Tag: Microsoft - Page 1
News PS5, PS4 Players Will 'Remain Welcome' As Xbox Closes $69 Billion Activision Blizzard Buyout
Update: Microsoft now officially owns ABK
Update: Well, there we go. Microsoft has wasted no time, and has officially concluded the transaction to acquire Activision Blizzard King. The announcement comes via Xbox Wire, where Phil Spencer writes about this historic merger. Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard King, will remain in place for at...
News Xbox Boss Praises 'Fierce Leader' Jim Ryan Following News of PlayStation CEO's Retirement
Why can't we be friends
With Sony announcing that PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan will be retiring in April of next year, this kind of message from Phil Spencer was inevitable. The Xbox boss has taken to Twitter in order to praise 63-year-old Ryan's impact on the industry, as you'd expect. "Jim Ryan has been a great contributor to our industry and a...
News Microsoft Documents Show How PlayStation Now Saved Fallout 76
Fallout shelter
Microsoft boss Phil Spencer thought about pulling support for Fallout 76 back when the platform holder acquired developer Bethesda as part of the larger purchase of parent company ZeniMax. In a revealing email, Spencer suggested that if the game couldn't manage 10 million monthly average users (a number it would ultimately surpass),...
News Microsoft One Step Closer to Activision Buyout as CMA Approves of Deal Changes
It's almost over?
Microsoft's bid to purchase Activision Blizzard King for an enormous $69 billion is now closer than ever to finding approval from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. Thanks to a change in the proposal, whereby the rights to stream Activision's games via the cloud would be entrusted to Ubisoft, the CMA looks to have changed...
News Xbox Documents Reveal Staggering Cost of Bringing Games to Game Pass, PS Plus
Hey big spender
A massive Xbox leak has spilled the beans on all kinds of internal affairs at the organisation. Now, this being a PlayStation website, a lot of the leaked information isn't really relevant — but documents that detail the financial impact of bringing games to subscription services? We'll report on that, thank you kindly. While it's...
News Xbox Almost Flashed Its Cash At Warner Bros, Sees Nintendo As the Holy Grail
"It'd be a good move for both companies"
A genuinely dystopian email sent by Xbox chief Phil Spencer in mid-2020 reveals that the company was eyeing up Warner Bros Interactive in addition to Bethesda as a potential acquisition. Even more concerningly, the executive talks about buying out Nintendo as a “career moment” and “good for both...
News Xbox Poised to Borrow from PS5's DualSense Controller
Can't beat 'em? Join 'em
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and it seems that’s exactly what Xbox has cooking for the latter half of the generation. While the DualSense controller, with its haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, has represented a pivotal part of the PS5’s marketing since launch, it looks like Microsoft is poised to...
News If It Wasn't Obvious, The Elder Scrolls 6 Will Skip PlayStation
The one from our dreams
A few months back, there was some speculation that The Elder Scrolls 6 might not be an eventual Xbox exclusive, despite Microsoft's acquisition of Bethesda. This all came about because Xbox boss Phil Spencer had said that target platforms hadn't been decided yet — but it always felt like his comments were more to do
News Microsoft to Sell Activision Blizzard Streaming Rights to Ubisoft in Revised Deal
Happy now, CMA?
Microsoft has announced it has restructured its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard in a bid to appease the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. The CMA has been against the deal for a long time, with a monopoly on gaming via cloud streaming services being its biggest concern. Microsoft's revised deal addresses this...
News Microsoft Urges UK Regulator to Renege on ActiBlizz Block, Points to PlayStation Deal
"Industry's most powerful player will have the game it considers most important"
It’s been mercifully quiet on the Microsoft front these past two weeks, and may we underline how beautifully blissful it’s been! But of course, the Redmond firm’s well imbursed legal team hasn’t stopped putting in the overtime, as it seeks to overcome the final...
News Microsoft Extends Deadline of $69 Billion Activision Blizzard Acquisition
"Excited about bringing more games to more players"
We’ve reached the point with Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard where it’s likely only a matter of time before the deal closes, but the trillion dollar tech titan still has some hurdles to overcome with the UK’s regulator. While it’s returned to the...
News Sony and Microsoft Sign a 'Binding Agreement' to Keep Call of Duty on PlayStation
Update: Deal will last for 10 years
Update: Sony has now confirmed to outlet Axios that the "binding agreement" with Microsoft ensures the Call of Duty series will appear on PlayStation hardware for the next 10 years. Original article: With Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard set to close in the coming days following an
News FTC Fails to Delay Microsoft's $69 Billion Buyout of Activision Blizzard
"Another step closer to the finish line"
In expected news, the Federal Trade Commission has failed in its attempts to delay Microsoft’s eye-watering $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard. Earlier this week, the US regulator lost its court case against the trillion dollar tech titan, meaning it was unable to impose a temporary injunction on the...
