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Microsoft / Activision Deal Approval Watch |OT| (MS/ABK close)
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azertydu91
Hard to Kill
Or the expert in japanese culture that was quite famous here.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Spoken like a financial terrorist supporter.
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
Banjo64
cumsessed
It’s not structural though really, it’s more like they are selling the rights for content produced in the next 15 years. There’s nothing actually being divested.
MisterXDTV
Member
Sure, but in the end they spent $70B and then Sony's consoles has access to all the games paying.... Ubisoft!
LOL
Great Deal!
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Pelta88
Member
And we're back to the UK, aka the 5th largest economy on the planet, being irrelevant when Microsoft doesn't get their way.
At this point, that narrative is an integral part of this thread's rotation.
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Varteras
Member
Nah. The UK is just some backwater island shit hole. Way behind the times. I did hear it will be getting cars and electricity soon. That's gonna be super sweet.And we're back to the UK, aka the 5th largest economy on the planet, being irrelevant when Microsoft doesn't get their way.
At this point, that narrative is an integral part of this thread's rotation.
MarkMe2525
Banned
Reading is very fundamental indeed, maybe you missed the question that i provided my opinion on. "How is this good for gamepass?"
I'll repeat my answer. MS will still be able to enrich their gamepass catalog on Xbox and PC with the ability to provide NATIVE versions of ABK titles.
"The "native" semantics"....
get that shit out here. Cloud streaming is a great additive experience, but it's disingenuous to act as if their isn't a large competitive advantage in the ability to offer native play.
Ass of Can Whooping
Gold Member
Reading is very fundamental indeed, maybe you missed the question that i provided my opinion on. "How is this good for gamepass?"
I'll repeat my answer. MS will still be able to enrich their gamepass catalog on Xbox and PC with the ability to provide NATIVE versions of ABK titles.
"The "native" semantics"....
MS won't be able to do anything if the global financial terrorists have anything to say about it
MarkMe2525
Banned
It's a brilliant move by MS indeed, if it passes of course. They get their gamepass games, their mobile development studios with their catalogs, and a plethora of intellectual property.
Sony potentially being able to stream ABK titles in no way is a bad thing, and in no way makes the whole of the acquisition a negative.
MisterXDTV
Member
So spending $70B and having no control on where the games can be played while not being compensated for it, it's supposed to be a positive???
70 F***ng BILLION dollars!?!?!
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Punished Miku
Human Rights Subscription Service
Okay that avatar got me lol, hahaha
Timberwolf25
Member
So many experts in here
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
It is still technically divestment.
From gamesindustry.biz.
It is divestment because, without this new arrangement, Microsoft would have also acquired the cloud gaming rights of ABK games; that was part of the deal. But now they won't have these rights -- and Ubisoft will instead get it after paying money to Microsoft -- because Microsoft would divest those rights.
Strictly speaking, behavioral remedies would have been if Microsoft still got the Cloud gaming rights but made promises that it would license ABK games to all competitors at fair market rates.
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Pelta88
Member
Reading is very fundamental indeed, maybe you missed the question that i provided my opinion on. "How is this good for gamepass?"
I'll repeat my answer. MS will still be able to enrich their gamepass catalog on Xbox and PC with the ability to provide NATIVE versions of ABK titles.
"The "native" semantics"....
You've been here way too long to spin this as a positive for gamepass. You've seen Microsoft's thoughts on the service. You know it doesn't have traction beyond a core segment and you're also fully aware that this move, initially, was to bolster GP by cutting PS out of Activision's games.
Now those games are not only multi plat, but Microsoft has to pay Ubisoft for access to those games in UK, and potentially all of Europe if the EC goes ahead with restructuring also.
Spin that into a positive if you feel the need to, but that doesn't change the facts as laid out by Microsoft themselves.
Banjo64
cumsessed
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
This isn't a "brilliant move by MS" lol. Microsoft was instead asking the CMA not to take this decision.
This decision is forced by the CMA; not an action that Microsoft thought of and took.
Edit:
Vox Machina
is having a hard time today, leaving laugh emojis on all comments 
Remember Phil said "more options are good" and breathe
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DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Topher
Identifies as young
But this is an action Microsoft thought of. They submitted this proposal to the CMA. The CMA had said previously that they did not know what was in the proposal.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
Because the acquisition was blocked.
