I said ealier on that this might get interesting if the EU gives MS the go ahead, so we know have two regulatory bodies at odd with each other, and only one left to make a decison, going to get spicy indeed. lol

quick Google search of Activision games cod1 cod2 cod3 cod4 all the way to Infinity (literally) how many different ways can you make a game? 70 billion dollars! Wow! ...(blizzard owns that)

If this is allowed to continue the major companies will continue to consolidate more and more game studios until most major games are platform-exclusive to either Sony or MS. Not a gaming world I want to live in.

Well, I got out of badly performing Acti stock on the rumors still, w/e comes later, I don't care.

Reardan:

If this is allowed to continue the major companies will continue to consolidate more and more game studios until most major games are platform-exclusive to either Sony or MS. Not a gaming world I want to live in.

But most if not all "exclusive" games from those console reach PC at one time... So it is not really "exclusive" (and both company admited to work with everyone, Sony with M$ and PC, and M$ that launched game on PSN this month) On other hand Nintendo do real exclusives games and no one care about Nintendo and with a console at the end of it's life, it will break a new sale record with the new Zelda (already ahead most of the AAA game after few days). It mean the problem of the merge M$/Activision is elsewhere... *** Update *** Satya Nadella, anounced that M$ would totaly leave UK if london doesn't accept the merge... (with poker face lol)

Seems to be a done deal--EU approves. https://www.cnet.com/tech/gaming/microsofts-69b-deal-to-buy-activision-gets-eu-approval-what-to-know/ My two cents worth, here. Activision wants to sell, Microsoft wants to buy. There's no hostile takeover going on--it's all voluntary. A company the size and valuation of Activision only has a handful of companies in the world with the desire and the wherewithal to buy it. So what's the problem? The UK will be odd man out on this one. I think it's really stupid that government regulators, who are often easily manipulated by politics (and other companies) are able to approve or disapprove sales like this. In some egregious cases, bribes change hands--I doubt it applies here, but you never know. The bottom line is one gaming company buys another gaming company. And this is something government regulators must horn in on? I can't see it.

The EU will allow anything if you pay them enough

EU were predominately distrustful of the CMA, but that goes back to BREXIT nonsense. Back on Track. It's not as simple as you might think, Microsoft basically folded so they could get the EU to rubber stamp it, and, the EU just wanted another chance to raise a few fingers in the direction of the CMA. The CMA got their way, and if you have the time to read through this, you will see it is not as simple as some have made it, Microsoft were asking for the right to exploit a dominant cloud computing standard onto gamers. They lost. They will not see value on this deal for a significant number of years, and in the interim, gamers will be allowed to stream gaming on any platform they want. I think EM got a better deal paying $44Bn for a $15Bm company...because this deal is a rough deal for Microsoft. The only person happy with this is BK, who I'm sure with try and avoid paying any tax on this deal for the next five years, and run out the clock in the courts.

Airbud:

quick Google search of Activision games cod1 cod2 cod3 cod4 all the way to Infinity (literally) how many different ways can you make a game? 70 billion dollars! Wow! ...(blizzard owns that)

The trick is to not make it all that different, Though CoD 1 and 2 were actually WW2 based and more like the old Medal of Honor games.

has it been 2 years yet since this started?

https://wccftech.com/microsoft-ceo-doesnt-rule-out-carving-activision-blizzard-games-out-of-the-uk/ Hahahahahahahaha............................

This type of consolidation of so many studios and IPs in a few companies, had terrible consequences for the movie industry. Disney being one of the worst examples. And I fear we will have the same result in the gaming industry.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/652863c72548ca0014ddf20a/Final_UILs_-_13_October_2023_-_Publication_Version.pdf Page 18 section 5 and 6: 5. Activision Games means Activision console or PC games and related additional or downloadable digital content that: (i) are commercially available as of the Closing Date and were developed, in whole or in part, by any Activision Studio; or (ii) are commercially released by or on behalf Activision or its controlled affiliates or the Activision Studios during the Term that either (a) are developed, in whole or in part, by any of the Activision Studios, or (b) are based, in full or in substantial part, on intellectual property rights in any Activision developed games that were previously commercially released by the Activision Studios. Remastered, special or collector editions of an Activision Game will be considered the same version of such Activision Game. Schedule 3 sets out the current list of Activision Games as at the Commencement Date. 6. Activision Studios means High Moon Studios, LLC, Infinity Ward, Inc., Sledgehammer Games, Inc., Toys for Bob, Inc., Treyarch Corporation, Beenox, Inc., Digital Legends Entertainment, SLU, Raven Software, Solid State Studios; Blizzard Entertainment. Activision Studios also includes, as of such acquisition or creation date, any studios (and any of its successors) later acquired or created by Activision during the Term. Pages 21 & 22: 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures Aces of the Galaxy Blizzard Arcade Collection Call of Duty Call of Duty 2 Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare Call of Duty: Black Ops Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Call of Duty: Ghosts Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare Remastered Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022) Call of Duty: Vanguard Call of Duty: World at War Call of Duty: WWII Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2022) Call of Duty: Warzone Crash Team Rumble Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time Crash Bandicoot N Sane Trilogy Dark Reign Dark Reign 2 Diablo Diablo 3 Diablo II: Resurrected Diablo IV Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions GUN Hearthstone Heroes of the Storm King's Quest Overwatch 2 Prototype Prototype 2 Singularity Spyro Reignited Trilogy Starcraft Remastered Starcraft II Timeshift Warcraft Warcraft II Warcraft III (Reforged) World of Warcraft All of these games are now ring-fenced. And subsequent games are, too, ring-fenced.