UK regulator details concerns over Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activi
sion Blizzard, Xbox responds
The CMA expects the deal to impact PlayStation and game streaming
https://reurl.cc/O4OZNv
簡單翻：
標題：MS回覆了，英國監管單位詳列對MS併購AB的疑慮；CMA覺得會衝擊PS and 串流遊戲
市場。
內文：
The Competition and Markets Authority has detailed its concerns over Microsoft
's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
The UK regulator is seen as the key element as to whether this deal would be a
llowed to go ahead. The deal did not pass the initial phase of approval, and h
as been sent to a second phase.
沒過英國第一階段，進入第二階段，反正擔心。
Now the group has cited its concerns over the deal, and Microsoft has responde
d to them.
The impact on PlayStation and other rivals
The CMA is concerned that the deal will harm PlayStation and other multi-game
subscription offerings as Microsoft may withhold Activision Blizzard content f
rom them. The body is also concerned that Microsoft may use Activision Blizzar
d, alongside other Microsoft services, to out-compete rivals such as Google, A
mazon and Nvidia in the game streaming space.
CMA擔心這個交易會損害PS和其他遊戲訂閱服務，他們也擔心MS會讓Google Amazon, Nvid
ia 等串流提供者無法競爭。
"There is a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition in ga
ming consoles, multi-game subscription services, and cloud gaming services," t
he firm said in an extensive document.
實際上來看在可見的將來（如果這個交易成真），在主機、訂閱和雲端遊戲將永續的降低
市場競爭。
The CMA points to the 'network effect' of the console market, where a console
with a lot of gamers attracts more content, which in turn attracts more gamers
. And the firm is concerned that the acquisition of Call of Duty and any poten
tial exclusivity on Xbox will create a sizeable network effect on Microsoft's
platform.
COD與可能的獨佔，會讓MS得利於Network effect.
"The CMA is concerned that having full control over this powerful catalogue, e
specially in light of Microsoft's already strong position in gaming consoles,
operating systems, and cloud infrastructure, could result in Microsoft harming
consumers by impairing Sony's – Microsoft's closest gaming rival – ability
to compete as well as that of other existing rivals and potential new entrants
who could otherwise bring healthy competition through innovative multi-game s
ubscriptions and cloud gaming services."
對於強勢的類別的全盤掌控，像是主機、雲端服務基礎建設、作業系統，會透過降低索尼
的競爭力來對消費者造成損害，當然同樣也會對家業內造成損害 與 拉高潛在的新進入者
的門檻（應該是指新的訂閱跟雲端服務進入）
Subscriptions are a key part of concerns, as the CMA believes it's possible (e
ven likely) that without this deal, Activision Blizzard games may have come to
other subscription services, too.
訂閱服務是主要疑慮。
"The CMA recognises that ABK's newest games are not currently available on any
subscription service on the day of release but considers that this may change
as subscription services continue to grow. After the Merger, Microsoft would
gain control of this important input and could use it to harm the competitiven
ess of its rivals."
暴雪的新遊戲目前沒有在第一天就出現在任何串流上，但是之後當訂閱服務持續成長則可
能改變。如果併購，MS將可以決定這件事並且打爆對手的競爭力。
In terms of streaming, the CMA's concerns are around Microsoft's potential in
this market due to its ownership of the Azure cloud gaming service, plus its P
C operating system. It believes that there's a chance this, coupled with the o
wnership of Activision Blizzard, will give Microsoft and "unparalleled advanta
ge" over other cloud streaming providers
雲端服務部分，MS有Azure跟Windows, 買了暴雪，微軟會在雲端串流供應市場無人能敵。
"These unsupported theories of harm are not sufficient to justify a reference
to Phase 2," Microsoft has said in a detailed response to decision.
MS: 這些毫無根據的傷害理論，根本不能當進入第二階段的參考。
In terms of the CMA's concerns over the impact on PlayStation, Microsoft says
that there are numerous reasons why these concerns are 'misplaced'.
It cites PlayStation's current market-leading position with a console install
base of 150 million vs Xbox's install base of 63.7 million. It also says that
Sony's current market leadership has seen it 'conduct' practices such as raisi
ng the price of its console "without fear of losing market share". This follow
s the recent news that Sony was increasing the price of PS5 following rising p
roduction costs.
關於CMA對PS的疑慮，MS說有一堆理由可以證明CMA的疑慮是錯的；包含PS的市場領導者，
根本大到漲價也沒在怕的市佔會掉的程度
Xbox responds
In statements shared with GamesIndustry.biz, Microsoft argued: "The suggestion
that the incumbent market leader, with clear and enduring market power, could
be foreclosed by the third largest provider as a result of losing access to o
ne title is not credible."
XBOX 的回覆
在跟Gameindustry.buz分享的聲明：
説…市場最強的索尼，會只因為老三拿到一個遊戲ip就輸掉，根本是不可信啦。
Microsoft posited, although doesn't share any figures, that if every single Ca
ll of Duty player on Sony's console would switch to Xbox, "the PlayStation gam
er base would remaining significantly larger than Xbox."
MS: 我這邊沒給數字，但是就算COD每個玩家都跳去XBOX，PS玩家數依然是顯著的大於XBO
X.
Microsoft also talked about the level of content available on Sony's platform.
