Wow that's so much earlier than expected, can't wait for all the GP goodness. It's going to be wild to see the amount of games they'll be adding.
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The FTC could approve the Microsoft Activision merger next month
- Thread starter Saucycarpdog
- Start date
"For some reason, for console warring reasons, I want the FTC to deny it and just bask in the meltdowns it will create in this forum"
Beenox made Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled in 2019 and Modern Warfare 2 Remastered in 2020. Toys for Bob is rumored to develop that Wumpa League game.
Raven expressed interest to be lead dev on Call of Duty some years ago.
Radical doesn't exist anymore.
Solid State, Activision Shanghai, Digital Legends are also working on COD (but on Warzone Mobile). Demonware too on console/PC (but it's mostly about the online/technical/matchmaking aspects)
In my opinion, MS won't interfere much with the COD machine. It's way too successful and well-oiled at this point (and demanding too). But I think they will push for the Crash Bandicoot and Crash Team Racing franchises to have more stable pipelines with Toys for Bob and Beenox being multi-projects. Especially since Crash 4, N-Sane Trilogy and CTRNF were big successes.
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No reason to have a meltdown about this now tbh. You just need to move on lol.
Microsoft probably won't directly interfere with anything (well, not under current leadership anyway).
However, we do have indications even publicly going back to the start of the year that TFB will not be transitioning to an exclusively CoD studio, because they were hiring for parallel positions labelled stuff like "Artist (Call of Duty)" and "Artist (Toys for Bob)" with the latter role noting that the role may initially be working on a CoD game but implying that was temporary.
The activision line's main priority was ensuring CoD was living up to it's full potential, because that was by far the most profitable thing they could do. But they would still like to do other things again once they can get enough resourcing. That seems like a logical (if artistically disappointing) way to prioritize in the publisher. And with or without the microsoft acquisition, I do think we'd see them diversifying again within a few years once they get enough staff. I think this is true even if they fail to internally resource for it - i.e. they could plausibly contract external teams to work on their less lucrative but still worthwhile IP.
Here is an interesting yale journal article from the current FTC chair. I have not finished reading it yet but it may be good to read if you want to gain insight on the FTC chairs thoughts on Antitrust. Also I feel old as we are the same age.
Link: https://www.yalelawjournal.org/note/amazons-antitrust-paradox
Link: https://www.yalelawjournal.org/note/amazons-antitrust-paradox
This year overall seems blah. maybe this is the fruit of covid finally revealing itself? Honestly I cannot think of any big game that came out post elden ring.
If your happiness is basking in another's sadness then maybe you need to talk to someone about that
I don't think they've officially submitted the EU paperwork yet, have they? And that's something that will probably take a good while as well I imagine
Depends entirely on the marketing contract that Activision has with Sony and how willing Microsoft is to try to get out of said marketing contract
Next year will definitely be big for their games, to the point that I'd think it prudent to delay some of it out of the first half even if it turns out to be all ready in time.
This is the current 1H 2023 slate for first and second party (come at me 2nd party haters), based on Microsoft saying everything in the show was for due out within 12 months:
- Starfield
- Diablo 4
- Redfall
- Forza Motorsports
- Ara: History Untold
- Minecraft Legends
Assuming ABK closes prior to Diablo 4's launch and so it goes on gamepass, the 1h 2023 gamepass lineup will be kind of bonkers, especially factoring in the bigger 3rd party stuff like Wolong.
Hmmm
I mean the important decision here is do I play Crash 4 on the PS4 Pro (don't have a PS5 yet) which is coming free next month or with for the enhanced version to his Game Pass in the future ony Series x?
Is there much difference?
I mean the important decision here is do I play Crash 4 on the PS4 Pro (don't have a PS5 yet) which is coming free next month or with for the enhanced version to his Game Pass in the future ony Series x?
Is there much difference?
New cods on GP day 1 is a crapshoot imo. Sony may not have that clause in the contract at all. Maybe they just renewed the existing contract they had at the beginning of the gen when GP didnt exist, or didnt bother because Activision would ask for so much money to get cod on GP they figured theres no point. At the same time, they may have added it as a precaution.
The assumption comes from that wording being in the leaked RE Village contract. Also Deathloop and Ghostwire Tokyo not on Game Pass PC. Sure it's possible there's no clause in the case of CoD for the reasons you state but most likely a similar situation. Won't affect the back catalogue of CoDs going to GP though, so that's something at least.
