Microsoft's next major acquisition could be Netflix

[Shawn Knight]

In brief: Microsoft's next acquisition could be its largest to date, and we're not talking about Activision Blizzard. In a recent financial commentary piece, Reuters argues that Microsoft's next major target could be Netflix, and they make some compelling points.

Netflix recently partnered with Microsoft to power its new ad-supported subscription tier, which appears to be off to a slow start. According to recent data from analytics firm Antenna, just nine percent of Netflix sign-ups in the US in November were for the Basic with Ads plan, making it the least popular of all plans offered.

Furthermore, Antenna noted that only 0.1 percent of Netflix's existing US subscribers switched to the ad-supported plan last month.

For what it's worth, Microsoft President Brad Smith also holds a seat on Netflix's board.

With Netflix under its umbrella, a single bundle with streaming movies and TV as well as loads of games would make a lot of sense. Microsoft is already deeply entrenched in the gaming market with Xbox, and Netflix continues to build its gaming foundation.

Just last week, the streaming giant added Twelve Minutes and Kentucky Route Zero to its library of freebies for subscribers. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge and a game based on Netflix's own Vikings: Valhalla are coming in early 2023.

Netflix has also been scooping up game studios to build its base, the latest of which – Next Games – was acquired earlier this year for $72 million. In September, Netflix also announced it would be building a new studio in Finland.

Microsoft has the money to make a deal happen, too. As of writing, Microsoft has a market cap of $1.82 trillion which is more than 13 times that of Netflix. Share value is up for both companies on the prediction.

Microsoft's decision to pursue an acquisition of Netflix could depend on the outcome of its ongoing effort to secure Activision Blizzard. If it gets shot down, Microsoft would have even more money and attention to divert to whatever comes next. Should the merger gain approval, it would only make a potential future mega bundle even more attractive.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/97044-microsoft-next-major-acquisition-could-netflix.html

 

[BakaRed77]

Just the motivation I need to cancel Netflix

 

[toooooot]

Get rid of woke content, then purchase it. Garbage does not make your platform more valuble, it makes people cancel subsription.

 

[kiwigraeme]

Get rid of woke content, then purchase it. Garbage does not make your platform more valuble, it makes people cancel subsription.

Maybe need Musk to buy it huh?
Doesn't Netflix have edgy comedians etc
Anti=woke people are generally fascists and control freaks - control over peoples lives, bedrooms etc
Watch the stuff you like - ignore the stuff you don't - how easy is that ?
I'm not going to watch many Indian Movies - or rom-coms, or young adult vampire tropes.

If enough people don't watch woke stuff forced down their gullets - then the shareholders will ask questions .
Yes I get long term fans of an IP being annoyed - when it's hijacked .
But for new IP - don't watch it - live and let live

 

[DukeJukem]

A "mega pint" of games and video content lol.

 

[p51d007]

Netflix isn't the "attraction" it use to be. With all of the major film companies (Paramont, Universal, Disney, etc) having their own streaming service, Netflix doesn't have access to a lot of the content they use to have.

 

[maxxcool7421]

Get rid of woke content, then purchase it. Garbage does not make your platform more valuble, it makes people cancel subsription.

^^^ old fat white man afraid of a 10yo kid in a dress

 

[Mr Majestyk]

^^^ old fat white man afraid of a 10yo kid in a dress

Yeah it didn't take long for the right wing losers to mention woke. He clearly thought this was wccftech.c0m

 

[m3tavision]

^^^ old fat white man afraid of a 10yo kid in a dress

I hope you are not implying that you are fond of a 10yo kid in a dress..

 

[scavengerspc]

^^^ old fat white man afraid of a 10yo kid in a dress

You forgot paranoid and frightened!

I hope you are not implying that you are fond of a 10yo kid in a dress..

My friend, did you ever notice it's always you folks on the right that take it down that road?
Nobody else ever mentions it, or even thinks it. Just the right. What do you think that implies?

 

[captaincranky]

I'm not going to watch many Indian Movies - or rom-coms, or young adult vampire tropes.

Not you've dun gone and hurt my feelings. I have full DVD sets of both "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", and its spin off, "Angel".

Although, I have never really watched them. So I guess that qualifies me as, (sort of), a "collector". Those two series spawned the "tropes", as you call them, which came afterwards.

That said, Sarah Michelle Gellar was, (and still is), pretty darned hot. And well, "Angel", the titular character was David Boreanaz, who's gone on to bigger, better , and even grittier things like, "Seal Team".

