350°

Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Shows Regulators Haven't Taken Gaming Seriously

The battle over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has shed light on the fact that antitrust regulators are woefully unprepared to regulate the gaming industry.

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techraptor.net
gold_drake560d ago

its also the fact that all these regulators are all somewat old and just have no idea about gaming.

and it will continue to be this way unfortunately.

Obscure_Observer560d ago

@gold_drake

"and it will continue to be this way unfortunately."

So you´re saying that after ABK, an EA´s acquisition deal by Microsoft would get approval by worldwide regulators?

gold_drake560d ago (Edited 560d ago )

no, thats the conclusion you came up with.
your hard on for ms is showing again.

-Foxtrot560d ago

"So you´re saying that after ABK, an EA´s acquisition deal by Microsoft would get approval by worldwide regulators?"

Honestly, considering MS/Phil give off that "we're not done" vibe...they are going to go for it eventually, maybe not EA but someone

If that's the case, and it hypothetically did happen, the fact they would even go for it to begin with would mean they are super confident it would pass.

Obscure_Observer560d ago

@-Foxtrot

"Honestly, considering MS/Phil give off that "we're not done" vibe...they are going to go for it eventually, maybe not EA but someone"

After that leaked document, I don´t think Phil will try another big acquisition anytime soon. Not another big publisher acquisition I mean.

Honestly atm, I would rather prefer Phil or whatever person that might replace Ryan to focus and rescue Lara Croft from Embracer. I don´t care which company do it as long it´s not Embracer or Tecent and their sh!t gaming management.

S2Killinit559d ago

@obscure
No but a deal by any other company would pass because this set a precedent.

Obscure_Observer559d ago

@S2Killinit

"No but a deal by any other company would pass because this set a precedent."

Would pass only *IF* those acquisitions by other companies follows the same concessions applied to Microsoft. The SAME precedent.

ChiefofLoliPolice559d ago (Edited 559d ago )

You say the most stupid things I swear to God you truly do.

+ Show (4) more repliesLast reply 559d ago
Obscure_Observer560d ago (Edited 560d ago )

@gold_drake

"no, thats the conclusion you came up with.
your hard on for ms is showing again."

YOU´re the one saying the regulators are old and just have no idea about gaming, and since I´d put you in a corner with a *question*, you decided to attack me instead of present valid arguments to back up your own opinions.

gold_drake560d ago (Edited 560d ago )

yes i did say they are old and know nothing about the gaming industry, which is very true.

but i wasnt specifically talking about Microsoft. like at all. the acquisition happened because they dont know the gaming industry, and this will continue to be an issue when it comes to big acquisitions.

when disney, for example, rolls around and decides to buy up some of the big guys, the old regulator guys wont be able to figure out what to do.

and i didnt attack you, get a grip lol

crazyCoconuts559d ago

I'm not sure I agree that you have to be a gamer to understand the business model.
But if you really think their age is to blame, it won't continue that way indefinitely, unless they bathe in the fountain of youth

FinalFantasyFanatic559d ago (Edited 559d ago )

I agree, you would think the regulators would have some experience and take the time to examine the deal and what the possible consequences, obviously any company consolidating with all the smaller players is problematic. Nothing but a massive fail in the end.

Lightning77559d ago

I don't think age has anything to do with it. It came down to tye facts and numbers. Fact is Sony's dominance, revenue, profit, consoles and software sales are just plain better than Xbox.

Those facts worked in MS favors. Unless old ppl forgot how to do math and present facts.

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560d ago Replies(1)
BeHunted560d ago (Edited 560d ago )

If Sony had the money to acquire Activision Blizzard they wouldn't be allowed to own them, because they basically have a Monopoly in the console market.

With Microsoft, they're in 3rd place which gives them more powers to be allowed to acquire publishers.

Microsoft still doesn't have a Monopoly in the gaming sector. Hopefully, they acquire Sega next...

559d ago
FinalFantasyFanatic559d ago (Edited 559d ago )

No more acquisitions! Microsoft has more than enough, how about they actually make some games for once? And not mixed bags or low tier garbage, their output is woeful for the amount of studios under their belt.

Seriously, go touch some grass.

KwietStorm_BLM559d ago

You really said that nonsense and actually ended it with hopefully they acquire Sega. Some of you, too many of you, do not care about the health of the industry. Just gleefully fanboy, and whatever your plastic box does is best. It's sad to watch. The weirdest part is you can play Sega games and Bethesda games and Activision games already. But you still want the studios to be bought, just so you can say they're exclusives. It is SO WEIRD.

