazy buying up timed exclusives from then .. ppl tend to forget that when they bring Bethesda up

tay8701304d ago

@wiz again buying up massive publishers who's games sell far better on your competitor is not the same as buying up a small studio who has almost exclusively made games for your console. Naughty dog, guerilla, insomniac, bluepoint, housemarque, suckerpunch, haven, firewalk, media molecule, bend, all had little or no games at all made for other consoles. Let alone for games that sold massively better on xbox. It's not realistic that Sony can afford take 2, but that isn't the point now is it? I asked how people would feel no longer having access to red dead, border lands and bioshock. I have no want or need to buy an Xbox they don't makes any games that I like and I shouldn't be forced to buy another console, just be a use they can't get their shit together and make a good game. Capcom whether you choose to believe it or not is very easily attainable for sony. Not sure thst they would want to be bought, but sony could afford them if they really wanted them. Especially since they are going to be selling off their insurance arm. It might not be now because I think sony has their eyes on other publishers, but a few yrs down thr road if capcom were wanting to sell you csn bet Sony would be their 1st choice.

Armyofdarkness304d ago

Short term, yes. Long term.... this is fucking Microsoft we are talking about. Why would they spend this amount of money to keep things as is!? Makes no sense. Bulldozer of a company and we should all be critical. That goes for Sony and Nintendo too by the way. They ain't your friends, they just make good games.

mkis007304d ago (Edited 304d ago )

@ richard

That is a weird way of looking at it that has quite the blind spot. When sony pays for exclusivity, is that not the same thing as "having the right to tell the people who own it what to do with it?" The owner has to accept said offer, it isn't like you are forcing them to. The owner is deciding what to do with it.

There is zero sense to your mindset...it just reads as more console war nonsense. It's completely arbitrary why they have to purchase the whole studio rather than just asking if the studio will accept a fee for exclusivity...

MrDead304d ago

@4show

I don't think I'll listen to anything you ever say again after your "go woke" comment, go live in Florida and leave the rest of the world in peace. Subscription services like Disney are making huge amounts of money... just not for the workers, it allows them to feed more profits to CEO's and shareholders and cut out the workforce from residuals and other pay bonuses they rely on to live, five seconds of reading would have stopped you going full Desantis mind virus.

closed_account304d ago (Edited 304d ago )

They've already done it with Bethesda games and other company acquisitions.

My issue with it is that this wasn't earned. If customers overwhelmingly supported their games on XBox than Playstation, I wouldn't have as big of a problem with it. But they didn't. They had bigger sales numbers on Playstation worldwide, so it comes out as just buying off franchises that were doing better on Playstation just to gain a foothold. Ok, so it's being legally legitimized by these boards, but that still doesn't make it respectable bc it is not the voice of the greater majority of gamers.

On the otherhand, a company like Insomniac ventured into creating XBox games with Sunset Overdrive and other multiplatform titles during 360 era like Fuse. XBox gamers rejected them, sales were poor, so Insomniac said screw this, we'll stick with the platform where our games actually sell. Which is also the company who helped nurture and build them from their beginning, roughly 25 years ago.

Bottom line this isn't the voice of the gamers, therefore it is a sh***y move.

thesoftware730304d ago

Ryuk, I think he missed the part where Nintendo & Sony signed a deal with MS. Not to mention the other cloud services, and all the other countries that passed the deal...nope Mrdead knows it's bad for gaming and consumers alike, we should listen to him.

Look at his whole argument, it's a haphazard rant with no real meat, grounded in console war propaganda, and conspiracy.

4Sh0w304d ago

MrDead

Yes Disney went woke, always trying to lecture consumers instead of just entertaining the fans with the same content that made the franchises they own popular. I don't mind a company speaking out on issues or doing a PR campaign but leave the politics out of the entertainment. Have you seen She Hulk?...and look at what they've done to the comic book movies as of late & Star Wars, their terrible. You act as if CEO's getting rich or greed from studio execs is because of sub services as if those same employee's aren't striking the whole industry because of the execs greed everywhere. Also if the choice was DeSantis or Biden I'd definitely go with DeSantis, and I don't give a crap if you ever read my comments again, so...lol

InUrFoxHole303d ago

@Tay
Stop complaining. MS is bringing games to more gamers. Only a gate keeper would complain about that

+ Show (10) more repliesLast reply 303d ago
Sonic1881304d ago (Edited 304d ago )

I do agree that Disney is destroying the film industry but not just them alone.

