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Ctrl+Alt+Deceive: All The Dirt, Info, Lies, and LOLs We Found During FTC vs. Microsoft

HundredThousandTrillion

HundredThousandTrillion

Member
Freelance Yakuza said:
OP, aditional info:

The user KnittedKnight (from IconEra) found this:
The tenets of corporate evangelism appear to still be alive and kicking at MS. Thanks to recent revelations in the FTC case against the ABK/MS merger we got a glimpse of that.

Referring to xCloud Phil Spencer, head of Xbox said: “If we can get them (hardcore Xbox fans) to love it they will evangelize,” he wrote.
https://www.ign.com/articles/the-ftc-trial-unmasks-xboxs-ambitions

For any of you not familiar with Microsoft Evangelism: "Evangelism is War" please take a look at this MS internal memo, referenced on an anti-trust lawsuit dating back 2 decades ago:

https://antitrust.slated.org/www.iowaconsumercase.org/011607/3000/PX03096.pdf

There are many aspects and tenets to Microsoft Evangelism but of relevance, it purports creating a cult-like legion of supporters and followers, VIP or otherwise that promote Microsoft products and monopolistic practices with a cult like fervor - that regards MS competitors, direct or indirect as war participants that must be extinguished by any and all available means.

MS Evangelism is literally a philosophy of corporate religion, where the consumers, specially the hardcore, are the faithful, and guided by faith to the altar of Microsoft and its products. Microsoft being the church while microsoft employees and vips are the clergy.



Xbox Ambassador program, media VIP outreach and access etc is all part of creating this core of fanatical evangelism towards Xbox and potential platforms like xCloud. It should then not surprise the coverage that the FTC trial is receiving by the "media", or how particular forums with compromised moderation staff are resorting to censorship and hive mind harassment not only to shut down dissension or opposing voices but also to promote Microsoft's cause.

Clearly a source of inspiration for MS are the grifters using Christian Religion under the "TV Evangelist" banner to create cult like, for-profit "churches".

All of this is morally and ethically repulsive and plain wrong.
icon-era.com

"Evangelism is war" is still alive at MS. Phil Spencer refers to xCloud as a platform hardcore Xbox fans should "evangelize".

The tenets of corporate evangelism appear to still be alive and kicking at MS. Thanks to recent revelations in the injuction hearing of the FTC case against the ABK/MS merger we got a glimpse of that. Referring to xCloud Phil Spencer, head of Xbox said: “If we can get them (hardcore Xbox fans)...
icon-era.com icon-era.com
_________________________________________________


I strongly suggest everyone to take a look at the PDF file.
Click to expand...
Is this what I’m supposed to be mad or upset about?

“PS5” is literally an identity for the majority of posters here. Did Sony happenstance into that?
 
Last edited:
Freelance Yakuza

Freelance Yakuza

Member
HundredThousandTrillion said:
Is this what I’m supposed to be mad or upset about?

PS5 is literally an identity. Did Sony happenstance into that?
Click to expand...
Well, actually I never thought of my posts as a means to generate emotions in people, so you not being mad or upset is probably normal.

As for my actual intentions, I thought it was extremely interesting that a company created a power point presentation teaching how to create fanboys.

About your question, I'm pretty sure that every multibillionaire company under capitalism does this to some degree.

If you found any evidence that other companies do the same please share with us, I would (honestly) love to read more.
 
Last edited:
Z

Zoej

Member
adamsapple said:
Which is already free to play and has merged accounts with "overwatch 1", it's a single game now for all intents.
Click to expand...
The inclusion of "2" makes it completely different and is an out for MS if Sony decides to have them honor the "contract". It's ridiculous to claim that it is for all intents when that is not how these contracts/agreements work.

Imagine this scenario:

Sony: "Please include Overwatch 2 as it is part of our contract/agreement."
MS: "Oh, sorry. Overwatch 2 is not included. Contract only says Overwatch."

Mentioning only Overwatch actually means Overwatch 2 is excluded.

"EXPRESSIO UNIUS EST EXCLUSION ALTERIUS"
 
adamsapple

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
jzosa said:
The inclusion of "2" makes it completely different and is an out for MS if Sony decides to have them honor the "contract". It's ridiculous to claim that it is for all intents when that is not how these contracts/agreements work.

Imagine this scenario:

Sony: "Please include Overwatch 2 as it is part of our contract/agreement."
MS: "Oh, sorry. Overwatch 2 is not included. Contract only says Overwatch."

