In regards to the MS/Valve acquisition rumors...

[xBCxRangers]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6_Odwb4vaw

I hope it's okay to post this vid, actually by a YTer i very rarely agree.

But he did come out with some issues i never knew, that Mr Newell only owns 25% of Valve?

In any event, many here would maybe agree with the video. Though i think it's not the end of the world.

If the mods find it we cannot post the vids, or don't like the topic what not, they are welcome of course to lock or omit it.

[Sleepy Yoshi]

No one knows what the shareholder agreement Valve has drawn up looks like or how the shares are structured. Are there voting and non-voting shares? Alphabet is an example of this. Larry Page owns 3.12% of Google's shares and Sergey Brin owns 2.92%. The key thing here is though they own 80+% of the class B shares. These shares give 10 votes per share and there are 869 million class B shares. Class A there are 5.893 billion shares, but they only give 1 vote per share. Then there is class C, but it conveys no voting rights so is irrelevant. As you notice, Page and Brin have the controlling power when it comes to voting even though their total share % is small.

That's not the only possibility even. Companies can include provisions in their shareholder agreements that make it significantly more difficult for outside companies to gain access. Things such as right of first refusal etc. I'm not a lawyer, but I have first hand experience in the above through my own company which also includes valuation provisions to ensure shares are offered to existing shareholders for a lower price then any offer from an outside company.

It strikes me as odd that a lawyer as the Twitter user claims to be, would word it in a way that suggests it can be sold regardless of what Gabe thinks about it. He simply can not know that, unless he has insider information on the companies internal agreements, which seems unlikely given his tweets.

It's also important to point out that Forbes "estimates that Newell owns at least one quarter of the company". Key emphasis on 'estimates' and 'at least'. For him to run with that and say "he owns 25%" is dubious. Perhaps Microsoft is making, considering, or has made this offer he's 'leaking'. But there's nothing to really be drawn from that other than they have an interest in acquiring Valve. Not much of a secret there. The rest is just speculation based on a whole lot of nothing. Again assuming the 'leak' is true to begin with.

[xBCxRangers]

Sleepy Yoshi eredeti hozzászólása:

No one knows what the shareholder agreement Valve has drawn up looks like or how the shares are structured. Are there voting and non-voting shares? Alphabet is an example of this. Larry Page owns 3.12% of Google's shares and Sergey Brin owns 2.92%. The key thing here is though they own 80+% of the class B shares. These shares give 10 votes per share and there are 869 million class B shares. Class A there are 5.893 billion shares, but they only give 1 vote per share. Then there is class C, but it conveys no voting rights so is irrelevant. As you notice, Page and Brin have the controlling power when it comes to voting even though their total share % is small.

That's not the only possibility even. Companies can include provisions in their shareholder agreements that make it significantly more difficult for outside companies to gain access. Things such as right of first refusal etc. I'm not a lawyer, but I have first hand experience in the above through my own company which also includes valuation provisions to ensure shares are offered to existing shareholders for a lower price then any offer from an outside company.

It strikes me as odd that a lawyer as the Twitter user claims to be, would word it in a way that suggests it can be sold regardless of what Gabe thinks about it. He simply can not know that, unless he has insider information on the companies internal agreements, which seems unlikely given his tweets.

It's also important to point out that Forbes "estimates that Newell owns at least one quarter of the company". Key emphasis on 'estimates' and 'at least'. For him to run with that and say "he owns 25%" is dubious. Perhaps Microsoft is making, considering, or has made this offer he's 'leaking'. But there's nothing to really be drawn from that other than they have an interest in acquiring Valve. Not much of a secret there. The rest is just speculation based on a whole lot of nothing. Again assuming the 'leak' is true to begin with.

Right, i think i agree with most of what you said. I think when it comes to "shares", being a private company, not openly traded, we can only be talking about a handful of people that may own the company, and Mr Newell, seemingly dumping a good stake of those shares, as another poster claimed, may be heading for the exits.

Which would make sense at his age. These aren 't millions of shareholders to my knowledge.

Beyond that, i think you're right, that the tweeter apparently a lawyer (i didnt know that until you mentioned it) can be taking a big risk, as another poster put it as far as insider trading allegations. That's why imo, it was a big risk, if not if it was intentional.

Meaning, some of these companies put out these "early access" rumors, as far as gaming, unofficial leaks, as to keep attention to their game. I think EA with NCAA was accused of putting out purposeful unofficial leaks.

As it pertains to this matter, MS may in fact, want to tame the waters as to keep the rumor mill going, as to not shock the shareholders, and really to say, "well, we knew this was coming, and should not be a shock".

Knowing the FTC and others are going to jump on them when they announce.

Thus far, i have not heard this individual rescind the comment (if he has, please others let us know), being if not, the allegations likely true imo. Being too much of a risk if it was not.

And to your opinion, in the least, do at least have interest still, in buying Valve.

And so if folks who are worried, i don't blame them, being the shark does see blood in the water at least it seems. And Valve is Valve, but MS is MS, and big fish swallow the small fish.

[Psycho]

I just saw an article that said it's rumored that microsoft is getting ready to offer valve 16 billion for steam. gabe newell's net worth is 4 billion so he very well could accept that if it's true

[DiceDsx]

Psycho eredeti hozzászólása:

I just saw an article that said it's rumored that microsoft is getting ready to offer valve 16 billion for steam. gabe newell's net worth is 4 billion so he very well could accept that if it's true

That rumor came from a random Counter Strike streamer on Twitter. Truly the apex of credibility.

Microsoft wanting to buy Steam was already known from the Activision acquisition, it's not new.