Even just before this submission, they said again to the CMA to pass this acquisition based on EC's behavioral remedies. The CMA declined and put a global block on the acquisition.
THEN Microsoft proposed this option for review because it was either asking the CMA to review once again (by submitting a new deal) or pay ABK $3.5 billion and walk away. This proposal is out of necessity, not a "brilliant move" or tactic.
Banjo64
cumsessed
He’s had all of this pent up sexual frustration since he stopped posting as DarkMage - I’m just glad we get to resume reading his comedic views.This isn't a "brilliant move by MS" lol. Microsoft was instead asking the CMA not to take this decision.
This decision is forced by the CMA; not an action that Microsoft thought of and took.
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MarkMe2525
Banned
They have absolute control of where their games are played if you prefer playing natively on hardware you own. I'm sure Ubisoft streaming will be great for Sony and Nintendo only players that live close to data centers (I'm not sure if ubisoft is using MS's servers or plan on building their own), but if a gamer wants to play a future ABK title, that's not COD, at its highest fidelity with the fastest response time, they will have to turn to PC or an Xbox console.
Of course, your statements also ignore the many other reasons why MS wanted to go through with the acquisition. MS had the ability to walk away if they didn't see value in the acquisition, they obviously still believe (rightfully so) that this arrangement still provides them with a competitive advantage in the console and mobile markets.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
MisterXDTV
Member
Because they wanted to lock out Sony from those games
mckmas8808
Mckmaster uses MasterCard to buy Slave drives
That's a GREAT point! Why does Ubisoft just get picked like this? What if Nvidia or Amazon would have had a better idea on how to use these IP rights from ABK?
Topher
Identifies as young
Well yeah.....CMA definitely forced this move, but I think Microsoft deserves credit for coming up with this proposal. It is pretty brilliant, imo.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
Because they are slowly realizing that this deal isn't getting them as much exclusive stuff as they'd have liked to brag about.
And also the fact that Microsoft is moving ever so closely to becoming a more third-party publisher with deals like these.
MisterXDTV
Member
This 100%!
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Never trust backdoor deals.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Who's this Gaf you speak of? Gaf did not trademark Power of the Cloud™ for over 10 years now.
Topher
Identifies as young
lol.....why you putting this on GAF?
Not compensated? Ubisoft is going to pay MS an amount for the rights. The amount will depend on the success of the business and the amount of use and hours achieved via different licensees (Luna, Nvidia, Sony, Ubi, linux etc...
That is, the more users playing ABK cloudgames, the higher the amount Ubi pays MS for the rights. Obviously the amount will not be the same as what MS could get if it did it directly, but on the other hand it is an opportunity to reach more users of a business, cloud gaming, which is currently residual and in its infancy.
Not to mention that the other option would be to abandon the acquisition of ABK.
Heisenberg007
Gold Journalism
Agree to disagree. This is the opposite of what Microsoft wanted when they announced this acquisition.
- Call of Duty will now remain on PlayStation for at least 10 years.
- Activision games may not be on Game Pass and xCloud now.
- Ubisoft will have perpetual, lifetime cloud rights to all past and future gaming releasing until 2038!
- All ABK and Xbox games will be on GeForce Now.
- Game Pass wasn't growing on console already. PC gamers can just sub to GeForce Now or Ubisoft+ so ABK games won't be a differentiator there. And this will hamper xCloud growth -- which was going to be the main driving sector for Microsoft.
This is a lose-lose situation. They are just sticking with it to avoid paying the penalty and getting Candy Crush money now.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
It's a way to not have to confront someone directly, also shifts blame off of MS who has been marketing the cloud for over a decade from productivity to gaming.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
Where did you come to this conclusion from ?
Pelta88
Member
The restructuring ensures that ABK titles past and present must come to PS for the next 15 years.
Cope has shifted from "Exclusive to XBOX" to "At least it will be Native on the XBOX." All while side stepping the hilarious fact that Microsoft has to pay Ubisoft to stream the games on GP that own if the deal goes through.
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adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
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POKEYCLYDE
Member
So if I'm understanding this correctly:
Microsoft divests the Cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft. Ubisoft will control the license to stream any ABK games made in the past and next 15 years (forever).
