If the competition exists for Sony already, why is it necessary for Microsoft to own that competition?

Activision Blizzard already competed with Sony, which is why people think the market is more healthy prior to this acquisition.

In your comment you point out that Bethesda still has their autonomy. So why is it good again for MS to be acquiring these studios? They continue to make the same product in more or less the same way, but now have to appease their MS gods, all while generating more profit for MS to the benefit of not really anyone, except MS.

Points taken! Which is why I mostly agree with the GP. I can't name a single acquisition that did more for the consumer than what was already on offer, so I am generally against them.

My last comments were more in the shoes of Microsoft.

> with Sony's plethora of studios to offer more AAA titles on Xbox and Windows exclusively

Which is also a bad thing!!!

Valid. I am torn between both because I like to see console makers competing and having a reason to innovate somewhere, but as a consumer, I want the ability to play games on any system the developer is willing to support, too.

Buying up studios and locking their games down is not innovation.