Microsoft wins FTC fight to buy Activision Blizzard
https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/11/23779039/microsoft-activision-blizzard-ftc-trial-win
From the article, quoting Judge Corley:
… the Court finds the FTC has not shown a likelihood it will prevail on its claim this particular vertical merger in this specific industry may substantially lessen competition. To the contrary, the record evidence points to more consumer access to Call of Duty and other Activision content. The motion for a preliminary injunction is therefore DENIED.
Seriously though? They bought Bethesda and look what they’re doing there. Now they get to add another massive developer as if they weren’t already ridiculously huge? This monopoly stuff has to end. I don’t just mean gaming either. Like 5 companies control our entire food supply. There can only be one internet provider in any area. It’s insane.
What did Microsoft do with Bethesda?
Bought them and made their games Microsoft exclusives.
Let’s be honest. Bethesda games have always been PC exclusives. All other platforms got an unfinished beta and PC got the real game.
The consolidation of the gaming industry will be just another tale of oligopoly in a capitalist society I guess. Yaaay.
On one hand this just means further consolidation of an already oligopolic industry. On the other hand, Activision is a terrible company run by a terrible man, so it’s not like things could get much worse.
To be honest, this is why I’ve been of two minds regarding the whole thing.
ActivisionBlizzard needs a complete structural change. That’s not going to happen without someone else acquiring them, which they were seeking out themselves.
That it’s Microsoft who did that kind of sucks, but if not them, it probably would have just been someone like Embracer who’s also currently consolidating a lot of IP. Tencent is another option.
If Sony acquired them, it would have led to the same fight, only it’d be Microsoft complaining.
I understand why Microsoft is probably one of the worse options here, due to Game Pass and having their own console, but I don’t think there was ever going to be a good outcome for everyone here. It was ActBlizz who wanted to sell and it was never going to be a cheap acquisition.
Some other deal would have gone through (and be challenged), and I think people would still have issues with it regarding their market share.
I think to many of us, Microsoft is definitely the best option for someone buying Activision/Blizzard. They have been willing to give new life to old IP, they have given purchased studios freedom and support to follow their projects and take the time needed, they bring games to both PC and console and now many more platforms with Cloud Gaming, and they have a generally professional work culture.
