Microsoft is buying Activison-Blizzard

[ati87]

Except it was reactive. Kotic came to MS with an offer to sell to them.

Honestly doesn't mater.
These kind of statements are meaningless, it's a politically correct response as to avoid damage to yourself by saying something stupid.

[Beefhammer]

Honestly doesn't mater.
These kind of statements are meaningless, it's a politically correct response as to avoid damage to yourself by saying something stupid.

Well no, you posited Microsoft's acquisition of ABK as a proactive way to change the culture MS found shitty earlier. MS was one, approached by ABK, and two, did it to bolster their dev portfolio and increase the value of GP. Changing any bad culture would have been a secondary or tertiary motive. More of a now that we own ABK, we can clean it up a bit, not the deciding reason. Which is why it would be a proactive move to clean them up.

[Surfd]

By all accounts, Facebook is a fantastic employer though.

That's a little like saying "Working for the Mafia is a great gig, as long as you don't have an issue with the fact that your boss occasionally brings random strangers into the back room and breaks all their fingers with a pipe wrench every once and a while".

[LazarusLong]

That's a little like saying "Working for the Mafia is a great gig, as long as you don't have an issue with the fact that your boss occasionally brings random strangers into the back room and breaks all their fingers with a pipe wrench every once and a while".

Really, you accuse Facebook employers of illegal behavior? Got any examples?

[ati87]

Well no, you posited Microsoft's acquisition of ABK as a proactive way to change the culture MS found shitty earlier. MS was one, approached by ABK, and two, did it to bolster their dev portfolio and increase the value of GP. Changing any bad culture would have been a secondary or tertiary motive. More of a now that we own ABK, we can clean it up a bit, not the deciding reason. Which is why it would be a proactive move to clean them up.

And regardless....Spencer saying 'evaluating all aspects' of its relationship with Activision Blizzard' means nothing and has nothing to do with buying the company itself.
People are putting to much emphasis on buying Activision and a interview in November.

[Stickiler]

Except it was reactive. Kotic came to MS with an offer to sell to them.

MS...approached by ABK,

That's not completely true, MS approached Activision and said that they would be open to purchasing them, Kotick then looked in to other companies(Including FB), and decided MS was the best option and went back to them and offered the purchase.

[Slipmat]

Might be time to put the champagne back on ice for a while...

Microsoft Deal for Activision to Be Reviewed by FTC in U.S.
ByDavid McLaughlin
1 February 2022, 03:53 GMT


The U.S. antitrust review of Microsoft Corp.’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc. will be handled by the Federal Trade Commission, according to a person familiar with the matter, putting the deal in the hands of an agency that has vowed more aggressive policing of deals.

The FTC will oversee the investigation into whether the takeover will harm competition, instead of the Justice Department, said the person, who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly about the review. The two agencies share responsibility for antitrust reviews of mergers and often reach agreements about which one will investigate a deal.

FTC Chair Lina Khan has long advocated for a more forceful approach to reviewing deals, particularly by the biggest technology companies, which she says are able to leverage their dominance in one line of business to gain power in other markets. Under her leadership, the agency has sued to block two major takeovers -- Nvidia Corp.’s proposed purchase of Arm Ltd. and Lockheed Martin Corp.’s deal to buy of Aerojet Rocketdyne Holdings Inc.

Microsoft declined to comment about the review. The FTC didn’t respond to a message seeking comment

The Activision investigation will focus on the combination of Activision’s gaming portfolio with Microsoft’s consoles and hardware systems. Regulators are likely to look closely at how Microsoft’s ownership of Activision could harm rivals by limiting their access to the company’s biggest games.

Microsoft’s last significant takeover, a $17 billion deal to buy transcription software maker Nuance Communications Inc., was approved last summer by U.S. and European Union officials. The U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority is still reviewing the transaction.

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-by-ftc-in-u-s

[ati87]

Might be time to put the champagne back on ice for a while...



Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-by-ftc-in-u-s

hardly, this is really normal and happens all the time.

[Tech614]

Might be time to put the champagne back on ice for a while...



Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-by-ftc-in-u-s

It will go through. Might have certain conditions put on it but it will go through. Now if MS went and tried to acquire Take Two or EA after this that would be the one that would likely be shot down.

[zealo]

Might be time to put the champagne back on ice for a while...



Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/artic...-by-ftc-in-u-s

This is just business as usual.

There were never going to be a situation in which the FTC doesn’t probe a 70 billion dollar acquisition.

[bluspacecow]

Might be time to put the champagne back on ice for a while...

Not really no. The deal was always going to see review by either the FTC or the DOJ. They share jurisdiction over merger reviews so it was always going to be either of them that would review it. The only difference is the FTC won their initiative roll this time around.