As far as Microsoft removing games I don't like it because Sony will start copying them and start purchasing a few developers or publishers. I don't want Sony to buy CDPR because they will probably take their games away on PC unlike MICROSOFT. Any developers Sony purchase will they still release their games on PC? Or will they end up being a Playstation exclusive 🤔

itsmebryan304d ago

Sony couldn't afford to not release at least on PC. But, look at their Bungie deal. Sony is keeping that multi platform. It would be best to put stuff on as many platforms as possible.

outsider1624304d ago

I doubt Sony will take anything away from PC now. Xbox yes...but not PC. Not too long ago, i never thought a PS first party would ever go to PC, look where we are.

Sonic1881304d ago

Would they put it on PC day one?

ravens52304d ago

*Sigh* Who ever is for this deal and doesn't understand how it's different from "blocking" a game from the competitor... Your a person. Everyone, please stop explaining this to them. They are either playing dumb or jus, you know...

thesoftware730304d ago

"Never forget MS has spent $80 billion to remove games from gamers"
*Yawn* we know, we know.

The goalpost has moved so many times with you guys that it's almost comical. Every other country has okayed the deal, maybe, just maybe the CMA had a weak reason to block it, it's like the song "One of these kids are doing their own thing". Maybe, just maybe, they are actually negotiating and coming to something that satisfied the CMA concerns. Then you overlooked that the FTC losing might have played a part as well, but nope go ahead and spout baseless theories and compare it to a completely unrelated situation as some kind of point...smh.

MrDead303d ago

What did I write that is baseless?

MS went to the Tories as soon as the deal was blocked by the CMA but just like the FTC (who are still requesting an FTC judge but have been denied) only have soft power, if the "donation" is big enough you can skip by the rules or just change them. MS is just another tax dodging mega corp using it's wealth for leverage just like Qatar did with the EU, just like every major food producer, ISP, airline, etc has done thanks to the strength of industry consolidation, fewer companies owing more and more.

...but I'm sure MS is only showering the people that make the rules with money because they like them.

shadowknight203303d ago (Edited 303d ago )

There's a term by definition for this. It's widespread in every Industry. Look at the pharmaceutical Industry. Big execs from drugs cartels I mean drug companies, go work for its regulators all the time. Then those same regulators go become execs for drugs companies. It's a vicious cycle. Viciously bad for us. Crazy how common folks like us can have knowledge of this, but law enforcement or whomever never seems to do anything about it - and we still simply talk about it on a forum lol. Vicious world.

The fact you have 40+ disagrees is truly scary. How can 40 plus people read what you wrote, and only 60 agree. That's just a scary statistic for something that is truth, factual, and cannot be disputed with actual facts...mind boggling scary.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 303d ago
304d ago
sparky77304d ago

The EU and FTC allowing the deal. And Sony making a deal with MS.

Those changes haven't been taken into account by the CMA's report since it was made before all that occurred.

richardmmorales304d ago

You mean the EU allowing the deal. And the FTC losing in court.
I just find it crazy the FTC and CMA were fighting this so much. When you have like what close to 40 other countries who have all accepted the deal. Also with them FTC and CMA meeting so many times. I bet they were definitely working together to try and get this blocked.

4Sh0w304d ago (Edited 304d ago )

XiNatsuDragnel
It would help if you read it, it specifically states the circumstances that changed since their initial filing. Damm.

XiNatsuDragnel304d ago

True if I did read it but life isn't simple, so I'm asking this question now? Although my right to get answers is not there lol.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 304d ago
gold_drake304d ago

Scrooge Mc Microsoft handing out tjose bags of money is their change of circumstances

Haki1112304d ago Show
MIDGETonSTILTS17304d ago

They don’t even wanna make AAA games, they just wanna own western IPs to secure a foothold.

