Xbox bought blizzard?

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Nauru Dolan
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by Dolan »

Smaller studios are getting bought by medium ones, medium ones by bigger ones, bigger ones by megacorps.
It's this vacuum cleaner dynamic that pulls all the value and competition from the smaller levels up to where the big capital is.
So in the end only a few megacorps remain in place and competition is basically this big cartel between them.

Example. Activision-Blizzard was buying smaller studios in 2009:
https://www.cnet.com/home/smart-home/wh ... -scare-me/
In 2022 Activision-Blizz gets bought by Microsoft.

Sony keeps buying for Playstation:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_a ... ns_by_Sony

Epic keeps buying:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epic_Games#Acquisitions

Tencent bought Riot and others.

Value gets created by smaller and medium studios, then they get bought by the bigger sharks.
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No Flag fightinfrenchman
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by fightinfrenchman »

Nobody is denying that, but that doesn't mean that consumers aren't getting anything out of it
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Tuvalu gibson
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by gibson »

Yes, the fact that bigger studios are buying smaller studios is not whats in question lol
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Nauru Dolan
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by Dolan »

Products are kinda like baits and vectors for data-mining now. The company puts out a bait and waits for you to get the free product (the bait), so that maybe you get so hooked you'll want to spend some.
Even if you don't spend, they data-mine you anyway, so at least they get something out of you.
But product is made to be as addictive as possible, you just can't help spending more time consooming.
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by princeofcarthage »

gibson wrote:
19 Jan 2022, 16:36
Yes, the fact that bigger studios are buying smaller studios is not whats in question lol
If you have 10 smaller studious it means you have 10 studios, 10 games fighting for same amount of player's time.
If those are bought and merged into 5 medium studios, you have 5 studios 5 games fighting for same amount of players time.
If those are further bought by 2 large studious you have 2 studios 2 games fighting for same amount of players time.
If that is now bought by a megacorp you have 1 studio 1 game fighting for same amount of players time.

What Dolan is saying that those smaller studios are creating more competition and thus generating better value. The larger corps have lesser and lesser motivation to innovate and make quality games. Of course this currently isn't true and you still have healthy competition but it might happen in future. Of course this is not necessarily true even with only 2 players there can high standards of quality and competition.
Fine line to something great is a strange change.
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Nauru Dolan
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by Dolan »

But anyway this idea that gamers benefit from competition is kinda theoretical, because ppl don't just compare all the shooters on the market and then buy the best one.
If they can afford it, they buy game A when it comes out and it's hyped, then they buy game B when it comes out and it's hyped, and so on, etc.
And those who can't afford, just play f2p
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by blackwidow »

Microsoft has been good to the titles they have acquired, they seem to see value in the grassroots community initiatives and I see them supporting things like esports further.
Very positive overall I like it
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by fightinfrenchman »

Dolan wrote:
19 Jan 2022, 16:44
But product is made to be as addictive as possible, you just can't help spending more time consooming.
Weird projection, not everyone plays video games for 12 hours a day
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by fightinfrenchman »

Dolan wrote:
19 Jan 2022, 16:50
But anyway this idea that gamers benefit from competition is kinda theoretical, because ppl don't just compare all the shooters on the market and then buy the best one.
If they can afford it, they buy game A when it comes out and it's hyped, then they buy game B when it comes out and it's hyped, and so on, etc, blablabla.
And those who can't afford, just play f2p
2012: Spend $60 on new game, pay monthly cost to access online multiplayer service to play with my 3-4 friends who own the same game + console + subscribe to the online service

2022: Download high-quality game for free, don't spend $60 on emotes because that's dumb as hell, play with whoever because it's cross-platform

There's plenty to criticize on the business side, but obviously consumers are getting some benefits. Whether you think the trade off is worth it is another matter
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Tuvalu gibson
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by gibson »

princeofcarthage wrote:
19 Jan 2022, 16:45
gibson wrote:
19 Jan 2022, 16:36
Yes, the fact that bigger studios are buying smaller studios is not whats in question lol
If you have 10 smaller studious it means you have 10 studios, 10 games fighting for same amount of player's time.
If those are bought and merged into 5 medium studios, you have 5 studios 5 games fighting for same amount of players time.
If those are further bought by 2 large studious you have 2 studios 2 games fighting for same amount of players time.
If that is now bought by a megacorp you have 1 studio 1 game fighting for same amount of players time.

What Dolan is saying that those smaller studios are creating more competition and thus generating better value. The larger corps have lesser and lesser motivation to innovate and make quality games. Of course this currently isn't true and you still have healthy competition but it might happen in future. Of course this is not necessarily true even with only 2 players there can high standards of quality and competition.
Except its not actually been demonstrated to be true that having many smaller studios is better than having several large ones. In fact I would argue the opposite has been largely true.
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Tuvalu gibson
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by gibson »

blackwidow wrote:
19 Jan 2022, 16:54
Microsoft has been good to the titles they have acquired, they seem to see value in the grassroots community initiatives and I see them supporting things like esports further.
Very positive overall I like it
Also if you look at the titles microsoft has released over the past year or two vs the titles activision and blizzard have released over the past few years its obvious its pretty good.
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European Union aaryngend
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by aaryngend »

Some interesting takes:


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United States of America n0el
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by n0el »

One big thing underlooked here is that Microsoft now owns MLG.
mad cuz bad
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Re: Xbox bought blizzard?

Post by aaryngend »

n0el wrote:
20 Jan 2022, 17:16
One big thing underlooked here is that Microsoft now owns MLG.
MLG made Halo big back in the day. Blizzard-Activison acquired MLG some years ago. Now Microsoft acquired Blizzard-Activison.

Everything came full circle :hmm:

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