Mentioning only Overwatch actually means Overwatch 2 is excluded.

"EXPRESSIO UNIUS EST EXCLUSION ALTERIUS"
Click to expand...


But it's a moot point, the email is from August, OW2 released in October and OW2 was already coming out on PS4/5 anyway. Just seems like a harmless naming convention in the email.
 
bitbydeath

bitbydeath

Member
HundredThousandTrillion said:
Is this what I’m supposed to be mad or upset about?

“PS5” is literally an identity for the majority of posters here. Did Sony happenstance into that?
Click to expand...
You should join the cult.


images


images


images
 
Heisenberg007

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
skit_data said:
I think commiting to a Switch version of CoD without consulting the developers at Activision has potential to turn into a complete mess. ARM based, parity clause, already gobbling up all of Activisions developers and on top of that what seems to be a HR case from hell.
Click to expand...
That really surprised me. Microsoft was making promises for content that they don't even own on behalf of people that don't even know about the promise.
 
Heisenberg007

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
Portugeezer said:
I'll still be surprised if it gets blocked, but just as a gamer this is an interesting read.
Click to expand...
The acquisition has already been blocked by the CMA (UK).

So unless Microsoft extends the contract with Activision and wins the appeal and reverses that decision, or illegally bypasses the UK laws to close the acquisition, or completely abandons its entire operations in the UK, the deal is blocked and set to fail on July 18, 2023.
 
Mr.Phoenix

Mr.Phoenix

Member
KXVXII9X said:
I'm surprised other people weren't weirded out by how many people were saying the exact same tagline like robots. It gave me big alarm bells early on.
Click to expand...
Weirded out? There are a lot of people even on here that was using that exact tagline. `Best deal in gaming`...

If there is one thing MS is good at, it's social manipulation. And the sad thing is that a lot of people, even with all the facts or signs that are obvious to so many others... will just never see it, and keep defending Xbox. Keep trying to justify or rationalize their practices. It truly is cult-like.

And I have been saying this forever, before all this... `and people wonder why I don't trust MS`.

I saw all of this coming a mile away, since back in 2017 when they started gamepass. I was in another forum then, but even then I opined that this can only lead to one thing. Consolidation and acquisitions, and how that was already the exact opposite of the messaging MS was pushing then about inclusivity and for gamers. Right along with Xbox push at that time for cross-platform online play and all that (which in reality was just another underhanded way to try and curb Paystations growing dominance and something they not only started but had shown they wouldn't do if they were the ones in a position of power with the 360). Gampass cannot succeed without consolidation. It's impossible. And I called this shit ut since 2017.

Its like people forget that Xbox is owned by Microsoft... and have forgotten what Microsoft did or has been doing in the PC space to gain the kinda monopoly they have there. And they somehow think that the company, would suddenly just start playing nice and b all about the gamers? With Windows, MS has long since shown they are the kinda company that won't hesitate to buy/spend their competition out of business vs actually competing by making better products and or services.

I will rue the day when or if MS is the dominant player in the console/gaming business.
 
Heisenberg007

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
Thread Patch 1.1 notes 😛
  1. New point added at #10 about Microsoft blocking PS Plus deals. Sony bid for Valheim and Immortality for PS Plus but lost both bids to Microsoft. Both games launched as Game Pass exclusives.
    1. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/03/14/valheim-journeys-to-console-with-xbox-game-pass
    2. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/08/16/game-pass-mid-august-2022-update/
  2. New point added at #36 about Pete Hines recommending Deathloop's exclusivity and how Zenimax actively sought out exclusivity for each title.
  3. All tweets now have image backups (linked right after each tweet) for the sake of information preservation.
  4. A few tweets weren't embedding properly, so I have added screenshots of those images. Tweets are linked immediately after each screenshot.
 
Neo_GAF

Neo_GAF

Banned
very fun. sony is bitching around while also paying devs to develop time exclusive shit for their system (ff16, ff7R)
sony absolutely dominates the 4k-market for games with more than 4/5 of everything sold being on sony systems.

despite game pass, there are more people happily paying for psplus.
 
J

jroc74

Phone reception is more important to me than human rights
I never really paid too much attention to #15 and #16.

Seeing that exchange tho....that is......something.