They must have, surely? This was announced back in January - I know they'll have been busy with US approval but for them to have not even requested EU approval in 6 months seems like a big oversight if true.
They might have to wait until the various commissions announce they will investigate and then ask for the papers in that timeframe, rather than submit as soon as they can.
I've actually done some research on that and they do still exist, albeit a small team working under Activision Central Tech.
They said this in may btw. Even if FTC approves it and wont be right away done i think. Looking at EU, UK etc and what they are saying.
This year is in the cards tho. Wich is earlier then i was expecting
www.resetera.com
This year is in the cards tho. Wich is earlier then i was expecting
Microsoft: The Activision Blizzard deal is "moving fast, at least fast enough for an acquisition of this size"
https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/xbox/microsoft-the-activision-blizzard-deal-is-moving-fast
www.resetera.com
The bulk of the business is in the US, so if any other region, say the EU, flat out denies it then I guess ABK could close those operations so they have no jurisdiction.
there really isn't any antitrust questions here, at least when you dive into it... and it's mostly pre-existing issues and not ones borne out of this transaction. Azure being the one thing that has potential to be problematic.
you just have to ask a few questions about the transaction and look at it:
does the acquisition signifcantly change the buying power of the Xbox division? will they be able to bully other companies? will they be able to bully storefronts (PC)?
does the acquisition change the economics for users, partners or competitors?
does the acquisition give them command over any industry?
does the acquisition allow them the capability of charging higher prices without fear of market share collapse?
does the acquisition force competitors or users to use services that they have that they otherwise wouldn't have needed?
does the acquisition lessen competition in the industry? ie is the industry size significantly reduced? is the competition between publishers themselves significantly reduced?
would Microsoft leaving the market with Activision cause the industry go into freefall?
would Microsoft having 40% of the console digital storefront marketshare allow them with Activision Blizzard to force other companies out of business?
with Activision Blizzard, would Microsoft still be reliant on third party titles to succeed against competition?
with this acquisition would Microsoft have incentive to prevent other publishers from selling content?
would having Activision Blizzard ultimately lead to Sony or Nintendo going out of business?
In my mind, I can only really give a somewhat yes to only the first question. but any attempt would probably be self defeating in outcome.
i was just reading the EU decision on Zenimax and they seemed mostly concerned with the Xbox digital storefront. reading through it, they may bind Microsoft to keeping COD exclusive but most other stuff should probably easily clear it.
(also EU doesn't have this transaction listed on their docket yet, so MS hasn't submitted to the EU yet it seems)
That's true, I hadn't thought about their storefront operations.
I see it as an easy win for Microsoft. Remove Kotick and promote maybe Kostich to the Kotick position. Saves Microsoft money in salary and builds goodwill.
Funny Ybarra likely ending up back at MS. Quite a turbulent relationship between him and Spencer, will be interesting to see if he sticks around.
User banned (Permanent): Console warring, metacommentary, very long history of infractions
What a stark contrast in tone between this thread and the bungie thread. Someone even got warned for a type of post in here that made up the majority of the other thread. I was curious if Era would keep that same energy.
interested to see if the no exclusives talk was true or not
interested to see if the no exclusives talk was true or not
Outright blocking is not gonna happen. At best the EU will impose certain conditions on MS before waving the the merger through.
I hope it leads to a change in working culture at A/B studios, but who knows. At least there's a commercial interest in MS keeping an eye on whether A/B exec teams are actually going to address shitty work environments and lack of consequences for management and HR enabling it. Not the best reason to enforce change but it's a reason.
So if they haven't submitted to the EU yet does that mean it's still a fair way away from happening?
not really
they could submit within a month and still end up not being the last to make a decision
it could also take a while after everyone approves anyways. took MS months to close niantic after EU approval.
I'd say that's smartest
Activision under Sarah Bond
Blizzard under Ybarra
King just being king i guess
Would be a bummer if it didn't come to gamepass, I'd rather not pay full price for it if I don't have to.
That's what happens when you spend circa 85 billion :PIf this is done in 2022. They went from this to this in 5 years. Still mindblowing.
it is mind boggling how far they've come. Let's see what happens once the ABK deal closes. They might have even more acquisitions planned.If this is done in 2022. They went from this to this in 5 years. Still mindblowing.
No doubt, they got a fantastic lineup.If this is done in 2022. They went from this to this in 5 years. Still mindblowing.