Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard King for $69 Billion on 2023-10-13

[Deleted member 11852]

Thanks to the power of the google:

Name	Party	Term began
Lina Khan (Chair)	Democratic	June 15, 2021
Rebecca Slaughter	Democratic	May 2, 2018
Christine S. Wilson	Republican	September 26, 2018
Alvaro Bedoya	Democratic	May 16, 2022

 

[see colon]

Wii was a low performance home console and PS3 and 360 were high performance consoles.

We've all played PS3. Surely "high performance" is generous.

Am I joking? A little. But just like PS4 and Xbox 1, there is actually a performance level within whatever "high performance" means. Thus, the categories are arbitrary.

 

[BRiT]

Meta/Within and FTC information. Posting this here for those curious about FTC other actions. The Unrolled Thread [10 tweets] and first tweet:

Thread by @adamkovac on Thread Reader App

@adamkovac: The FTC's antitrust case against Meta/Within already faces long odds. But per MLEX reporting, FTC expert witness @HalSinger faced a very skeptical judge yesterday regarding a questionable survey he commi...…

threadreaderapp.com

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603152945083830272

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603152975421227010

 

[iceberg187]

Who's the authority that does get to make up the segments?

I think it is the industry that sets the standard of how segments go.

We can look at NPD in the United States, Media Create in Japan, GFK in the UK and when we've compared consoles sold for the past twenty years, Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft have always been the three companies competing for market share. At no point in time have industry figures differentiated itself by terms of power outside of generation. Elden Ring, until it was recently dethroned by Modern Warfare 2 was the highest selling game of the year in the States, it wasn't regarded as the highest selling HD game of the year.

The FTC has taken a clown approach to this and hopefully the CMA and UK look at this the same way Brazil has so we can move on.

 

[stu11]

I am only pointing out the absurdity of the fact that the third place competitor is being bared from competiting better while the first place market leader is allowed to purchase and invest with impunity.

You point out the amount of shares that Sony owns in Epic but of course you forget to mention that Sony has continued to invest in the company every year for the last 3 years increasing the stake in the company. The easiest way for Sony or anyone else to purchase Epic is to continue buying up Epic shares and then purchase a controlling stake from Tim. At some point Tim might want to retire and divest his interest in Epic or he might pass and his family might want to divest themselves of the company or become a minority share in the company.

Also I wouldn't call Tencent a company its just an arm of China which of course the USA was asleep at the wheel when they allowed them purchase a large chunk of an american company .


Steamdeck runs linux and emulates direct x through proton. The steam deck os can be installed on other devices and Valve has already said when its in a more final state they will release it so it can be installed on any supported hardware. So yes it would be a rival. Not to mention that Steam itself competes with the xbox and windows store fronts for games and yet MS still supports it

I had already pointed out that the most likely company to buy Epic, if an opportunity to buy a majority shareholding came up, would be Tencent. They already own 40 % of the company, their market cap is almost 4 times as large as Sony's and they have access to almost unlimited funds thanks to them being the Communist Chinese front company, as you pointed out.
I also pointed out (and you conveniently ignored) that Sony probably can't afford the 30+ billion it would cost to buy up Epic, if they had that kind of cash laying around don't you think that they would have tried to outbid MS for at least Bethesda and possibly Activision?

According to your thinking I now suspect that Lego is prepping a bid for Epic since they have also recently bought a large stake in the company, maybe they are going to launch a console you have to build out of bricks! Watch out Xbox Switch and Playstation! the Lego BrickBox is coming.

How many Steamdecks have been sold? Just over a million? Yes that is a big rival and competition to MS

 

[AzBat]

View attachment 7813
?

I have 2 of those in storage. Were my dad's originally & the first computer I ever used.

 

[Nesh]

It's all just framing to control narrative. If the switch 2 comes out next year and is more powerful than the series s does that mean the series s is no longer a high end console ? What if it comes out in 2024 and its more powerful than a ps5 ?

Its just all bs. They are just consoles and they all compete with each other.

We can make assumptions what Switch 2 will be like. It could be a hybrid console that will have all the content of PS5 and Series since it punches high. It could be a high performing console for the first time for Nintendo since GameCube.
Until it is released there is no point talking about "what if scenarios".

 

[Nesh]

I kinda have to disagree with you here. What is considered right wing now (republicans) are really late 80s/ 90s Democrats. The left during the same time has gone both extremely far left and extremely far right. Growing up with was the religious right wanting to censor everything and control free speech , now its the left side of the aisle trying to do so

Extreme left...... sorry but I find it amusing when in the US or Canada talk about "extreme" and "left". You dont have any left parties and there is nothing "extreme" or "Radical left" over there. What you label as being "extreme" or "radical" left is your own interpretation and definition that exists in it's own imaginary bubble.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Meta/Within and FTC information. Posting this here for those curious about FTC other actions. The Unrolled Thread [10 tweets] and first tweet:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603152945083830272

I would also be skeptical of testimony from vampires, werewolves, ghosts and other mythical "supernatural users".