Heisenberg007 said:
Thread Patch 1.1 notes 😛
  1. New point added at #10 about Microsoft blocking PS Plus deals. Sony bid for Valheim and Immortality for PS Plus but lost both bids to Microsoft. Both games launched as Game Pass exclusives.
    1. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2023/03/14/valheim-journeys-to-console-with-xbox-game-pass
    2. https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2022/08/16/game-pass-mid-august-2022-update/
  2. New point added at #36 about Pete Hines recommending Deathloop's exclusivity and how Zenimax actively sought out exclusivity for each title.
  3. All tweets now have image backups (linked right after each tweet) for the sake of information preservation.
  4. A few tweets weren't embedding properly, so I have added screenshots of those images. Tweets are linked immediately after each screenshot.
Click to expand...
So...Zenimax shopped around for exclusivity....but MS had no choice but to buy Bethesda because of the timed exclusive deals. 😒

So like the Spider-Man deal, was Sony supposed to say no thank you?

I was gonna say Xbox right now reminds me of the time MS was spreading FUD about Google and Gmail.
 
Last edited:
James Sawyer Ford

James Sawyer Ford

Gold Member
For a company that claims exclusives are bad…they sure do love to make everything they touch exclusive

I get the feeling Phil and the executive team sit around all day looking at marketing numbers trying to find ways to screw over the industry to their benefit, when instead they should be laser focused on simply making quality and compelling content
 
Unknown?

Unknown?

Member
jroc74 said:
I never really paid too much attention to #15 and #16.

Seeing that exchange tho....that is......something.


So...Zenimax shopped around for exclusivity....but MS had no choice but to buy Bethesda because of the timed exclusive deals. 😒

So like the Spider-Man deal, was Sony supposed to say no thank you?

I was gonna say Xbox right now reminds me of the time MS was spreading FUD about Google and Gmail.
Click to expand...
Google and Gmail are trash and absolutely not private, the problem is neither is Microsoft(especially with their keyloggers built into Windows).
 
J

jroc74

Phone reception is more important to me than human rights
Unknown? said:
Google and Gmail are trash and absolutely not private, the problem is neither is Microsoft(especially with their keyloggers built into Windows).
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's the point, lol.

Even hotmail wasn't that different than Gmail.
 
Last edited:
KXVXII9X

KXVXII9X

Member
Mr.Phoenix said:
Weirded out? There are a lot of people even on here that was using that exact tagline. `Best deal in gaming`...

If there is one thing MS is good at, it's social manipulation. And the sad thing is that a lot of people, even with all the facts or signs that are obvious to so many others... will just never see it, and keep defending Xbox. Keep trying to justify or rationalize their practices. It truly is cult-like.

And I have been saying this forever, before all this... `and people wonder why I don't trust MS`.

I saw all of this coming a mile away, since back in 2017 when they started gamepass. I was in another forum then, but even then I opined that this can only lead to one thing. Consolidation and acquisitions, and how that was already the exact opposite of the messaging MS was pushing then about inclusivity and for gamers. Right along with Xbox push at that time for cross-platform online play and all that (which in reality was just another underhanded way to try and curb Paystations growing dominance and something they not only started but had shown they wouldn't do if they were the ones in a position of power with the 360). Gampass cannot succeed without consolidation. It's impossible. And I called this shit ut since 2017.

Its like people forget that Xbox is owned by Microsoft... and have forgotten what Microsoft did or has been doing in the PC space to gain the kinda monopoly they have there. And they somehow think that the company, would suddenly just start playing nice and b all about the gamers? With Windows, MS has long since shown they are the kinda company that won't hesitate to buy/spend their competition out of business vs actually competing by making better products and or services.

I will rue the day when or if MS is the dominant player in the console/gaming business.
Click to expand...
I know, I saw a lot of it here when I first made an account. That is also what I'm saying and been saying since this gen started and even before. To see some of my concerns come to light and see the social manipulation is both relieving and frustrating. It was even more frustrating that people attacked Microsoft for DRM with the Xbone and then blindly supported it this generation. The talks about pro vs anti-consumer, the negativity around exclusivity while Xbox was creating some of their own, and the whole GamePass praise without any talk about downsides felt very intentional to mislead people. That on top of the same empty promises year and after year stating the same things and never delivering.
 
JohnnyFootball

JohnnyFootball

GerAlt-Right. Ciriously.
Freelance Yakuza said:
OP, aditional info:

The user KnittedKnight (from IconEra) found this:
The tenets of corporate evangelism appear to still be alive and kicking at MS. Thanks to recent revelations in the FTC case against the ABK/MS merger we got a glimpse of that.

