Remarkableriots Posted December 24, 2022 Share Posted December 24, 2022 What were the generous proposals from Microsoft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted December 24, 2022 Share Posted December 24, 2022 2 minutes ago, Remarkableriots said: What were the generous proposals from Microsoft? A guaranteed 10-year contract for CoD to be released for PlayStation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Nvidia and Google have ‘expressed concerns’ to the FTC about the Microsoft-Activision deal | VGC WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM A new report claims the companies joined Sony in raising issues about the proposed acquisition… Quote Nvidia and Google expressed their concerns to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about Microsoft‘s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, according to a new report. Bloomberg cites sources familiar with the matter, who claim the two companies spoke to the FTC about their own issues with the potential deal. In December, the FTC announced plans to file a lawsuit in a bid to stop Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of Activision, which it argues would enable the company to “suppress competitors” to its Xbox consoles and its subscription content and cloud gaming business. According to Bloomberg’s sources, both Nvidia and Google provided information to support the FTC’s argument that the acquisition could give Microsoft an unfair advantage in cloud, subscription and mobile gaming. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 6 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: Nvidia and Google have ‘expressed concerns’ to the FTC about the Microsoft-Activision deal | VGC WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM A new report claims the companies joined Sony in raising issues about the proposed acquisition… Quote However, one source also claimed that while Nvidia made a case for the need for equal and open access to games, it didn’t directly oppose the acquisition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cusideabelincoln Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Nvidia "equal" "open" access Words that do not go together. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy4000 Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 They want it for streaming rights with GeForce now I bet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinIon Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 I'm surprised that Google was willing to say much at all to the FTC. They've got their own investigations to contend with, and it seems to me the cases against them are far easier to make. Google saying that Microsoft's acquisition could give them an unfair advantage is like the MLB complaining about college football teams changing conferences. Yeah, maybe there are arguments against big name teams consolidating to a few conferences, but when you're sitting on an actual monopoly, you're probably not the best one to bring up those arguments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 3 hours ago, TwinIon said: I'm surprised that Google was willing to say much at all to the FTC. They've got their own investigations to contend with, and it seems to me the cases against them are far easier to make. Google saying that Microsoft's acquisition could give them an unfair advantage is like the MLB complaining about college football teams changing conferences. Yeah, maybe there are arguments against big name teams consolidating to a few conferences, but when you're sitting on an actual monopoly, you're probably not the best one to bring up those arguments. They're just bitter about Stadia 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 Exactly one year after the announcement: Microsoft set to lay off thousands of employees - The Verge WWW.THEVERGE.COM More than 10,000 jobs may be affected. Quote Microsoft is preparing to announce job cuts tomorrow. Sky News reports that thousands of roles will be cut, with the software giant said to be looking at cutting around 5 percent of its workforce. With more than 220,000 employees at Microsoft, that could mean more than 10,000 layoffs. While Sky News doesn’t name an exact date for the expected cuts, a source familiar with Microsoft’s plans tells The Verge that the company will likely announce layoffs on Wednesday, ahead of its quarterly earnings next week. Bloomberg is also reporting that a number of layoffs will be announced in Microsoft’s engineering divisions tomorrow. The job cuts are said to be “significantly larger” than the 1 percent cut to Microsoft’s workforce last year. The previous job cuts affected positions in consulting and customer and partner solutions. Business units confirmed to have been impacted: • HoloLens • Microsoft Edge • marketing • 343 Industries • Bethesda 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spawn_of_Apathy Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 12 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: Business units confirmed to have been impacted: • HoloLens [dead if there’s no government contract] • Microsoft Edge [nobody uses it] • marketing [kind of surprising] • 343 Industries [start with management and leads] • Bethesda [I would have assumed marketing if MS wasn’t also laying off their own, but maybe it’s a consolidation and right sizing ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 5 minutes ago, Spawn_of_Apathy said: • HoloLens [dead if there’s no government contract] Not-so-coincidentally, there was an IVAS/HoloLens demo at the agency I work with this past Tuesday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 No idea how reliable this source is, but if true, then 343 Industries got it particularly