In a new signal that FTC is not giving up on reversing #ActivisionBlizzard acquisition in the future, the regulator wrote to the 9th Circuit of Appeal Court that Microsoft contradicted on its promise that both Microsoft & ABK will operate independently post-merger. All this as a result of the recent layoff at Microsoft Gaming that also included redundant jobs and the eSport department of Activision Blizzard. After failing to win a Preliminary Injunction in Summer 2023, FTC has said that it will continue its inner process that if successful (an uphill road at best as per observers), could force Microsoft to divest ABK, but either way the process could take years. There is a chance that if by 2024 US Elections, there is a change in FTC administration and a republican one takes over, the FTC could abandon the efforts. The FTC under Biden Administration, has grown intolerant on mergers that means big companies just becoming bigger but, the low success rate has been questioned by Congress with tax money being used just to fail and FTC requesting more funding regardless. Meanwhile, Microsoft has denied FTC's accusation on the #ABK independence promise post-merger, indicating that Activision was already on plans for running layoffs before the deal's closure is incorrect to fully attribute to Microsoft Gaming's process. #Gaming #GameNews #youtubegaming 🕹🎮

Unfortunately for Sony this week, Rhysida hacker group went on their deadline after only 2% of the stolen data on their hack to #Playstation Studios' Insomniac Games was actually sold and the remaining 98% was released on the Dark Web. The loot is actually more than 1.3 million files totaling 1.67 terabytes and includes much more than anticipated than a swift hacking usually manages to copy. As expected in this kind of big stole, future games, and internal HR documents, budgets, more are in the public yes and as well Insomniac’s future projects, including the upcoming Marvel Wolverine game, a publishing agreement with Marvel that promises future games. Of course, the "promised games" is on the stipulation that Sony and Playstation needs to comply with goals set by both Disney and Marvel and maybe isn't just that Sony has strategically held the movies and videogames rights for Spider-man. Along with Wolverine, seems that Sony is ready to answer EA's take on Marvel Iron Man and now Bethesda/Xbox Game Studios's take on Marvel Blade as Insomniac landed a exclusive X-Men game, pending to be announced. As for more Marvel games, the Venom game is slated for a 2025 release, followed by a 2026 release of Wolverine and early estimate for X-Men is at 2030, which probably might see Iron Man and Blade being in this 7 years interval. Other documents reveals that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was not a total financial success despite being the flagship game for the launch of PS5 with a miss of 10% below Return Of Investment or in plain language, the game was not profitable at least in normal sales channel. A follow-up Ratchet & Clank main game is currently in development with a target release year of 2029. Finally and honestly I wasn't expecting anything centralized on the Playstation business and much-less being housed on one of Playstation Studios's servers but, here is the bad luck for Sony. Apparently, Insomniac Games had probably copies of documents that appears to be for Sony Interactive Entertainment to actually hold and there was a report on Steam sales of Playstation games brought to PC. Numbers includes: -Horizon Zero Dawn - 3.3 million units -God of War 2018 - 2.5 million units - Days Gone - 1.7 million units -Marvel Spider-Man Remastered 1.3 million units -Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves 483k units -Marvel Spider-Man: Miles Morales 450k units -Sackboy A big adventure - 62.9k units Surprisingly, there are documents related to the Activision Blizzard acquisition by Microsoft and as excepted, concentrate on the Call Of Duty side of thing including the fear that Microsoft could find ways to differentiate Xbox and Playstation versions of COD. Game Pass subscription and the public perception that Xbox has indeed "lost the console war" as a way to transform the gaming business in one that could have Playstation left behind because their premium sale model and pro hardware model as subs are more feasible for gamers The insistence that the Playstation model is outdated is because Sony feels that Activision Blizzard gives Microsoft strategic value in live service, mobile and PC Storefront and Microsoft can supply, console, PC and subscription services. Reminder, currently the main tasks that Activision Blizzard is working along side Xbox is the new Mobile game app store, reportedly being made from the best of Battle Net & Microsoft Store with King leading the project, which Microsoft has said was the main reason to buy ABK. And with this recap.... BE CAREFUL, Wolverine's leaks apparently are in the wild and there is a PROBABILITY of seeing videos of an early version BOOTABLE of the game as well pics and assets for the game. I am not spoiling anything after this post. #Gaming #GamingNews #Gamestr

