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The Biggest Deal In Gaming Is Under Fire From U.S. Senators:
Four U.S. senators have torpedoed Microsoft's $69 billion deal for Activision. They believe that the consolidation of the high-tech industry and corporate culture of gender misconduct at Activision could expand by the transaction. Democrat senators think that the planned takeover could undermine employees' calls for accountability over alleged gender and sexual harassment at the game developer.
Senators Elizabeth Warren (D), Bernie Sanders (I), Cory Booker (D), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D) are distraught with the fact that Robert Kotick, chief exec of Activision, will remain at the helm of the game company until closing in 2023. With the same head, the culture of misconduct will not go away, they assume. Another point they are concerned about is the consolidation of the high-tech industry in general and its impact on the workforce. Given their concerns, they wrote a letter to the Federal Trade Commission in an attempt to block the deal.
"We are deeply concerned about consolidation in the tech industry and its impact on workers," the letter obtained by the Wall Street Journal reads. "This lack of accountability, despite shareholders, employees, and the public calling for Kotick to be held responsible for the culture he created, would be an unacceptable result of the proposed Microsoft acquisition."
[...] The senators demand that FTC oppose the deal if it finds that it can worsen the negotiating position between workers and companies (in this case, Microsoft represents both entities).
Previously:
Microsoft Set to Purchase Activision Blizzard in $68.7 Billion Deal
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 04 2022, @05:10PM
The fuss about abuse is a red herring. A court can shove people aside as needed, or they can even be internally sequestered as needed. These are all problems with available solutions for which the independence of Activision isn't a prerequisite.
Consolidation doesn't have an impact anyway, unless it's literal consolidation in a car crusher or by hurling people into the grand canyon. It might have an effect, but not an impact; but regardless of illiteracy on the part of national figures, their strongest argument is against consolidation in the interests of a more varied corporate environment. This is one situation where they have a commercially meaningful contribution. The rest is politically correct waffling.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Monday April 04 2022, @05:11PM (3 children)
This is Microsoft scooping up a publisher that is receiving some seriously bad publicity. Activision could use the restructuring and bail-out at this point. Considering the current climate, I'd say it's 50/50 as to whether the deal will be allowed. In the event the deal is allowed, it's definitely a good thing for Activision. They've burned through all of their good will.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 04 2022, @06:08PM (2 children)
Activision could save a lot of money by just replacing their marketing, PR and customer service teams with posters of goatse, six feet tall.
(Score: 4, Funny) by Freeman on Monday April 04 2022, @06:48PM (1 child)
They could call it on-brand advertising for the Diablo Franchise . . .
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
(Score: 3, Touché) by Thexalon on Tuesday April 05 2022, @12:13PM
Well, the advertising for Diablo Immortal was a giant middle finger to the fanbase, so yeah, it would fit.
"Think of how stupid the average person is. Then realize half of 'em are stupider than that." - George Carlin
(Score: 5, Funny) by DannyB on Monday April 04 2022, @07:33PM
A game company merger is UNDER FIRE from US Senators. It is your job to bring all your knowledge, skills and tools to the enemy so that the merger can be completed by the time you reach level seven. You can choose the colors of either team; the company doing the acquiring or the company being acquired. In order for you to win, you must not use up all your lives and you must be on the winning team.
Some people need assistants to hire some assistance.
Other people need assistance to hire some assistants.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Monday April 04 2022, @07:38PM (4 children)
Seriously?
How about: Microsoft is already way past the point where past administrations would have Sheman'ed their collective ass into several chunks, and this would make it even more of a monopoly?
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 04 2022, @07:43PM
Didn't you notice, they're Democrats.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Immerman on Tuesday April 05 2022, @02:48AM (1 child)
Yeah... seems like an indefinite complete prohibition on mergers and acquisitions should be a mandatory minimum penalty for a convicted abusive monopolist. Come back after a decade to have your conduct re-evaluated and, if it's been beyond reproach, possibly enter a probationary period requiring consent of a jury of your victims.
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday April 05 2022, @07:55PM
Getting let completely off the hook by the President of the United States of America will do that!
Bush hasn't been in office for decades now though. Instead or rehashing the early 2000s what should we do about it now?
(Score: 1, Offtopic) by DeathMonkey on Tuesday April 05 2022, @07:48PM
They were found guilty by the Clinton admin but then their sentence was commuted by the Bush admin. There's no double-jeopardy in this country so he we are.
Now that you know why we can't relitigate the past do you think prohibiting this merger is a good idea?
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Monday April 04 2022, @09:43PM
Granted, I would have been more OK 40 years ago before we got the whole Exxon/Mobile thing, but that's water under the bridge.
Somebody in the US government decides they didn't get enough campaign contributions to torpedo a Mega Merger? I'm all for that.
Problem is, the next Mega Merger folks will take notice and up their bribes, oops my bad, campaign contributions.
Of course I'm against DEI. Donald, Eric, and Ivanka.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Gaaark on Monday April 04 2022, @09:57PM (4 children)
To me, it should be more about cancelling the deal because we NEED competition, not a lack of it.
Let these big corps swallow all the small guys, thus eliminating all competition... that's smart!.... wait...isn't Capitalism ABOUT competition???
Let's see: "Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, private property, property rights recognition, voluntary exchange, and wage labor"
So, if we reduce competition, that's good for everyone.... wait.... what?
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. I have always been here. ---Gaaark 2.0 --
(Score: 2) by MIRV888 on Monday April 04 2022, @11:14PM (3 children)
We've arrived once again. You can count a number of companies on your fingers that effectively have monopolies on their markets.
Historically our current economic predicament reminds me of the late 1800's just before Teddy.
As long as I can still get an original rom of Pitfall I'm all good.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Monday April 04 2022, @11:51PM (2 children)
Unlike Socialism where oligarchical dictatorships are (covers ears) unheard of.
(Score: 2) by MIRV888 on Tuesday April 05 2022, @06:33AM (1 child)
Europe, Canada, Japan, New Zealand & Australia would disagree.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 05 2022, @12:34PM
They may, however, none of those countries nor any of the countries in Europe is Socialist.
(Score: 0, Flamebait) by ChrisMaple on Tuesday April 05 2022, @12:55AM (2 children)
Sanders is a communist and accepted a bribe to bow out out of the 2016 election. He's a New England nutcase. Nothing he proposes should be considered to be good for the United States.
Warren is a proven liar. She's grandstanding in an attempt to get the 2024 Democratic Presidential nomination.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 05 2022, @07:44AM
Chris Maple is a Republican!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 05 2022, @01:05PM
Shut up, trumptard.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday April 05 2022, @02:23AM (1 child)
Were it not for (proprietary) gaming, more people would've switched to Linux by now.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday April 05 2022, @02:10PM
That is entirely possible, but Linux until recently was a pretty hard sell to the computer illiterate. Now, you can get just as awful of an experience using Microsoft/Apple/Google as Linux. You're just less likely to have support options for Linux. Then again, if you're relying on X buddy to help you with the computers and they are recommending Linux. Then you may be likely to take their recommendation. So long as you can get help from said buddy.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"