FTC vs Microsoft is the stuff of legends | Kaser Focus

You’ll forgive me if this Kaser Focus is a bit longer than common, however issues actually popped off this week. Last week, we noticed the beginnings of the case between the FTC and Microsoft over the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This week, the two sides wrapped up their arguments and it’s all the way down to Judge Corley to ship a verdict. Now, you already know me — I love authorized drama in gaming, if solely as a result of every case is often a treasure trove of passive-aggressive, petty nonsense that solely company legal professionals have the time to whip up. But this case is one for the report books.

I’m not going to interrupt down all of the juicy information from the trial — go learn this week’s DeanBeat in case you wanna see some of the extra fascinating revelations. But I do assume the FTC got here into this case on the again foot. It says one thing that the choose needed to remind the FTC’s reps that the case is not imagined to be about defending Sony, however customers. The FTC additionally targeted on Call of Duty to the detriment of its different arguments, in my view. That stated, Microsoft confirmed that it’s not disingenuous both — the paperwork on this case reveal the firm has thought-about shopping for a lot of different publishers as a shortcut to the next spot in the market.

As with the Epic vs Apple case, the choose is my precise hero right here. Her Honor Jacqueline Scott Corey is now up there with Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on my listing of judges who aren’t afraid to name gaming entities out. It’s not a protracted listing, essentially, however with these two on it, it doesn’t should be. Judge Corley even wrapped up the case with what I really feel was the solely query of any advantage: Why is Call of Duty so essential? And would anybody at both firm (or the FTC for that matter) even have thought of the customers if Sony had signed the take care of Microsoft to share Call of Duty?

What else is occurring?

Leaving all that apart, what else occurred this week? Well, Niantic and Daedalic each introduced they’re shifting away from inside improvement and laid off a number of workers. Niantic is nonetheless engaged on some video games, however canceled Marvel: World of Heroes. Meanwhile, Daedalic are going utterly away from recreation improvement following the failure of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. It’s a pity, as a result of their journey video games are literally fairly pleasant — a Gollum title finished in the type of, say, Deponia would have been no less than extra fascinating than what we acquired.

CD Projekt Red’s VP of PR, Michał Platkow-Gilewski, advised Gamesindustry.biz that he felt the criticism of Cyberpunk 2077 was overblown at launch. His actual phrases are, “[It] became a cool thing not to like it. We went from hero to zero really fast. That was the tough moment. We didn’t know what was happening.” Keep in thoughts this is at the tail finish of a very lengthy interview the place he talks about rebuilding their relationship with avid gamers. As somebody who was there for the Cyberpunk 2077 launch and muddled by way of the game-breaking glitches (on PC, no much less) to scrape out what enjoyable I may discover, I can inform you this, Michał: We weren’t offended. We had been simply dissatisfied.

In private information, it seems it’s time to get my thriller gaming hat on as each Master Detective Archives and Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective have launched this week. I additionally intend to get cozy with the new Story of Seasons recreation, as a result of it’s been a protracted week and I would like some easy time to plant crops and play with some cows.

What to play this week

What’s new:

• Master Detective Archives: Rain Code
• Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective Remastered
• Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life
• Everybody 1-2-Switch
• AEW: Fight Forever
• One Lonely Outpost
• Harry Potter: Magic Awakened

New on subscription providers:

• Bramble: The Mountain King (Xbox Game Pass)
• F.I.S.T.: Forged In Shadow Torch (Xbox Game Pass)
• Story of Seasons: Friends of Mineral Town (Xbox Game Pass)
• Roguebook (Prime Gaming)
• Once Upon a Jester (Prime Gaming)
• Gems of Destiny: Homeless Dwarf (Prime Gaming)
• Darkest Dungeon (GeForce Now)
• Darkest Dungeon II (GeForce Now)
• Derail Valley (GeForce Now)
• Age of Empires: Definitive Edition (GeForce Now)
• I Am Fish (GeForce Now)
• Golf Gang (GeForce Now)
• Contraband Police (GeForce Now)
• Ghouls ‘n Ghosts (Nintendo Switch Online)
• Crusader of Centy (Nintendo Switch Online)
• Landstalker (Nintendo Switch Online)
• The Revenge of Shinobi (Nintendo Switch Online)
• Millionaire Trivia: TV Game+ (Apple Arcade)

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