Referring to xCloud Phil Spencer, head of Xbox said: “If we can get them (hardcore Xbox fans) to love it they will evangelize,” he wrote.
https://www.ign.com/articles/the-ftc-trial-unmasks-xboxs-ambitions

For any of you not familiar with Microsoft Evangelism: "Evangelism is War" please take a look at this MS internal memo, referenced on an anti-trust lawsuit dating back 2 decades ago:

https://antitrust.slated.org/www.iowaconsumercase.org/011607/3000/PX03096.pdf

There are many aspects and tenets to Microsoft Evangelism but of relevance, it purports creating a cult-like legion of supporters and followers, VIP or otherwise that promote Microsoft products and monopolistic practices with a cult like fervor - that regards MS competitors, direct or indirect as war participants that must be extinguished by any and all available means.

MS Evangelism is literally a philosophy of corporate religion, where the consumers, specially the hardcore, are the faithful, and guided by faith to the altar of Microsoft and its products. Microsoft being the church while microsoft employees and vips are the clergy.



Xbox Ambassador program, media VIP outreach and access etc is all part of creating this core of fanatical evangelism towards Xbox and potential platforms like xCloud. It should then not surprise the coverage that the FTC trial is receiving by the "media", or how particular forums with compromised moderation staff are resorting to censorship and hive mind harassment not only to shut down dissension or opposing voices but also to promote Microsoft's cause.

Clearly a source of inspiration for MS are the grifters using Christian Religion under the "TV Evangelist" banner to create cult like, for-profit "churches".

All of this is morally and ethically repulsive and plain wrong.
icon-era.com

"Evangelism is war" is still alive at MS. Phil Spencer refers to xCloud as a platform hardcore Xbox fans should "evangelize".

The tenets of corporate evangelism appear to still be alive and kicking at MS. Thanks to recent revelations in the injuction hearing of the FTC case against the ABK/MS merger we got a glimpse of that. Referring to xCloud Phil Spencer, head of Xbox said: “If we can get them (hardcore Xbox fans)...
icon-era.com icon-era.com
_________________________________________________


I strongly suggest everyone to take a look at the PDF file.
Click to expand...
The funny thing is that I would argue that MS was never really all that good at it for the last 20 years. They tried this approach to push people towards HD-DVD instead of bluray. It failed and failed miserably. Xbox was successful because it was run by smart people who had an eye for good quality content. Xbox era from 2005 to 2010 was some of the best exclusive gaming. All those people are gone.

Apple fanboys are the example of evangelism working. Now that Jobs is gone, it's not quite what it used to be, but Apple still has it's loyalty.
 
Heisenberg007

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
JohnnyFootball said:
The funny thing is that I would argue that MS was never really all that good at it for the last 20 years. They tried this approach to push people towards HD-DVD instead of bluray. It failed and failed miserably. Xbox was successful because it was run by smart people who had an eye for good quality content. Xbox era from 2005 to 2010 was some of the best exclusive gaming. All those people are gone.

Apple fanboys are the example of evangelism working. Now that Jobs is gone, it's not quite what it used to be, but Apple still has it's loyalty.
Click to expand...
Yeah, because even to evangelize, you need to have high-quality products. Otherwise, it won't work for a large majority of people. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop their evangelizers from still putting in the effort.
 
Heisenberg007

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
jroc74 said:
I never really paid too much attention to #15 and #16.

Seeing that exchange tho....that is......something.


So...Zenimax shopped around for exclusivity....but MS had no choice but to buy Bethesda because of the timed exclusive deals. 😒

So like the Spider-Man deal, was Sony supposed to say no thank you?
Click to expand...
Yeah, pretty much.

And "Microsoft bought Zenimax because Sony may have got Starfield's timed exclusivity" was already proven as BS. Otherwise, why was Microsoft looking to acquire HouseMarque or Ember Labs who have not even created a game for Xbox?
 
Last edited:
TheUndeadGamer

TheUndeadGamer

Member
Heisenberg007 said:
The acquisition has already been blocked by the CMA (UK).

So unless Microsoft extends the contract with Activision and wins the appeal and reverses that decision, or illegally bypasses the UK laws to close the acquisition, or completely abandons its entire operations in the UK, the deal is blocked and set to fail on July 18, 2023.
Click to expand...
I hope it does, just so this ride can be over. On the flip side it seems quite a few employees at ABK want this to go through for perhaps better working conditions and union representation. Also this would help other cloud game providers get access to the ABK catalog. 🤷‍♂️

Thanks for the summary. Much appreciated.

It makes me sad as an Xbox only owner what has come to light based on the FTC hearings. 😞
 
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