Ubisoft can make deals to give access to the cloud streaming version of any of these ABK games, be it to Playstation, Amazon, Google or whoever.
Ubisoft can pay Microsoft a fee to make sure games are compatible with other cloud gaming infrastructures like Linux.
Microsoft will have to pay Ubisoft for cloud streaming access to their own ABK games.
Any Xbox console exclusive COULD come to Playstation via cloud streaming only. (It'll be interesting to see attitudes shift about how cloud streaming sucks to it being just as great as native if this happens.)
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As for whether this scraps the entire past deal and every regulator has to re-examine the deal... unlikely. Every regulator outside of the UK and EU has approved the merger unconditionally. Divesting cloud streaming access wouldn't negatively effect competition greater than what they already let pass.
The EU has to see if this cloud divestment materially effects what they have agreed to with Microsoft. Seemingly the EU gets a better offer for it's consumers than the rest of the world.
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There will probably be stipulations that these cloud streaming rights return to Microsoft in the event that Ubisoft is sold/acquired. And Microsoft will probably be barred from buying Ubisoft for the next 15 years.
Microsoft divests the Cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft. Ubisoft will control the license to stream any ABK games made in the past and next 15 years (forever).
Ubisoft can make deals to give access to the cloud streaming version of any of these ABK games, be it to Playstation, Amazon, Google or whoever.
Ubisoft can pay Microsoft a fee to make sure games are compatible with other cloud gaming infrastructures like Linux.
Microsoft will have to pay Ubisoft for cloud streaming access to their own ABK games.
Any Xbox console exclusive COULD come to Playstation via cloud streaming only. (It'll be interesting to see attitudes shift about how cloud streaming sucks to it being just as great as native if this happens.)
---------------
As for whether this scraps the entire past deal and every regulator has to re-examine the deal... unlikely. Every regulator outside of the UK and EU has approved the merger unconditionally. Divesting cloud streaming access wouldn't negatively effect competition greater than what they already let pass.
The EU has to see if this cloud divestment materially effects what they have agreed to with Microsoft. Seemingly the EU gets a better offer for it's consumers than the rest of the world.
---------------
There will probably be stipulations that these cloud streaming rights return to Microsoft in the event that Ubisoft is sold/acquired. And Microsoft will probably be barred from buying Ubisoft for the next 15 years.
MarkMe2525
Banned
If you are going to continue debating in bad faith... have at it with someone else. It seems as if you are attempting to misrepresent my statements as "MS wanted this all along", which is incorrect and extremely close to a strawman argument. My statements clearly lay out the argument that gamepass is better after this acquisition than before. I also am factually stating that the acquisition has other motives besides "cutting PS from access to ABK titles".
I am a fan of cloud gaming, but it's not debatable that an xbox user is going to be able to download future ABK titles and play them at their highest fidelity (for consoles) while Sony and Nintendo players (if ubisoft does strike a deal with them) are relegated to streaming, which by all accounts is inferior. To act as if this is not in MS favor is to be willfully ignorant.
Punished Miku
Human Rights Subscription Service
They definitely still get a few wins. The loss is it does set them back a bit on cloud though, for sure.
- Large increase in revenue for Xbox division. They always wanted Call of Duty to stay multiplat.
- A chance to expand into mobile
- Everything on Gamepass
- Call of Duty marketing rights at no extra cost
- Christmas skins still legal
MisterXDTV
Member
Not really:
Yes, Microsoft will sell the streaming rights to Ubisoft, but then they would have to make a deal to get them back on Xcloud
gothmog
Gold Member
Exactly. I wouldn't be surprised if they reject this new proposal as well.
MarkMe2525
Banned
What sort of deal do ya'll think Nintendo and Sony could reach with Ubisoft to add the ability to stream these games? What I mean is, in what ways will Sony or Nintendo be able to extract money from their customers streaming someone else's games? Do you think it will be a separate ubisoft marketplace that kicks 30% back to the platform holders?
IFireflyl
Gold Member
That the CMA reconsidered the deal at all after initially blocking it suggests that they are open to this. I would be very surprised if they rejected this proposal. Not unhappy, necessarily. But surprised.
MisterXDTV
Member
It's simple, they could reach a deal to include Ubisoft game streaming in the Playstation Plus (Extra/Premium)/ Nintendo online subscription
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