hard: Report: Massive Layoffs Hit 343 Industries - Lords of Gaming LORDSOFGAMING.NET Today, it was announced that over 60 people have been laid off from 343 Industries the studio behind Halo Infinite Quote According to our source, at least 60 people at 343 Industries have been laid off this morning from the Redmond, Washington-based developer. This is a significant portion of the workforce which at its peak employed over 450 people. The layoffs are said to be across the company. However, they are heaviest towards individuals working on the single-player side of the studio. Edit: Jason Schreier is also confirming that 343i got hit hard: Quote Microsoft won't share specific numbers, but several employees have told me that 343 Industries was hit hard. This comes in the wake of a long-running hiring freeze and a lot of contractor departures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 The Coalition (Gears of War studio) was also affected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 The (tech layoffs) will continue until the (share price) improves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted January 18, 2023 Share Posted January 18, 2023 5 minutes ago, sblfilms said: The (tech layoffs) will continue until the (share price) improves From what I've read, it's about 200K in the last year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spawn_of_Apathy Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 7 hours ago, sblfilms said: The (tech layoffs) will continue until the (share price) improves Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 Jacob Wolf (@JacobWolf): "Riot Games is making layoffs, which started earlier today, multiple people have told me. Size and scope are unclear at the moment, so far I’ve heard of effects across recruiting & human resources, support and esports. Will do more reporting in the morning for the newsletter."|nitter NITTER.NL Riot Games is making layoffs, which started earlier today, multiple people have told me. Size and scope are unclear at the moment, so far I’ve heard of effects across recruiting & human... Riot is doing layoffs. I assume this will be seen throughout the industry in the coming months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodger Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 343 just might have had it coming. Halo has disappointed for over a decade now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 6 hours ago, Dodger said: 343 just might have had it coming. Halo has disappointed for over a decade now. I'm sure they started with the leadership that made those choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyser_Soze Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 22 minutes ago, SuperSpreader said: I'm sure they started with the leadership that made those choices. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 1 hour ago, Keyser_Soze said: No. The leadership that made the games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 CMA likely to publish provisional findings on Microsoft/Activision Blizzard merger by next week | Equity Report T.CO The CMA is expected to publish its provisional findings on the ongoing review of the Microsoft/Activision Blizzard merger in a week’s time. Quote The UK's Competition and Markets Authority is expected to release its findings on the purchase of the videogame maker in a week's time, according to an Equity Report item, which cited a London-based lawyer advising a third party on the deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 3, 2023 Share Posted February 3, 2023 MS also received the "charge sheet" from the EU regulator earlier this week: Microsoft ‘confident’ it can address EU concerns after receiving antitrust warning over Activision deal | VGC WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM The company says it’s committed to “finding a path forward” for the $69 billion acquisition… Quote Microsoft has said it’s “confident” it can address EU concerns after being issued with an antirust warning over its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. As expected, this week the EU issued Microsoft with a charge sheet setting out its concerns about the $69 billion deal, Politico reports. In response to the EU’s statement of objections, Microsoft told the publication it is committed to “finding a path forward” for the deal. “We are listening carefully to the European Commission’s concerns and are confident we can address them,” a spokesperson said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crispy4000 Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 Activision Blizzard to pay $35 million for breaking SEC whistleblower rule WWW.SHACKNEWS.COM The SEC has announced Activision Blizzard will pay the organization a $35 million settlement. Quote Activision Blizzard also violated the SEC’s whistleblower rule. Between 2016 and 2021, separation agreements between the publisher and ex-employees required the former workers to provide notice to Activision Blizzard if they were given a request for information from members of the SEC staff. “The SEC’s order finds that Activision Blizzard failed to implement necessary controls to collect and review employee complaints about workplace misconduct, which left it without the means to determine whether larger issues existed that needed to be disclosed to investors,” said Jason Burt, Director of the SEC’s Denver Regional Office. “Moreover, taking action to impede former employees from communicating directly with the Commission staff about a possible securities law violation is not only bad corporate governance, it is illegal.” Activision Blizzard: We're gag ruling ex-employes from talking with you. SEC: Nice try. Get fucked, criminals. