One does not need to be a PlayStation fanboy to have a similar take—the problem I see here is that you are willing to give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt at every turn (still waiting for you to tell us how Microsoft’s console industry contributions have been arguably bigger than Sony and Nintendo combined, by the way).
Here is the problem I see that you’re ignoring:
– Microsoft is a multi-TRILLION dollar company (for context, a single company has a market cap slightly below the UK’s GDP which is ranked 6th in the world);
– ABK was purchased above market price (approx. 42% according to Forbes);
-The size of the acquisition warranted extensive global scrutiny and a long legal battle;
-Microsoft is extremely committed to AI and sub models, going as far as putting a thumb on the scale regarding Sam Altman’s ousting; and
– Game Pass prices have increased as physical games are fading into obscurity, all while people lose their jobs.
I will remind you that ABK was a **Microsoft** purchase, not Xbox. It sure sounds to me like money is not the issue here. If it was and it was done in the interest of the employees, I think Satya and Phil would only be able to afford 3 mansions instead of 8, don’t you think?
I’m not a fan of Senator Warren. Bit of a snake, but that’s neither here nor there. As disappointed as I’ve been with Senator Sanders these days, he’s always on point regarding labour and he was highly skeptical of this deal, encouraging the FTC digging in on the issue.
You don’t need to defend Microsoft out of some misguided sense of loyalty. And we can go back and forth on other acquisitions where they lay people off and why that’s bad and I would agree with you. It’s BS to acquire a company and start axing people. Most of the layoffs are not from the unionized workers, so that’s a positive, but it makes you wonder if that wasn’t in place.
Simply put, cut your own compensation package first. That’s what responsible leadership is. None of them need to work another day in their lives and it is embarrassing that the first instinct is to go after people who still have to show up.
