The word that best sums up Sony’s tears in its clumsy attempt to prevent the purchase of Activision Blizzard is alipori. On a day like today, turning to the Royal Spanish Academy to use a word as rich in context as aliporiis more than correct because its meaning is, literally, when something is embarrassing.
It is legitimate to defend its interests, but it seems that the Japanese led by Jim Ryan are desperately using puerile arguments. In many cases, they are directly using lies, and they are completely alone in this war, since almost all companies have been either neutral or even pro-acquisition as in the case of Take Two.
Microsoft responds: The CMA should not watch over Sony, but over the competition
Recently, we moved on to another one of those epileptic episodes after reading some new statements from Sony that are as far from reality as the company is with its own community. Now, Microsoft has responded to some of these errors, in a slightly more abrupt tone than we are used to. It’s a sign that Americans are tired of being a punching bag.
For Microsoft, the CMA focuses the issue in favor of Sony, and therefore they are reminded of the following:
In short, Sony is not vulnerable to a hypothetical lockdown strategy, and the benchmark decision is erroneously based on self-serving statements from Sony that grossly overstate Call of Duty’s importance to it and neglect to consider the Sony’s obvious ability to respond competitively.
While Sony may not welcome the increased competition, it has the ability to adapt and compete. Players will ultimately benefit from this increased competition and choice.
If a consumer decides to switch from a gaming platform that doesn’t give them a choice about how to pay for new games (PlayStation) to one that does (Xbox), then that’s the kind of behavior of consumer change that the CMA should consider improving for well-being and, in fact, encouraging. This is not something the AMC should try to prevent.
It remains to be seen how all this will end, of course the story seems far from over, and of course nothing points to Sony’s side in this “war” between the two companies.
