Re:US moves to block Microsoft's Activision takeover
by solardev on Wednesday June 14, 2023 @11:04AM
(#36327078)
As a gamer, I'm mostly sad about this. It's not like Activision was some beloved indie studio anyway, not for a long long long time.
Having them snatched up by Microsoft would've been no real loss to the gaming community, but would've opened up synergies for Game Pass and cloud streaming and maybe even given the consolidated company a shot at competing with Sony and Nintendo in terms of ensuring viable platforms (not to mention Apple and Google, or Chinese giants like Tencent).
Meanwhile, most actual games innovation happens at the indie level, not AAA, anyway. So it's not like there was going to be much of a cultural loss.
I normally dislike Microsoft, but to their credit, they've been very loyal to their PC and Xbox gamers, and did a lot of work combining their markets (seamless controller support in Windows games, mouse keyboard support in some Xbox games, cross buy and cross play, streaming, etc.), despite having been a distant third place (or worse) for decades now. They didn't give up on it like they did the browser wars or Zune.
Having a continued viability in Windows and Xbox gaming is a good thing for the community, even as (or perhaps especially while) Proton and Crossover/Apple Game Porting Toolkit and Steam Deck etc. are just getting off the ground. Those efforts are only possible because of the Windows APIs, which are similar enough to the Xbox ones that porting is viable. I doubt there would be a similar path from Playstation.
It seemed like this acquisition would've been a win for gamers. And the market. And maybe Blizzard too, for all its recent culture woes. And I get why the regulators thought this way (two huge companies), but I doubt they really understand the nuances of the gaming ecosystem. Sigh. Maybe when Gen Z gets to run government.
Having them snatched up by Microsoft would've been no real loss to the gaming community, but would've opened up synergies for Game Pass and cloud streaming and maybe even given the consolidated company a shot at competing with Sony and Nintendo in terms of ensuring viable platforms (not to mention Apple and Google, or Chinese giants like Tencent).
Meanwhile, most actual games innovation happens at the indie level, not AAA, anyway. So it's not like there was going to be much of a cultural loss.
I normally dislike Microsoft, but to their credit, they've been very loyal to their PC and Xbox gamers, and did a lot of work combining their markets (seamless controller support in Windows games, mouse keyboard support in some Xbox games, cross buy and cross play, streaming, etc.), despite having been a distant third place (or worse) for decades now. They didn't give up on it like they did the browser wars or Zune.
Having a continued viability in Windows and Xbox gaming is a good thing for the community, even as (or perhaps especially while) Proton and Crossover/Apple Game Porting Toolkit and Steam Deck etc. are just getting off the ground. Those efforts are only possible because of the Windows APIs, which are similar enough to the Xbox ones that porting is viable. I doubt there would be a similar path from Playstation.
It seemed like this acquisition would've been a win for gamers. And the market. And maybe Blizzard too, for all its recent culture woes. And I get why the regulators thought this way (two huge companies), but I doubt they really understand the nuances of the gaming ecosystem. Sigh. Maybe when Gen Z gets to run government.