There's more Microsoft/Blizzard acquisition news and also some insight into the cost of making video games. Steam deck has a competitor and you can now invite a friend to play games with you in game pass ... sort of.

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Show Notes

Despite recent signs that it was softening its stance on Microsoft’s proposed $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the U.K.’s antitrust regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority, has announced that it has decided to formally block the deal.https://www.polygon.com/23698816/microsoft-activision-blizzard-deal-uk-cma-block

When the Asus ROG Ally windows PC gaming handheld was originally revealed, it seemed like just another quick cash-in on the popularity of the Steam Deck. The specs turned out to be quite impressive, however, and now the price looks almost too good to be true. The Verge reports the Ally will only cost $700, just $50 more than the most expensive version of Valve’s handheld.https://kotaku.com/steam-deck-asus-rog-ally-price-windows-switch-gaming-pc-1850382546

One thing to come out of the Microsoft/Blizzard acquisition is that there has been quite a bit of information about the video game industry itself made public because of filings and court proceedings. Well one of those things has been just how much it costs to make a AAA title and as we expected, it is quite a lot. https://kotaku.com/microsoft-activision-blizzard-call-duty-gta-vi-halo-1850391113

Game Pass PC is full of great games, and a new referral program now lets you invite friends to play them with you free for two weeks. The new benefit arrives alongside Redfall, Xbox’s latest co-op shooter featuring an eerie open world and lots of vampires.https://kotaku.com/xbox-game-pass-free-trial-redfall-minecraft-starfield-1850397083