Good call.

 

[eastmen]

I had already pointed out that the most likely company to buy Epic, if an opportunity to buy a majority shareholding came up, would be Tencent. They already own 40 % of the company, their market cap is almost 4 times as large as Sony's and they have access to almost unlimited funds thanks to them being the Communist Chinese front company, as you pointed out.
I also pointed out (and you conveniently ignored) that Sony probably can't afford the 30+ billion it would cost to buy up Epic, if they had that kind of cash laying around don't you think that they would have tried to outbid MS for at least Bethesda and possibly Activision?

According to your thinking I now suspect that Lego is prepping a bid for Epic since they have also recently bought a large stake in the company, maybe they are going to launch a console you have to build out of bricks! Watch out Xbox Switch and Playstation! the Lego BrickBox is coming.

How many Steamdecks have been sold? Just over a million? Yes that is a big rival and competition to MS

Since the stocks are held by Tim he could sell them to anyone he wants. He could decide he wants to sell to sega and sega only even if Tencent has as much money as China. Tim is an outspoken opinionated man. Tencent may simply not fit into his views on who should own the company he worked his life to build.

As for Steamdeck. I don't know how many have sold as they haven't released numbers however I am sure its in the hundreds of thousands if not over a million now. It's a new device from a company that doesn't make gaming systems. It will need time to grow organically

 

[eastmen]

Extreme left...... sorry but I find it amusing when in the US or Canada talk about "extreme" and "left". You dont have any left parties and there is nothing "extreme" or "Radical left" over there. What you label as being "extreme" or "radical" left is your own interpretation and definition that exists in it's own imaginary bubble.

I think when Democratic candidates go on radio shows and say in the case of abortion after the baby is born a doctor can take it into another room and abort it would be considered radical left. But I dunno maybe that is normal in Euro land

 

[BRiT]

Let's take the Political talk to RPSC, please.

 

[Nesh]

I think when Democratic candidates go on radio shows and say in the case of abortion after the baby is born a doctor can take it into another room and abort it would be considered radical left. But I dunno maybe that is normal in Euro land

Thats exactly what I m talking about. You guys exist in an alternate reality.

Thats just totally unrelated to anything left or even the right. Especially "radical" left. You guys make your own interpretations.

Also I m confused. What do you mean born and taken to another room to be aborted?? That just doesnt make sense. Babies are born and then aborted? Thats not how abortion works.

Giant WTF. I dont know what to make of you guys over there. Its like bad comedy

Mods I m leaving it here. Not continuing it more. You can move the post if you want

 

[iceberg187]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603164852167446528

They are coming for Lina Khans head

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...&utm_term=221215&utm_campaign=author_22796872

The Activision-Microsoft Deal Is FTC Chair Khan’s Biggest Target Yet​

Biden antitrust chief Lina Khan is skeptical of big mergers like the deal to buy the maker of Call of Duty—and isn’t afraid to stop them in court.

Khan has drawn criticism from the business world and its supporters. Her Republican commissioners have accused her of withholding information, jettisoning the FTC's prior norms of bipartisanship and collegiality. The US Chamber of Commerce, which has called out the FTC for creating a "black-box environment" for business, sued the agency this summer for failing to make public documents about its voting procedures and communications with international regulators.

House Republicans have indicated they plan to ratchet up scrutiny of Khan after they take control of the chamber in January, with the Judiciary Committee's top GOP member, Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, accusing her of pursuing a "radical, anti-free-market agenda."

Agency morale is at an all-time low after years in which the FTC was ranked as among the top places to work in the federal government. Employees have complained about Khan's lack of communication and decisions that move forward without staff input. In an employee survey that took place from May to July of this year, only 44% of the staff reported having a high level of respect for FTC leaders, while 32% said they plan to leave the agency within the year, according to a person who viewed the numbers but wasn't authorized to discuss the survey results because they aren't yet public.

"Our senior leadership takes the results of the survey seriously and is dedicated to creating an agency environment that best facilitates the meaningful work staff do on behalf of the American people," says Elizabeth Wilkins, who's serving as chief of staff on an interim basis.

The Microsoft-Activision complaint shouldn't have come as a surprise, considering it involves digital platforms, the tech industry and vertical integration, all areas Khan has said require heightened scrutiny, says Barry Nigro, an antitrust lawyer at Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson.

"If they win, it will be a huge win," says Nigro, who was a senior DOJ official involved in the failed AT&T-Time Warner challenge. "If they lose, I think what it means is they are going to take more shots. They are trying to change the law. They may have to file and litigate a number of cases before they start to get traction."

 

[Silent_Buddha]

"If they win, it will be a huge win," says Nigro, who was a senior DOJ official involved in the failed AT&T-Time Warner challenge. [/I]"If they lose, I think what it means is they are going to take more shots. They are trying to change the law. They may have to file and litigate a number of cases before they start to get traction."