News The FTC Officially Files an Appeal Against Microsoft-Activision Court Victory
Not over 'til it's over
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) isn't giving up without a fight, it seems. After losing its courtroom battle for a preliminary injunction against Microsoft's intended purchase of Activision Blizzard, the government body has officially filed an appeal. The court's decision in favour of the Redmond corporation's acquisition...
News UK Regulator 'Still Stands' by Decision to Block Xbox's $69 Billion Activision Blizzard Buyout
Talks with Microsoft in their infancy
It feels like, one way or another, Microsoft will now acquire Activision Blizzard for an eye-watering $69 billion, following the outcome of US regulator the Federal Trade Commission’s failed temporary injunction attempt earlier this week. In the immediate aftermath of this week’s court ruling, the UK’s...
News Microsoft Beats US Regulator FTC in Activision Blizzard Buyout Battle
Update: Xbox maker agrees to "stay of litigation" with UK regulator
Update: In a rapidly developing update in this snowballing story, Microsoft president Brad Smith has revealed that his company have agreed to a “stay of litigation” with UK regulator, the CMA. An appeal hearing with the CAT had been scheduled to get underway on 28th July, but it...
News Even Microsoft Is Expecting a Revised PS5 Hardware Model This Year
Not like this
The portents appear to be aligning for a PS5 hardware revision coming this year. Earlier, we brought you word that a European price cut suggests that could be the case, and now even Microsoft is getting in on the action, claiming in court filings relating to
News Canada Joins UK, US in Questioning Microsoft's Activision Blizzard Buyout
Another blow
If you've not been keeping up, the FTC — the United States' antitrust regulator — is currently in a major legal battle with Microsoft regarding its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard for $69 billion. This has dredged up all kinds of stories, not least of which the ridiculous budget of Sony's biggest games, Microsoft's plans to...
News SEGA Uninterested in Being Acquired by Sony, Microsoft
"No, not now."
SEGA isn't interested in being acquired by the likes of Sony or Microsoft at the moment according to co-chief operating officer Shuji Utsumi. When asked if the Japanese company is open to the idea of being bought out by another company, Utsumi responded to Bloomberg saying simply: "No, not now." SEGA holds the rights to game...
News Publishers Don't Like 'Value Destructive' Subs Like Xbox Game Pass, Says Sony Boss
"This is a very commonly held view over many years"
Sony has dipped its toe into the hypothetical subscription future with its revamped PS Plus tiers, but it’s resisted the temptation to include tentpole AAA titles in its service on day one, like Xbox Game Pass does. It’s argued since the beginning that this business model is unsustainable, and...
News Microsoft Planned to Conquer Japan with Square Enix Buyout, Eye-Opening Documents Reveal
Final Fantasy a key component
Wow, this just never ends! In its ongoing attempts to sate the FTC — which is currently scrutinising Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard — the tech giant has been forced to disclose internal documents and emails, placing a spotlight on the company's behind-the-scenes planning. Just days ago,...
News Microsoft's Potential Game Plan in 2020: 'Spend Sony Out of Business'
Money talks
Look, we're sick of hearing about the Microsoft and Activision Blizzard saga as you are, but you've got to admit, some of these details are just too juicy to ignore. In its ongoing attempts to appease the FTC, Microsoft has had to present a number of internal emails before the courts — and boy are they eye-opening. One such email saw...
News SEGA and Bungie Were On Microsoft's Shopping List in 2020, Xbox Emails Show
All to "accelerate" Game Pass
Microsoft's ongoing attempts to buy Activision Blizzard for an absurd $69 billion (we still struggle to comprehend that number) have forced the company to divulge all kinds of weird details on how Xbox operates behind the scenes. Case in point: Microsoft has just been forced to share internal emails, in which Xbox bo
News Xbox Boss Wishy-Washy on Whether The Elder Scrolls 6 Will Come to PS6, PS5
"It's so far out"
Microsoft has consistently reiterated that Bethesda games will come to PlayStation on a case-by-case basis, but while it admittedly continues to support live service efforts like Fallout 76 and The Elder Scrolls Online on Sony’s consoles, we’re slowly beginning to see that won’t be the outcome for new projects. The recently...