But let's pretend it's true and think about it:

- Microsoft's gaming division somehow managed to convince the higher ups to shell out more billions despite not showing returns on the $70 billions they spent on Activision yet;

- Valve not only has the money printing machine that is Steam, but their flat structure allows them to do whatever they want. I think renouncing this freedom would require a loooooooooot of cash bags;

- The antitrust would be all over them in a blink, since it would be the equivalent of Microsoft buying Sony. They'd get their biggest competitor AND could shot down Linux as a gaming alternative.

Does this acquisition still seems likely to you?

[Crashed]

If Microsoft were to take over Steam first thing they'd probably do is clean house in the Community.

[xBCxRangers]

Crashed eredeti hozzászólása:

If Microsoft were to take over Steam first thing they'd probably do is clean house in the Community.

I def agree with that. The forums itself would go away, including the Hubs, as they go to a sole customer service model as they do with Xbox.

There's forums there, but simply a customer service to my knowledge. Running a social media site for games, too risky for them.

Then as far as refunds, they're going to open that window beyond the two hours.

[Crashed]

xBCxRangers eredeti hozzászólása:

There's forums there, but simply a customer service to my knowledge. Running a social media site for games, too risky for them.

Off Topic and some Groups are straight up radioactive.

[dan828]

Can we get a refund for all of our games if they sell out to Microsoft? I do not want any of my information sold to them and do not want to do any business with them. I will not by any games from microsoft service.

[Aachen]

dan828 eredeti hozzászólása:

Can we get a refund for all of our games if they sell out to Microsoft? I do not want any of my information sold to them and do not want to do any business with them. I will not by any games from microsoft service.

How many businesses have allowed you to return all your past purchases when they were sold to new owners?

[happy]

Aachen eredeti hozzászólása:

dan828 eredeti hozzászólása:

Can we get a refund for all of our games if they sell out to Microsoft? I do not want any of my information sold to them and do not want to do any business with them. I will not by any games from microsoft service.

How many businesses have allowed you to return all your past purchases when they were sold to new owners?

Dude is asking a Question on the same Level of "Do i get a Refund for all my MTX Purchases when the Servers of a Game shut down"

[Boblin the Goblin]

xBCxRangers eredeti hozzászólása:

Crashed eredeti hozzászólása:

If Microsoft were to take over Steam first thing they'd probably do is clean house in the Community.

I def agree with that. The forums itself would go away, including the Hubs, as they go to a sole customer service model as they do with Xbox.

There's forums there, but simply a customer service to my knowledge. Running a social media site for games, too risky for them.

Then as far as refunds, they're going to open that window beyond the two hours.

No it wouldn't.

Steam's user base is much to large to suddenly merge with the Xbox user base to provide direct support.

So unless you want phone and chat lines of over an hour, it won't happen.

[xBCxRangers]

SlowMango eredeti hozzászólása:

xBCxRangers eredeti hozzászólása:

I def agree with that. The forums itself would go away, including the Hubs, as they go to a sole customer service model as they do with Xbox.

There's forums there, but simply a customer service to my knowledge. Running a social media site for games, too risky for them.

Then as far as refunds, they're going to open that window beyond the two hours.

No it wouldn't.

Steam's user base is much to large to suddenly merge with the Xbox user base to provide direct support.

So unless you want phone and chat lines of over an hour, it won't happen.

Welcome back. Well it would be a big acquisition, and most cases i would think are chatting with agents via the computer, rather than phone, and they would just have to hire more people.

Xbox don't seem to have issues doing that. They have the pockets and capability they don't have here, which is traditionally gamer on gamer help.

And they have that btw as well as far their forums. But it's nothing at all like here.

[Boblin the Goblin]

xBCxRangers eredeti hozzászólása:

SlowMango eredeti hozzászólása:

No it wouldn't.

Steam's user base is much to large to suddenly merge with the Xbox user base to provide direct support.

So unless you want phone and chat lines of over an hour, it won't happen.

Welcome back. Well it would be a big acquisition, and most cases i would think are chatting with agents via the computer, rather than phone, and they would just have to hire more people.

Xbox don't seem to have issues doing that. They have the pockets and capability they don't have here, which is traditionally gamer on gamer help.

And they have that btw as well as far their forums. But it's nothing at all like here.

That's why they've been shutting studios down left and right and haven't even made a fraction of the money back after the Activision purchase?

[Komarimaru]

xBCxRangers eredeti hozzászólása:

SlowMango eredeti hozzászólása:

No it wouldn't.

Steam's user base is much to large to suddenly merge with the Xbox user base to provide direct support.

So unless you want phone and chat lines of over an hour, it won't happen.

Welcome back. Well it would be a big acquisition, and most cases i would think are chatting with agents via the computer, rather than phone, and they would just have to hire more people.

Xbox don't seem to have issues doing that. They have the pockets and capability they don't have here, which is traditionally gamer on gamer help.

And they have that btw as well as far their forums. But it's nothing at all like here.

Not sure why you're even going on about it still. Your source was fake, you don't realize Valve isn't publicly traded and Gabe is majority holder either way.

And if Xbox is doing so well, why did Microsoft have to shut down many studios and at a loss right now after the Activision buyout?

[xBCxRangers]

SlowMango eredeti hozzászólása:

xBCxRangers eredeti hozzászólása:

Welcome back. Well it would be a big acquisition, and most cases i would think are chatting with agents via the computer, rather than phone, and they would just have to hire more people.

Xbox don't seem to have issues doing that. They have the pockets and capability they don't have here, which is traditionally gamer on gamer help.

And they have that btw as well as far their forums. But it's nothing at all like here.

That's why they've been shutting studios down left and right and haven't even made a fraction of the money back after the Activision purchase?

It can mean they're preparing for this acquistion. There's nothing wrong with getting rid of dead wood. In fact, that would be the smart thing to do.