Neofire559d ago

People love bringing up those "3rd place" numbers for MS to justify them being allowed to buy up every developer they want. Let's reward a 2 trillion dollar company because of their incompetence to manage the developers they always have.

Rynxie559d ago

A company worth a trillion dollars is an underdog to this dude. And yes, I know Xbox is only a subdivision of MS. But how did Xbox get that 68 billion dollars? Daddy MS.

Second, xbox shot itself on the foot with their anticonsumer policies, they were trying to push for the Xbox One and people (even former Xbox owners) said no and moved to other consoles.

Barlos559d ago

You were supposed to add the "/s" at the end.

ironmonkey559d ago

You mean bottom of the barrel

Crows90559d ago

Theyre in 3rd place because they suck not because they lack the finances. It's not Sony's or Nintendo's fault that they can't create new successful IP or even successful sequels. There's only a few huge publishers out there and they've already purchased 2 of them. They're the only console platform that has purchased any large publisher.

+ Show (5) more repliesLast reply 559d ago
derek559d ago

The CMA actually demonstrated an excellent level of knowledge of the so called "gaming industry ". The problem in general is regulatory capture of these regulators and/or judiciary preventing them from feeling empowered to say no and leave it at that. There has to be a shift in regulations that prevents these tech conglomerates from mindlessly gobbling up industries apart from exceptional circumstances which offer no real percievable value to the market and or consumers. ABK was doing just fine without Microsoft buying them. The agreement for sale was done to enrich the executives at ABK and to fullfill Microsoft irrational desire to control and dominate every market they are in.

559d ago
Extermin8or3_559d ago (Edited 559d ago )

They have taken the gaming industry seriously as is their job and they did have experts to fall back on and get advice from. The only part of this that's an absolute fucking joke is that anyone can seriously keep a straight face and make out this deal should have gone through. That they buy any of MS's bullshit. They a judge who had full access to all the info we saw presented, the testimonies we all had access to and a load of documents that came through afterwards literally admitting Microsoft was trying to use its position as a Trillion Dollar Company to buy a market it had utterly failed in repeatedly through sales, innovation and ip creation and helping said industry to grow by creating new studios and helping smaller ones to grow- instead taking a shortcut and buying the largest publisher in order to make most of its future gsmes exclusive to their service and console and she still turned round and said "I see no problem here". The judge also belittled the industry with some of ther comments. The only person not taking the games industry seriously was that judge ruling on the injunction. Who was supposed to be ruling on if the ftc could bring a case against them NOT if it was anticompetitive.

That said the way they made some of their arguments against the acquisition was flawed and the cma should have stuck with its original decision. They backtracked in February over the console market because of data Microsoft provided which when you look at the methodology behind it, it's clear is cherry picked and biased in the way its been collected. That they would accept such data at face value it seems is embarrassing.

Show all comments (43)
120°

NACON Revolution X Unlimited Controller Launched with LCD Display and FPS Mode

"NACON Revolution X Unlimited is a premium device with a premium price - stacked with features like an LCD screen and built with Hall Effect tech for longevity."

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techstomper.com
Amplitude1d 7h ago (Edited 1d 7h ago )

THIS IS HUGE. Do you know how long i've been waiting for an XBox style controller with rear paddles, a touch pad and gyro? This is enormous. I spent 400 dollars on a custom PS5 controller with rear paddles just so I could have that - but it broke and i've been devastated ever since. Even that controller didn't let me use keyboard macros as buttons (specifically the rear paddles) because it didnt have XBox Elite support in Steam (obviously). This is the greatest controller feature list of any controller on the market. Finally. Finally! Ordering one soon.

hiawa231d 4h ago

Got mine and absolutely love it.

70°

Privacy firm files Ubisoft legal complaint over data collection, forced online in singleplayer games

Assassin's Creed maker Ubisoft has been hit by a complaint from a European privacy firm over the data it collects from players.

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eurogamer.net
70°

Raidou Remastered Q&A on Game Content, Platform Details, Release Information

Atlus has released a Q&A for Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army covering system information and release details

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personacentral.com
gold_drake2d ago

interesting thing is, that the switch 2 is still the inferior version, despite it being more powerful.