News Xbox Insinuates It Bought Bethesda to Block Starfield PS5 Console Exclusivity
Things could have been very different
At the beginning of the generation, there were rumours that Sony was acting incredibly aggressively, attempting to sign console exclusives with as many publishers as possible. Ultimately, we’ve seen evidence of that, with the likes of Deathloop, Ghostwire Tokyo, and more recently Final Fantasy 16 all launching...
News "We've Lost the Console Wars," Says Trillion Dollar Underdog Xbox
Incentive to spend $69 billion
One consistent theme throughout the entire sorry Activision Blizzard buyout saga has been how both Sony and Microsoft have utterly dismantled their own businesses in attempt to convince regulators to get their own way. The latest effort comes courtesy of the US Federal Trade Commission’s ongoing court case, where...
News Starfield, Redfall Exclusivity 'Powerful Evidence' Against Xbox's Activision Buyout, Claims FTC
PlayStation's Jim Ryan to be a witness in case
We’re on the cusp of peak corporate pettiness, so batten down the hatches and brace yourselves, because the Federal Trade Commission’s attempt to temporarily halt Microsoft’s unfathomable $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard is about to get underway. A number of high-profile witnesses...
News Microsoft Welcomes FTC's Injunction on Xbox's Activision Blizzard Buyout
Star-spangled lawsuits
Update: So, yes, the FTC has filed an injunction in an attempt to temporarily halt Microsoft's $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard — and the trillion dollar titan has welcomed it. The thinking here, allegedly, is that the Redmond firm is playing 4D chess, and it believes that by taking this to court earlier than...
Roadmap will soon be required
The curtain has closed on what was, in this author’s partially informed opinion, probably the strongest Xbox Showcase in recent memory. This wasn’t a total knockout on par with some of PlayStation’s best ever E3 presentations – is such a thing even possible now we’ve effectively transitioned from live...
News Microsoft Bigwig Hoping to Voice Frustration to UK Politicians Over $69 Billion Buyout Block
Channel crossing
Having been frustrated in its $69 billion dollar bid to acquire Activision Blizzard in the UK, Microsoft's president, Brad Smith, is scheduled to meet with UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt this week to plead the company's case in person. This follows the EU's acquiescence to the deal, a matter to which the UK's regulator, the Competition...
News Xbox Wouldn't Shoot Itself in the Foot by Yanking Call of Duty Off PS5, Says EU
PS5 outselling Xbox Series X|S dramatically in Europe
A big point of contention over Microsoft’s stumbling $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard is whether Call of Duty becoming exclusive would negatively impede PlayStation’s ability to compete in the console space. While regulators have, ultimately, determined cloud streaming is a...
Random Xbox Politely Points Out All the Non-Exclusives from Sony’s PS5 Showcase
Which was most of 'em
The post-press conference haze is a real phenomenon, and it can be difficult to determine exactly which games are exclusive and which aren’t. To be honest, Sony’s show this evening wasn’t the worst example we’ve ever seen, because it became pretty obvious as the minutes ticked by that we weren’t seeing many...
News UK's Regulator Responds to European Commission's Decision to Pass Xbox's Activision Buyout
"The CMA stands by its decision"
With the European Commission’s decision to pass Microsoft’s unprecedented $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard today, it was inevitable that the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority would be asked to comment. Unsurprisingly, the division – which made the unexpected move to block the acquisition a few...
News Microsoft's $69 Billion Activision Deal Approved by the EU Commission
Issues on cloud gaming answered
The European Commission has today confirmed its approved Microsoft's proposed $69 billion purchase of Call of Duty maker Activision. Having addressed concerns in the cloud gaming space, the EU Commission rules Microsoft's 10-year commitments to "represent a significant improvement for cloud gaming as compared to the...
News Sorry, But the Drama Over Xbox's Activision Buyout Ain't Over Yet
Mentally prepare yourselves for next week
The UK’s unexpected decision to block Microsoft’s bonkers $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard provided us with a temporary reprieve from the corporate skulduggery that’s dominated the industry this past year, but the bees nest will be poked again next week when the European Commission is expected...
News Xbox Boss Admits Microsoft Can't 'Outconsole' PS5
Phil Spencer chimes in on current trends
In a rather eye-opening interview with Kinda Funny Games, Xbox boss Phil Spencer basically admits that Microsoft's gaming arm can't directly compete with Sony and Nintendo. It's fairly common knowledge that in the current generation of consoles, the PS5 is comfortably outselling the Xbox Series X|S, but it's...
