At their Q3Y25 conference, Sony acknowledged on the gaming business (Playstation), that #PS5 hardware sales decline to the point to update the outlook on 21 million more units to be sold by EOY, down from 25 million. All this despite there were profit of Christmas season sales. Also, mayor Playstation Studios' games launches are not happening before 04/2025 while there are title currrently on development. For that reason and that Playstation 5 is entering its 5th year, that the company considers the current generation in its "latter days" and focus on producing high-quality productions and producing live service games." Back at Summer 2023, during the failed FTC demanding a Preliminary Injunction against Microsoft buying ABK, it was revealed that both Sony and Microsoft considered talking on next-gen and what's next for their respective gaming main product by 2028. #Gaming #GameNews #youtubegaming 🕹🎮

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 🕹🎮

I would be careful, singing the "#Xbox is dead" silly tune just because rumors that even if becomes true, because WE ALREADY HAD SOME PREVIEW if you paid CLOSE ATTENTION to the FTC Preliminary Injunction hearing against Microsoft & ABK. #Gaming #GameNews #youtubegaming 🕹🎮

This week the FTC went on on appeal of the dismissal of the preliminary injunction against #Microsoft & Activision Blizzard despite the deal already closed. The agency questions the need to proof why the merger is monopoly when both parties are "monopolies". But the main thing here is that FTC failed to prove in his turn last summer that Activision Blizzard King being owned by Microsoft would trouble competition by making sooner or later, games exclusive for Xbox. Which Microsoft since Year 1 since announcing the deal, have been entering in 10 year-deals with Xbox competitors included Playstation (whom originally rejected signing in expecting a victory from the FTC) and the same FTC failing to prove its point at the hearing. Observers believes that FTC is in a uphill battle and this is one of many other cases in which FTC under the Biden Administration has shown intolerance to big mergers but, delivering poor cases, losing them and being called out on Congress due requesting more funding despite all. #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

Judge Jacqueline Scott, who presided the failed FTC Preliminary Injunction against the Activision Blizzard buyout, confirmed that leaked documents were due Microsoft inadvertently provided the court with a link to their unredacted version & uploaded on the court's site.

I'm already reading some suggestions that the #Xbox leaks were done by FTC in a YOLO move to control public opinion. Now, I won't say that openly if I don't have evidence, but if it is a fact, is the most petty, childish & evil thing to do just to have things your way or else.

Just like when a failed redacted document was leaked on the Internet, it seems that the Court of North California District needs to have double-check on their office clerks. Because there was a massive leaks of findings and evidence regarding #Xbox that were filed during the failed FTC Preliminary Injunction against Microsoft on attempting to buy Activision Blizzaard. The leaked documents highlights all plans that Microsoft have for this decade including a buying spree with names like Nintendo (it will be the 2nd time since late 90's attempt), WB Games, Valve and more. AS for Xbox Hardware, despite Phil Spencer confirming that there will be no mid-gen upgrade, we could see an All-Digital Xbox Series X (no Blu-Ray ROM) by 2025 & new custom Xbox controller in 2024. Microsoft tentatively aims for 2028 to say/launch what's next for Xbox hardware. It will be interesting on the reach that Xbox wants to stretch as there are visions of maybe a proper Nintendo Switch answer for the next main hardware as an "hybrid" computing and also, a Cloud-Ready Xbox console was mentioned. Now that Stadia is out of the picture, Microsoft is already developing Game Pass Cloud Servers upgrades to prepare Xbox as a proper PC gaming streaming and no longer exclusive Xbox Series X environment. Talking about Stadia, Microsoft was wary on chances to compete, but after the first rumors of Immersive Stream, the corporate version of Stadia, was a new priority rather Stadia itself, CEO Satya Nadella asked Xbox team about any opportunities & how they see why Google failed. At the Preliminary Injunction hearing, it was revealed that Microsoft chose NOT to upper up their Cloud Gaming offering & let Stadia take the lead, precisely because Microsoft knew that it will be used against it in case of a massive purchase, like the Activision Blizzard deal. Finally in gaming software related, The Elder Scrolls VI was originally slated for a 2022 release, but Starfield took priority. Before the purchase of ZeniMax Studios and Bethesda, works on the next DOOM game, Dishonored 3 & a Ghostwire Tokyo sequel were in the pipeline. Finally, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Fallout 3 remaster are also in development, meanwhile, it was mentioned that Rockstar Games is working on the next-gen upgrade of Read Dead Redemption 2. There is an expectation that more things will go public in a matter of days. #Gaming #GamingNews

Reminding you all that I AM NOT A LEGAL/MERGER expert! I partially agree that CMA made Microsoft step a landmine after FTC's fiasco on #ActivisionBlizzard prem-injuction. But then again, CMA STILL is on the fence regardless of this "petty victory" on delaying the inevitable.

FTC has withdrawn its administrative case to block #ActivisionBlizzard acquisition that was scheduled for August 2nd. While it it was done as Microsoft leave them no choice, the FTC could file the case again BUT, the already lack of legal standing to do so. #Gaming #GamingNews