Let them make games, they already have the most studios solely through mass acquisitions.

ravens52304d ago

Stop. Your spouting truthful nonsense.

Show all comments (38)
80°

Sony shares big new PS Plus stat, but not the one we want to see

PlayStation Plus has improved the split of PS4 and PS5 players on its priciest tiers, but Sony continues to hide total subscriber numbers.

Read Full Story >>
theloadout.com
mandf37m ago

lol acting like it’s equivalent to ms numbers

Mr Logic20m ago

Uh...They're definitely not equivalent.

"Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass service now has 34 million subscribers."

"the total number of PS Plus subscribers across all tiers was 47.4 million"

darthv729m ago(Edited 0m ago)

That PSN number seems like it should be much higher... especially when you consider that PS4 alone has a sell through of over 117m. To not even be at least half that is rather interesting.

To the XB side, having 34m to an install base of roughly 50m (XBO sell through) or even 80m (360 sell through) is a greater percentage of unit to member ratio than PSN.

120°

What Happens to Your Steam Account When You Die?

The Outerhaven writes: While Steam has come out recently, stating that Steam accounts can't be transferred, we need to think about it since we all will eventually kick the bucket. But if Valve is denying transferring accounts, what can be done? Plenty, actually.

Read Full Story >>
theouterhaven.net
thorstein22h ago

It goes to my kids because I gave them the passwords.

To Steam: Missio has a song that conveys my feelings about you stealing my purchase after I die. It's called "Middle Fingers"

shinoff21833h ago

Pretty much. My son knows my info.

Abear213h ago

Yeah worrying about digital ownership when you’re on the other side of the grass seems a little strange, but also on brand for these millennial journalists to worry about.

Goodguy017h ago

I suppose if I have kids, I'd just give em my account details by retirement age. If I die young then...idk lol.

CrimsonWing694h ago

Yea, I mean just give someone the password to your account. Is that difficult to do or something? Like, I’m legit asking because I don’t know.

anast2h ago(Edited 2h ago)

It's not difficult but It's against the policy. If they find out, they will lock the account permanently.

CrimsonWing691h ago

Ah ok, I had a feeling there was something like that. It seems kind of weird that you can’t just hand your account over to a family member or friend and let them take over the account.

Show all comments (12)
90°

CDPR Confident In Transition To Unreal Engine 5 For New Witcher Game, Addresses Industry Layoffs

CD Projekt Red is confident in the transition from its in-house Red Engine to Unreal Engine 5 for the next Witcher game.

Read Full Story >>
twistedvoxel.com
cthulhucultist9h ago

My main concern with UE5, is that some developers have resorted to very low resolutions in order to enable the advanced feature set of this engine and sustain the frame rate.

In open world games, especially those with excellent graphics, we cant realistically expect 60fps  from consoles (PS5 pro set aside as we do not know exactly how performant it will be) without huge compromises.

Thus the new Witcher game will probably require more powerful consoles to experience it the way the developers intended and in that sense, it reminds me of Cyberpunk situation.

It was released in current gen systems albeit in dire state (even PS4 Pro and Xbox One X suffered) requiring next generation consoles to achieve a desirable (and still not ideal) result.

DarXyde8h ago

My thoughts exactly. This is definitely a PC engine first and foremost, given the compromises required on consoles. Tekken 8 is a **fighting game** on UE5 and, even without Nanite and Lumen, needs to be upscaled to 4K to run at a solid 60fps. The engine straight up dog walks current console hardware. I don't see this getting much better on a PS5 Pro either.

I don't see this game releasing this generation. If it wasn't Sony owned, I think Decima 2.0 would be an excellent engine for this game.

Aussiesummer7h ago(Edited 7h ago)

I am quietly confident that they are going to make one hell of a jaw dropping witcher considering what they achieved with cyberpunk, i reckon they will bring a new level of what can be expected from ue5 BUT i reckon it will be a ps6/rtx 5090 game.