News UK's Activision Buyout Block Forbids Microsoft from Trying Again for 10 Years
Time-out
Microsoft's effort to acquire Call of Duty publisher Activision Blizzard was already starting to look quite dire, but an appeals process is currently underway, we're told. If unsuccessful, however, Microsoft will apparently need to wait a full decade before it will be able to try again. Over on
News Activision Poised to Pocket a Cool $3 Billion if Xbox Buyout Breaks Down
Must be funny
Microsoft’s unfathomable $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard is hanging by a thread after the deal was blocked by UK regulators earlier this week. In the aftermath of the decision, the trillion dollar tech titan immediately went on a rampage, piling pressure on the government by
News Microsoft Goes Scorched Earth Over UK's Activision Buyout Block
"Darkest day in our four decades in Britain"
Microsoft already tried the charm offensive to get its unfathomable $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard past regulators – and now the deal has been blocked by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), it’s just plain gone on the offensive. In an eye-popping interview with the BBC,
News Activision Blizzard Boss Bobby Kotick Warns Billion Dollar Buyout Saga Ain't Over
"This is far from the final word"
After a shock upset at the eleventh hour, the UK's CMA has blocked Microsoft's attempted acquisition of Activision Blizzard, stunning pundits and analysts alike as the deal was generally expected to be given the go-ahead. An internal email from Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick
News Microsoft Dealt Major Blow as UK Blocks Activision Buyout
Didn't see that one coming
In a dramatic twist that we frankly never saw coming, the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has blocked Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard after months of investigations and deliberations. Microsoft's industry-shaking $69 billion buyout of the colossal publisher has, predictably, been the subject of...
Let it end
The bell tolls for Call of Duty on PlayStation, as a (pay-walled) Financial Times report indicates the CMA's long-awaited decision regarding Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of publisher Activision Blizzard could come down as soon as tomorrow, and in the Xbox parent company's favour. There really isn't too much more to say;
News American Senators Continue to Target Sony Over PS5, PS4 Timed Exclusives
PlayStation alleged of engaging in "anticompetitive conduct"
More and more American senators are calling out Sony over its timed exclusivity deals, as the fallout from Xbox’s unfathomable $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard continues to rumble. North Dakota’s Kevin Cramer is the latest to throw his hat into the ring, sending a letter...
News Sony Claps Back at UK Regulator's 'Irrational' Reversal on Microsoft Activision Deal
Down, but not out
Sony has hit back at the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over its revised stance regarding Microsoft's proposed $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard, which has softened significantly in recent days. The CMA published Sony's response, which calls out the organisation's abrupt about-face, stating: "The CMA’s...
News Sony Is Acting Unfairly Against Xbox in Japan, US Congress Members Say
Politics are coming for your PS5
In another twist for the surreal, the Biden administration is now being pressured by members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle to take decisive action on a supposed 'monopoly' held by PlayStation on the Japanese video game market. Some required reading on this one, as it all stems from comments made...
News UK Regulator No Longer Concerned About Activision Buyout's Impact on Console Competition
Update: Activision rips into Sony in response to updated findings
Update: Activision Blizzard has released a gleeful response in relation to the UK regulators’ softened stance today. “The CMA’s updated provisional findings show an improved understanding of the console gaming market and demonstrate a commitment to supporting players and...
News Microsoft Thinks It Hasn't 'Pulled Any Games' from PS5, PS4
Reckons it's brought more games to PlayStation
Microsoft has today responded to the news of a cancelled PS5 version of Redfall by saying it hasn't "pulled any games from PlayStation". In fact, the platform holder thinks it's actually "expanded our footprint of games that we've shipped on Sony's PlayStation since our acquisition of ZeniMax, and the...
News US Senator Says Sony Has 'Monopoly' on High-End Japanese Game Market
You'll never guess her biggest campaign contributor
A new player has entered the neverending saga of Microsoft's proposed $69 billion dollar acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell (who represents the state of Washington) weighed in on the subject today in a rather confusing fashion. Spotted over
News Sony Concerned Microsoft Could, Knowingly or Not, Sabotage Call of Duty on PlayStation
The knives come out
It's time to return to everyone's favourite ongoing story in games, namely, the war of words between Microsoft and Sony in regard to the former's intent to purchase publisher Activision Blizzard. In the latest turn, Sony has voiced concern that should the acquisition come to pass, future Call of Duty titles on PlayStation could...
News European Union Likely to Pass Xbox's $69 Billion Buyout of Activision
Money talks
According to a Reuters report, the European Union will apparently not object to Microsoft’s unprecedented $69 billion buyout of Activision Blizzard. The Redmond firm went on a charm offensive in Brussels last week, signing a variety of deals with Nintendo and NVidia GeForce Now, promising Call of Duty for at least the n
