France VS EA

[EnemyZero]

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/576/576530p1.html?fromint=1

GOOD....

[JJNova]

Bah!

Let EA buy it. It's their right.

Don't go public if you don't want to be bought out...or find someone to maintain that 51 percent of the stockholdings, or just don't sell.

Besides, it would be good for EA (Who need better platform games) and Ubisoft (Who could use the EA's funding)


Maybe it's just because I am in the United States, and support take overs to the fullest until they border Monopoly (Which is not hte case with Electronic Arts)

[Sylentwulf]

EA is DEFINITELY in Monopoly status IMO. I forget the numbers, but 2003 EA had something disgusting like 45% of all videogame sales. Now that they're buying sports rights and other companies left and right, it's just going to increase the stranglehold they have.

I'm SO GLAD Square didn't stay with them any longer :)

[Flack]

They had better watch out before EA buys France! LOL

[mr_nihilism]

EA is doing exactly what Microsoft's strategy should be. It's not like Bill doesn't have the cash.

[ddockery]

45% isn't even close to monopolistic. When you go to the store and can't find any games NOT by EA, THAT is a Monopoly. I don't like that EA has that large of a share either, just for the record.

[robotriot]

Well, I don't know if it's true if there's going to be no more French decision-making if UBI is being bought up by EA, but if that's really going to be the case I guess we would lose something. France has a great comic culture for example, and you can often see influences of that in French games. It would be rather sad if the overtake action would result in the French only producing American style games. Not that American games are bad, but culutural diversity is important in every field imo :)

[evildead2099]

45% isn't even close to monopolistic. When you go to the store and can't find any games NOT by EA, THAT is a Monopoly. I don't like that EA has that large of a share either, just for the record.

EA is an oligopolistic beast, not a monopolistic one. The term monopoly is appropriate only in the sense that EA advances a monopolising agenda.

[RCM]

Let EA buy it. It's their right.

Don't go public if you don't want to be bought out...or find someone to maintain that 51 percent of the stockholdings, or just don't sell.

I totally agree. That doesn't mean i'm for all things EA but it is their right. The french government, or any government for that matter should not butt in. I want EA to buy me.

THE ONE, THE ONLY- RCM

[Ed Oscuro]

EA is doing exactly what Microsoft's strategy should be.
I think you sorta missed all of the 1990s, there...today the strategy is "If the competition comes out with a product, we'll announce one and watch as nobody buys theirs in anticipation of ours." Microsoft doesn't really have much to gain from trying to buy, say, Sun or Novell.

[JJNova]

EA is doing exactly what Microsoft's strategy should be.
I think you sorta missed all of the 1990s, there...today the strategy is "If the competition comes out with a product, we'll announce one and watch as nobody buys theirs in anticipation of ours." Microsoft doesn't really have much to gain from trying to buy, say, Sun or Novell.

Ed, I think he meant that's what Microsofts Xbox development team should be doing. I don't know the name of the sub-division. Team Xbox?

[Ed Oscuro]

Ed, I think he meant that's what Microsofts Xbox development team should be doing. I don't know the name of the sub-division. Team Xbox?
He specifically mentioned "cash," what else could we be talking about but hostile takeovers?

Back on point...Microsoft can't afford, thanks to the Justice Department, to be the toughest dog in the dump these days. Suspicious behavior also stirs up lots of negative emotion, as well.

[JJNova]

Back on point...Microsoft can't afford, thanks to the Justice Department, to be the toughest dog in the dump these days. Suspicious behavior also stirs up lots of negative emotion, as well.

I meant, you mentioned Novell and Sun. Wheras I think he was implying that Microsoft should buy up Silicon Knights or Square Enix.

There's no possible way he missed the Internet Explorer pack-in Monopoly lawsuits.

[Ed Oscuro]

Back on point...Microsoft can't afford, thanks to the Justice Department, to be the toughest dog in the dump these days. Suspicious behavior also stirs up lots of negative emotion, as well.

I meant, you mentioned Novell and Sun. Wheras I think he was implying that Microsoft should buy up Silicon Knights or Square Enix.
Yes, hence my "you missed the 1990s" (subtext: and what it did to Microsoft) comment. Everybody's placed their tripwires out and Microsoft's too smart to set them off like that. They're also big enough to soak up losses, but not THAT big - do you buy losing companies just because they cause you some pain? The (unintentional, I'm sure) Vaporware-kill war of attrition against other companies is much less dangerous to Microsoft, and it makes it seem like there's still competition in the long run.

I see I wasn't so clear, though, even for myself: the lawsuits were about anticompetitive practices, not outright buyouts, so my line of reasoning needed an explanation :)

[JJNova]

*high fives all around*

*wipes brow*

I thought I was going to have to rase my fists to defend my honor ;)

[calthaer]

Yes, hence my "you missed the 1990s" (subtext: and what it did to Microsoft) comment. Everybody's placed their tripwires out and Microsoft's too smart to set them off like that. They're also big enough to soak up losses, but not THAT big - do you buy losing companies just because they cause you some pain? The (unintentional, I'm sure) Vaporware-kill war of attrition against other companies is much less dangerous to Microsoft, and it makes it seem like there's still competition in the long run.

This brings something to mind...anybody who has not yet should read the following small book / essay: COMMAND LINE (http://www.spack.org/wiki/InTheBeginningWasTheCommandLine)

[maxlords]

I have no respect for articles with typos.

Bleah.

And I'm not sure what to think either way. As long as games I like keep coming out and the prices continue to lower, I'm happy.