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted February 4, 2023 Share Posted February 4, 2023 10 hours ago, crispy4000 said: Activision Blizzard to pay $35 million for breaking SEC whistleblower rule WWW.SHACKNEWS.COM The SEC has announced Activision Blizzard will pay the organization a $35 million settlement. Activision Blizzard: We're gag ruling ex-employes from talking with you. SEC: Nice try. Get fucked, criminals. Should have been more. This is just the shit they could prove. (Because they wrote it down.) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 Microsoft expects the UK to oppose its acquisition of Activision Blizzard WWW.EUROGAMER.NET Microsoft is reportedly ready to fight what it expects to be opposition from the UK's competition regulator. According … Quote Microsoft is reportedly ready to fight what it expects to be opposition from the UK's competition regulator. According to the New York Times, the megacorp believes "the antitrust authority in Britain to oppose the transaction". It follows a similar intervention from the EU, which objected to a perceived risk in Microsoft owning Call of Duty given it could reduce competition in the video games industry. According to four people "briefed on the matter who were not authorised to speak publicly", Microsoft hopes "to convince both Britain and the European Union to accept its concessions and approve the deal, which could make it easier for the company to reach an agreement with the FTC before the scheduled administrative trial starts in the summer". Oh yeah - MS is totally going to have to "sacrifice" Blizzard to get this thing over the finish line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remarkableriots Posted February 5, 2023 Share Posted February 5, 2023 23 minutes ago, Commissar SFLUFAN said: Microsoft expects the UK to oppose its acquisition of Activision Blizzard WWW.EUROGAMER.NET Microsoft is reportedly ready to fight what it expects to be opposition from the UK's competition regulator. According … Oh yeah - MS is totally going to have to "sacrifice" Blizzard to get this thing over the finish line. As long as Blizzard goes to a better company, I'd be happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spawn_of_Apathy Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 I don’t see why I’m they have to sacrifice Blizzard. It’s COD that everyone seems so damned worried about. Nobody’s like “but what about Overwatch and Diablo??” I mean I care about Diablo, but everyone’s got their nickers in a twist over MS owning COD. theyd probably make them sell off COD to a different developer or publisher. … who then would get bought by Sony with zero government opposition. lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuperSpreader Posted February 6, 2023 Share Posted February 6, 2023 Listen how about we lay everybody off and we keep COD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Bobby Kotick warns UK risks ‘becoming Death Valley’ if it blocks Microsoft deal | VGC WWW.VIDEOGAMESCHRONICLE.COM Activision Blizzard's CEO claims regulators are “confused” about who’s competing with who in games… Quote Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick has claimed that blocking Microsoft’s acquisition of the Call of Duty publisher would represent a major blow to the UK government’s ambition of becoming a technology superpower. The UK’s Competition and Market Authority (CMA) is this week expected to issue its provisional findings on the $69 billion deal and notify the relevant parties of possible remedies to any antitrust concerns it may hold. “If a deal like this can’t get through, they are not going to be Silicon Valley, they will be Death Valley,” Kotick told CNBC in a televised interview on Tuesday, the same day as UK prime minister Rishi Sunak announced the creation of a new standalone government department for science, innovation and technology. "That's a nice economy you've got there. It'd be a real shame if something happened to it." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaladinSolo Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 On 2/6/2023 at 12:20 AM, Spawn_of_Apathy said: I don’t see why I’m they have to sacrifice Blizzard. It’s COD that everyone seems so damned worried about. Nobody’s like “but what about Overwatch and Diablo??” I mean I care about Diablo, but everyone’s got their nickers in a twist over MS owning COD. theyd probably make them sell off COD to a different developer or publisher. … who then would get bought by Sony with zero government opposition. lol Blizzard is far larger than CoD.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbsolutSurgen Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 4 minutes ago, PaladinSolo said: Blizzard is far larger than CoD.... Activision > King > Blizzard 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbsolutSurgen Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 ActiLizzard had more revenue from mobile platforms than console and PC combined last year... Wow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Just now, AbsolutSurgen said: ActiLizzard had more revenue from mobile platforms than console and PC combined last year... Wow. Which is why King is infinitely more important in this transaction than Blizzard. Like I said before, Blizzard is the "no-brainer" concessionary sacrificial lamb if one was necessary to get this over the regulatory finish line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissar SFLUFAN Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Activision - 2022 operating margin: 40% King - 2022 operating margin: 38% Blizzard - 2022 operating margin: 32% Even by this metric, Blizzard is still the easy concession to the FTC/CMA/EC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.