In a surprising move, Sony and Jim Ryan confirmed that he will leave his position as SIE and #Playstation CEO on March 2024, alluding that since 1994, working for Sony between USA and Japan while being a European resident, has become a personal challenge. While not a stranger in Sony as he began in mid 90's, he landed the Sony Interactive Entertainment, the parent company of Playstation on 2019 replacing John Kodera and pretty much oversaw the last stretch of the PS4 era and managed the pandemic-chaotic initial release of PS5. While Ryan is praised for his sales and managements skills, which pretty much lead him to Playstation at the last part of his almost 20 years career at Sony, but he will also remembered for dismissing retro gaming to favor the narrative of Playstation as a dominant gaming force. Also 2022 and 2023 will be remembered on how publicly went "not worried"of the Activsion Blizzard acquisition by Microsoft. But in reality, led a massive lobbying campaign that failed as it ended him being called out at the end by the very same lawmakers in an embarrassing open letter that accused him and Playstation to actually being the cause of Xbox failing to capitalize in Japan since 2001. #Gaming #GamingNews

The FTC will renew its fight against #ActivisionBlizzard acquisition with in-house trial to try to force a divestiture if merger already took by 21 days after the 9th Circuit of Courts Appeals issue their decision on the Preliminary Injunction denial appeal. While there is a small chance of success in the best case scenario for the FTC, the litigation could take years anyways taking in perspective all the step backs since day one. All this meanwhile, we have to count at the UK CMA to give an approval after the Ubisoft entered an agreement about purchasing ABK's Cloud Gaming rights, entered the picture. Observers sees difficult on how FTC can justify a case were virtually should not use data and steps taken in the Preliminary Injunction hearing, should not try to proxy the CMA's process to favor their arguments & how effective is the spending of taxpayers on a virtual lost case. #Gaming #GamingNews

Despite trying to lead the counterattack on regulators trying to ban the ABK buyout, it was revealed that Sony told investors on Fidelity back in 2022, that the #Bungie acquisition had more value for Playstation more than ABK to Xbox itself. Not the first time that Sony got exposed on not being too concerned originally, but lead a lobbying campaign in Washington DC with Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan, who ended being called out to be at the wrong side by lawmakers regarding the ABK acquisition. #Gaming #GamingNews

Sony Interactive Entertainment announced the acquisition of Audeze, a Leader in Audio Technology & Developer of Award-winning Headphones for Gaming. Audeze will continue to operate independently and it will not make #Playstation branded products exclusively. #Gaming #GamingNews

Originally slated as a Plan B & now the WHOLE PLAN, Microsoft announced an agreement with #Ubisoft to buy the Cloud Gaming rights of Activision Blizzard to mitigate concerns of its ABK acquisition by the regulator CMA. Under the restructured transaction, Microsoft will not be in a position either to release Activision Blizzard games exclusively on Xbox Cloud Gaming or to exclusively control the licensing terms of Activision Blizzard games for rival services. On Ubisoft's end, the company will compensate Microsoft for the cloud streaming rights to Activision Blizzard’s games through a one-off payment and through a market-based wholesale pricing mechanism, including an option that supports pricing based on usage. Also, Ubisoft can add Activision Blizzard games on Ubisoft+ on the UK market. Interestingly, the CMA responded that the Ubisoft deal would also mean that games needs to be reached through Linux-based computers & not exclusively on Windows computers (probably macOS too). Finally & to add a little pressure, the CMA confirmed that this development and remade deal needs new scrutiny, which has a deadline date of Oct 18th, 2023. Hypothetically CMA taking this long, puts the ABK's Termination Fee raise if the deal fell agains Microsoft in effect. #Gaming #GamingNews

That is how well SEGA has started the weekend, announcing the closure of the Rovio acquisition, one of the first mobile gaming studio in post-BlackBerry mobile world to achieve stability until the very end.

SCOTUS has denied #Fortnite makers Epic Games on enforcing a App Store ruling of 2021 that is on hold as Apple appealed on its side (App Store payment policy violated California law). Now Epic will have to sit by and hope that Apple loses the appeal. This is the latest of the 2020's Epic Vs Apple aftermath that had the exit of Fornite from the App Store after Epic Games legally challenged the 30% cut App Store policy via an update that circumvented the App Store payment API for VBucks acquisitions as precursor. #Gaming #GamingNews