WTF is Happening at Ubisoft

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What's in this Lootbox?

• 🥱 Anniversary of Microsoft’s Big M&A

• 📺 The Last of Us

• 🤡 WTF is Happening at Ubisoft

• 📷 Meme

• 📱 How to get the Master Chief iPhone Wallpapers

🥱 Anniversary of Microsoft’s Big M&A

It has been almost a full year since Microsoft announced their acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and it still hasn't closed. Here’s the original press release on Jan 18, 20222: here.

The deal is facing pressure from the FTC, EU regulators, and “gamers”.

The main pushback is anti-competitive concerns of Microsoft making the Call of Duty franchise an Xbox/PC exclusive and screwing over Sony.

The whole thing is just a facade however, and it's completely inconsistent with the Sony + Bungie acquisition.

Sony announced the Bungie acquisition on Jan 31, 2022. Just 13 days after the Microsoft Activision Blizzard announcement. Sony closed the deal in July 2022 for $3.7 Billion.

The same concerns exist where Sony is undoubtedly planning to make the Destiny franchise a PlayStation exclusive in the future.

The difference between the 2 deal$ and why one i$ clo$ed and the other i$ $tuck in limbo i$ obviou$. Money. Microsoft’s acquisition is priced at roughly $69 Billion where Sony’s was just $3.7 Billion. Higher the money, higher the scrutiny.

The real loser in this whole situation is Electronic Arts who is being forced to just hangout on the sidelines to see how the regulatory environment might affect a potential sell. Apple, Amazon, and Disney have all been rumored to express in interest in acquiring EA in the last year but probably held off due to the Microsoft pushback.

📺 The Last of Us

This past Sunday marked the premier of The Last of Us on HBO, a series based on the hit video game of the same title that was originally released in 2013.

The official Lootbox review: 10/10

Look we're not the biggest fans of zombie apocalypse media, but holy heck did this deliver.

Arcane, Witcher, and now The Last of Us have been successful adaptations of video games. Let's hope the upcoming God of War franchise follows their footsteps and doesn't end up like the Halo series (who tf has Paramount+).

Last week Ubisoft announced they are canceling 3 unannounced games and delaying several others including Skull And Bones.

Honestly at this point I can’t imagine we’ll ever see Skull And Bones ever get released.

It appears AAA video game development has gotten significantly less efficient over the last 10 years. This is counterintuitive given the tremendous tech innovation that has occurred. Ubisoft used to be the golden innovator of the gaming industry with Splinter Cell, Assassin’s Creed, and Far Cry franchises (not to mention all the rest of the Tom Clancy IP). The company just can’t seem to dial in a modern production & development process.

Ubisoft is still planning on releasing Assassin’s Creed Mirage, an Avatar game as well as a “large unannounced game”. But like… at this point we have so little faith.

Here’s what the CEO Yves Guillemot sent employees regarding the announcement:

“The ball is in your court to deliver this line-up on time and at the expected level of quality, and show everyone what we are capable of achieving.”

You just know there’s an internal slack channel with employees trashing leadership after that comment.

📷 Meme

📱 How to get the Master Chief iPhone Wallpapers

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