Fox had this annoying habit of cancelling Sci-Fi and light horror, teen based shows after two seasons. "Dark Angel" is a prime exampled, cancelled after two seasons. I mean really, who couldn't just mute the sound and watch Jessica Alba bounce around in black Spandex fitness pants for an hour? (41 minutes to be precise). Besides, you'd already have the TV silenced for the commercials. And with the size of today's TVs..., Yee-Haw

 

[captaincranky]

My friend, did you ever notice it's always you folks on the right that take it down that road?
Nobody else ever mentions it, or even thinks it. Just the right. What do you think that implies?

He never did mention the sex of the 10 year old in the dress. Maybe he's getting the hang of the "LBGTQ+" thing, after all.

That being said, I draw the line at 16, ("sweet sixteen"), year old Russian females who've managed to convince MetArt and similar that they're 18+.

 

[phenomx8]

^^^ old fat white man afraid of a 10yo kid in a dress

If that kid keep yelling and accused the white men as 'rapper' when he just try to tell the kid of what decent and what isn't...

 

[mailpup]

Back on topic please.

 

[captaincranky]

Back on topic please.

Which was?

Wait, it's coming back to me. All these corporate mergers, if left unimpeded, will eventually lead to the world pictured in "Rollerball". (1975), where corporations ruled the world as governments, (supposedly), do now.

In any case I'm sitting here listening to Emerson, Lake & Palmer's, "Brain Salad Surgery", (1973), which also describes a, "CAD". (Computer Aided Dystopia).

And then, last but not least, there's Rush's, "2112", (1976), which really hits the nail in the head:

"We've taken care of everything
The words you read, the songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure to your eyes"

And so, verily I say unto M$, go ye forth, be fruitful, and "Mergeply".

 

[captaincranky]

@mailpup Better?

 

[ZedRM]

MS buying Netflix? Who comes up with these brainless idea's?

 

[Avro Arrow]

And thus, US capitalism takes yet another step towards total monopoly.

 

[WhoCaresAnymore]

Get rid of woke content, then purchase it. Garbage does not make your platform more valuble, it makes people cancel subsription.

^^^ This! We've cancelled Netflix, AppleTV and a few other services because their content is utter woke crap.

 

[drjekelmrhyde]

Get rid of woke content, then purchase it. Garbage does not make your platform more valuble, it makes people cancel subsription.

I don't care about things being woke, but I hate when they force it in after for no damn reason. I can watch P Valley and Euphoria because they put the woke shiat right up front and I can just stop watching after the first episode, but Netflix shows will pull you in then hit you with the woke shiat after 7 episodes and it has nothing to do with anything.

 

[ragreeen2646]

Just what we need a corporation getting even bigger. Corporate America is too big already.
I don't see how all of the streaming services can continue to exist, unless one corporation owns them all---BAD idea.

 

[toooooot]

I don't care about things being woke, but I hate when they force it in after for no damn reason. I can watch P Valley and Euphoria because they put the woke shiat right up front and I can just stop watching after the first episode, but Netflix shows will pull you in then hit you with the woke shiat after 7 episodes and it has nothing to do with anything.

I did not care about wokeness for a long time, when there was not so much of it.
Now in every movie: strong lesbian character, weak stupid white man etc.
I get it, white people and men bad, I got it before I watched most movies in the last years.
All people have opinions and things they believe and that is alright. I could respect a moderately woke movie maker. But when they bring the worst of it and make it the center of every movie, it sucks very bad.

 

[Feng Lengshun]

"Netflix is the Game Pass of Movies" is a hilarious sentence to think about.

 

[captaincranky]

"Netflix is the Game Pass of Movies" is a hilarious sentence to think about.

It's vaguely a palindrome of sorts as well, if you think about it.

For example, "Steam is the Netflix of games".

 

[AxelAminoff]

Which was?

Wait, it's coming back to me. All these corporate mergers, if left unimpeded, will eventually lead to the world pictured in "Rollerball". (1975), where corporations ruled the world as governments, (supposedly), do now.

In any case I'm sitting here listening to Emerson, Lake & Palmer's, "Brain Salad Surgery", (1973), which also describes a, "CAD". (Computer Aided Dystopia).

And then, last but not least, there's Rush's, "2112", (1976), which really hits the nail in the head:

"We've taken care of everything
The words you read, the songs you sing
The pictures that give pleasure to your eyes"

And so, verily I say unto M$, go ye forth, be fruitful, and "Mergeply".

That brought back memories! Thanks!