NOTE to the FTC and other people that think this way. Go back to school and learn how things are supposed to be done in the US government and/or stop thinking you are above the law and/or the Constitution upon which the government is based. Changing the law is the sole purview of Congress. Not the FTC. Not the court system. Not the Executive branch. Congress.

But, but changing the law is hard because you need to get the representatives of the People of various parts of the country who often have different needs not to mention views to agree that the law requires changing...

Uh, that's the whole point of the system. The US is built on the foundations of a limited government with the intention that the People govern themselves as much as possible. Thus many things require a super majority and not just a simple majority.

Regards,
SB

 

[iceberg187]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1603550131613204485

 

[stu11]

Since the stocks are held by Tim he could sell them to anyone he wants. He could decide he wants to sell to sega and sega only even if Tencent has as much money as China. Tim is an outspoken opinionated man. Tencent may simply not fit into his views on who should own the company he worked his life to build.

As for Steamdeck. I don't know how many have sold as they haven't released numbers however I am sure its in the hundreds of thousands if not over a million now. It's a new device from a company that doesn't make gaming systems. It will need time to grow organically

Epic is valued at about 10 times of Sega's market cap so he would have to be nuts to give it away like that, more likely that Epic would buy Sega, but saying Sega will buy Epic or Epic buying Sega sounds more like fanboy fanfic than anything to seriously discuss. You're the one that keeps saying that Sony is trying to buy Epic, why would Sweeney allow that to happen since he is such and "opinionated man"?
Maybe he'll make you happen and flog it MS too..lol

It doesn't really make a difference if Steamdeck is a new device or not, its a niche device and its not a rival to Xbox just like Valve/Steam is not a rival to MS/Gamepass, in fact since Gamepass works on the Steamdeck, it basically is a target platform for Gamepass, along with Xbox and PC and Smartphones.
Xbox Game Studios is on Steam and sells games on there. You've even stated that they're pretty tight with each other.
In fact I bet when ole Gabe decides to hang up the VR helmet and retire he'll probably flog Valve off to his old employer MS to make a nice phat retirement package for himself.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Epic is valued at about 10 times of Sega's market cap so he would have to be nuts to give it away like that, more likely that Epic would buy Sega, but saying Sega will buy Epic or Epic buying Sega sounds more like fanboy fanfic than anything to seriously discuss.

It was a hypothetical point. Tim is free to sell at a loss if he wants; his decisions don't have to be dictated by whomever offers the most money if he values some things above 'more money'.

 

[eastmen]

Epic is valued at about 10 times of Sega's market cap so he would have to be nuts to give it away like that, more likely that Epic would buy Sega, but saying Sega will buy Epic or Epic buying Sega sounds more like fanboy fanfic than anything to seriously discuss. You're the one that keeps saying that Sony is trying to buy Epic, why would Sweeney allow that to happen since he is such and "opinionated man"?
Maybe he'll make you happen and flog it MS too..lol

It doesn't really make a difference if Steamdeck is a new device or not, its a niche device and its not a rival to Xbox just like Valve/Steam is not a rival to MS/Gamepass, in fact since Gamepass works on the Steamdeck, it basically is a target platform for Gamepass, along with Xbox and PC and Smartphones.
Xbox Game Studios is on Steam and sells games on there. You've even stated that they're pretty tight with each other.
In fact I bet when ole Gabe decides to hang up the VR helmet and retire he'll probably flog Valve off to his old employer MS to make a nice phat retirement package for himself.

Let me ask you a question. how much do you think Lucas film's and star wars was worth before disney ?

Lucas sold it to Disney for a song and a dance

New report suggests George Lucas has made $10 billion from Disney acquisition

Although George Lucas was paid $4 billion by Disney for the sale of Lucasfilm, the value of his stock has risen significantly in the past few years.

dorksideoftheforce.com

The report states that this amounted to Lucas being paid approximately $2.21 billion in a cash transaction and 37,076,679 shares of the Walt Disney Company. With Disney stock trading at $50 per share at the time, this amounted to a monetary stock value of $1.85 billion.

He sold it for roughly 5B with a portion of it coming from stocks. He had a good working relationship with disney and thought they would be a company that would take good care of his stuff. But nope.

 

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He sold it for roughly 5B with a portion of it coming from stocks. He had a good working relationship with disney and thought they would be a company that would take good care of his stuff. But nope.

I might have an unpopular opinion about Star Wars, but pre-Disney there were only 2 really good Star Wars movies. Post Disney, maybe 2 more. And the non-Star Wars stuff Lucas owned, he was either making trash like Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls or doing nothing at all with the IP (Like Willow and Labyrinth). I don't think Disney did a great job with the Lucas properties but I honestly don't think they did any worse than the man himself. They just made more content faster.