Pointing out some of Sony's recent (but significantly smaller) acquisitions,
the company says there were over 280 first and third-party exclusive titles on
PlayStation in 2021, which was nearly five times as many as Xbox.
索尼最近併購的小公司們，讓他們在2021有280個第一方和第三方的獨佔遊戲，幾乎是Xbo
x的五倍。
"In short, Sony is not vulnerable to a hypothetical foreclosure strategy, and
the Referral Decision incorrectly relies on self-serving statements by Sony wh
ich significantly exaggerate the importance of Call of Duty to it and neglect
to account for Sony's clear ability to competitively respond," Microsoft added
.
MS認為，COD 被MS拿到索尼依然超強 沒差
"While Sony may not welcome increased competition, it has the ability to adapt
and compete. Gamers will ultimately benefit from this increased competition a
nd choice."
MS: 索尼可能不喜歡，但是索尼有能力習慣並競爭，玩家都可以因為這個競爭得利的。
Once again, Microsoft reiterated its intention to keep Call of Duty on PlaySta
tion consoles. It stated that taking Call of Duty away from PlayStation would
"alienate" the fanbase and "tarnish both the Call of Duty and Xbox brands".
COD一定會在PS上發行。
Microsoft argued that bringing Activision Blizzard games to Game Pass, which i
s the company's big motivation behind the deal, would offer gamers more choice
in how they access content.
要把COD丟到GP確實是他們的目的，但是我們只是要讓玩家可以更多選擇囉～
Microsoft made no suggestion it would also make Call of Duty available on othe
r subscription services. However, the company observed that as Game Pass isn't
available on PlayStation, the CMA's concerns that such a deal would ‘tip' su
bscription services in Xbox's favour is not accurate. Microsoft also believes
that with the continued popularity of traditional ‘buy to play' and free-to-p
lay models means that Game Pass will always face strong competition.
MS:GP才沒那麼強。
Microsoft concluded this area of the CMA's concerns by saying that if gamers d
o choose to leave PlayStation for Xbox, it will be because Xbox is offering ch
oice in its approach to how games can be bought.
"Should any consumers decide to switch from a gaming platform that does not gi
ve them a choice as to how to pay for new games (PlayStation) to one that does
(Xbox), then that is the sort of consumer switching behavior that the CMA sho
uld consider welfare enhancing and indeed encourage. It is not something that
the CMA should be trying to prevent."
Streaming concerns
串流部分的疑慮
The second area of the CMA's concerns is around Microsoft using Activision Bli
zzard to become dominant in the game streaming area, by using that content alo
ngside Microsoft's owned cloud service provider, Azure, plus its PC operating
system.
This is one of the more complicated areas to analyse, as it is talking about a
part of the games business that is still in its early stages of development.
MS: 雲端這塊很複雜，而且還早。
Microsoft believes the CMA's concerns here are flawed as currently Microsoft's
Xbox Cloud Gaming service does not use Azure, and does not stream games from
PC hardware.
MS: CMA的疑慮，目前都沒發生。
"There is no advantage," the company said. "Indeed, Xbox considers that it fac
es a number of significant disadvantages as compared to rival providers of inf
rastructure for game streaming."
MS: 這塊根本沒優勢。
The CMA is concerned that the Activision Blizzard deal, along with the other p
roducts at Microsoft's disposal, could raise barriers to entry and potentially
'foreclose' rivals in cloud gaming services.
However, Microsoft insisted that blocking potential competitors in the game st
reaming space runs counter to the objective of making it a successful distribu
tion model in the first place.
"Consumer adoption of cloud gaming remains low," it said. "Harming or degradin
g rival services would significantly set-back adoption of this technology – p
rotecting market-leading incumbents (i.e., Sony on console, Apple and Google o
n mobile, as well as Steam on PC).
雲端遊戲講競爭現在還早，消費者接受度不高
"Xbox, as a platform which is in last place in console, seventh place in PC an
d nowhere in mobile game distribution globally, has no incentive to do this –
instead its incentive is to encourage the widespread adoption of cloud gaming
technologies by as many providers as possible to encourage the major shift in
consumer behaviour required for cloud gaming to succeed."
MS: XBOX在家機最爛了，才第三名、在PC第七、在手遊根本沒上榜，MS根本沒理由去降低
競爭，相反地…他應該會鼓勵跟推廣雲端這個市場。
The CMA will issue its preliminary findings from the second phase investigatio
n in January, with the final report expected by March 1.
CMA在一月會發出他們第二階段初步的調查材料，三月會有最終報告。
US regulator the FTC is also conducting a second phase investigation. The deal
has already been approved in Brazil and Saudi Arabia.
美國的FTC也在第二階段，巴西跟沙烏地阿拉伯則是過了。
————-
之前看過CMA對遊戲工作者的調查問卷，感覺CMA並沒有針對Sony這個點檔唯一判讀依據；
美國的FTC其實也沒很針對Sony/COD這件事在講…
但是MS感覺一直針對Sony/COD一直做文章，從最開始‘’主動‘’發訊息給Sony說COD在
併購後會怎樣開始，到後面莫名傳出Sony怎樣跑去講COD會怎樣，再到MS開始講Sony沒COD
根本沒差。
最近MS除了開網站帶風向，又直接透過媒體對著監管單位隔空喊話，個人感覺MS這併購不
太妙啊～
--