How to make a cow out of fondant

Microsoft has responded to a list of concerns regarding its ongoing $68bn attempt to buy Activision Blizzard, as raised by the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), and come up with an interesting statistic.

In response to continued questions over whether Microsoft owning Call of Duty would unfairly hobble PlayStation, Microsoft claimed that every COD player on PlayStation could move over to Xbox, and Sony's playerbase would still remain "significantly larger" than its own.

Microsoft does not go into detail on its mental arithmetic here, but does note elswhere in its comments that PlayStation currently has a console install base of 150 million, compared to Xbox's install base of 63.7 million.

Watch on YouTube

That claim is part of a range of comments given to Eurogamer sister site GamesIndustry.biz in response to the CMA's latest report, which otherwise mostly repeats many of the same concerns raised by the UK regulator - and others around the world - already.

For those following the case, the CMA's latest intervention will not come as a surprise - it is the next step on the regulator's recent roadmap for how and when it will weigh in with its final ruling. This month, we were due the CMA's October "issues statement" - and it seems that this is the document to which Microsoft has now publicly responded.

The usual topics are covered - surrounding the potential for the deal to harm competitors should Microsoft gain too much of an advantage owning Activision Blizzard franchises (mainly, Call of Duty) and therefore being able to leverage their brand power to become a dominant market leader in the console market and cloud streaming.

Specifically, the CMA sees potential for the deal to harm Sony but also other streaming services such as Google (perhaps a moot point now), Amazon and Nvidia.

"Having full control over this powerful catalogue, especially in light of Microsoft's already strong position in gaming consoles, operating systems, and cloud infrastructure, could result in Microsoft harming consumers by impairing Sony's – Microsoft's closest gaming rival – ability to compete," the CMA wrote, "as well as that of other existing rivals and potential new entrants who could otherwise bring healthy competition through innovative multi-game subscriptions and cloud gaming services."

In response, Microsoft said such "unsupported theories of harm" were not enough to even warrant the CMA's current Phase 2 investigation - which was triggered on 1st September.

"The suggestion that the incumbent market leader, with clear and enduring market power, could be foreclosed by the third largest provider as a result of losing access to one title is not credible," Microsoft told GamesIndustry.biz.

"While Sony may not welcome increased competition, it has the ability to adapt and compete. Gamers will ultimately benefit from this increased competition and choice.

"Should any consumers decide to switch from a gaming platform that does not give them a choice as to how to pay for new games (PlayStation) to one that does (Xbox), then that is the sort of consumer switching behavior that the CMA should consider welfare enhancing and indeed encourage. It is not something that the CMA should be trying to prevent."

The CMA is due to notify Microsoft of its provisional findings in January 2023, at which point it can seek possible remedies to any sticking points raised. The regulator's final report - and overall ruling - will then be published no later than 1st March next year.

Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1

Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair!

Get inspired and find products for your home. We have a huge range of products in different styles, from vintage dressing tables to modern kitchens. We also take care of those little details that make all the difference - that’s why our home accessories range includes rugs, candles and photo frames to give the final touch to your décor.

We will continue to negotiate with our suppliers for discounts, reduce excess use of silicone where we can, which in turn reduces weight and eventually cost, cut our costs and keep prices low and still release more than 50 new molds per month.

fuchsia cutter-sil

moth orchid cutter-sil

Baby Faces-sil

Daisy Duck 2

large mask-sil

Rose and Rope Set 1-sil

beer bottle isomalt-sil

mouse soap-sil

3D Smurf 1

Bow Set 1-sil

Baby 1 3D

baby-booty2-sil

baby-pram 3-sil

Rose and Stem-sil

Sugar Veil Big Daisy-sil

Sugar Veil Sml Daisy-sil

Sugar Veil Sml Rect Fine-sil

leaf and border-sil

filigree and border-sil

Floral and Rope-sil

Button and Rope Set 1-sil

mini rose e1-sil

mini rose i2-sil

Shell Set 1-sil

Eeze Silicone Molds is a supplier 0f high quality silicone molds manufactured to the highest possible standards using the latest trends, technology, know how, innovation and technical abilities at our disposal .

Our passion is the creation of usable silicone molds, silicone molds that are beautiful and workable for the purpose they are manufactured.

All our Silicone Molds are priced on weight and not complexity of the silicone mold. This allows a constant selling price that is not hampered and destroyed by the ever growing unstable economic times. Our prices will stay constant and only be effected by direct costing increases even if it is the latest designs and newest products available on the market our price will still be affordable.

In the Cake Decorating section we will be offering silicone moulds for cake decorating for use in the food safe environment of cake baking and sugar craft decorating along with cake decorating supplies for cake lovers, cake decorators, hobbyist, enthusiast and home bakers. Bringing the ease of baking and cake decorating along with the cake decorating supplies needed to your fingertips. Furthermore we will endeavor to supply relevant and informative articles, pictures and manufacturers specifications to assist in the choice of the cake decorating supplies you may need. The Sugarcraft industry is a diverse and ever changing industry with ever changing trends and needs to keep up to date with the latest styles and cake decorations.

In the Soap silicone mold section we will be offering silicone molds for soap and soap related products along with expertise, as well as supplies as we are able to procure these at reasonable prices. We will also be designing and manufacturing Soap silicone molds to specific client specifications and needs. Company logos and styling can be incorporated into the silicone mold required by the clients. Unless a customized mold has been specifically customized for the food industry these silicone moulds are not food safe and not suggested for use with food products.

In the more General silicone mold section we will be offering various silicone molds that can be used with mediums like resin, plaster of paris, pewter and most clays, putty, and any other mediums you may find suitable. We hope this section will become a fun for all section creating many home made quality products using our silicone molds .

Our Decor Silicone Mold section is operational and we will be bringing popular and exclusive designs for Curtain Tie Backs and home Decor for the D.I.Y and budding entrepreneur to use. These will include large Roses, Heart Plaques and more that could be used on many items including decorating crosses, tea trays, welcome boards, mirror surrounds and more.  A Silicone Mould Creation for every occasion.    These silicone molds are not food safe and not suggested for use with food products.

The translucent Silicone Moulds that we offer are manufactured from the the highest quality addition cure silicone rubber to create detailed handcrafted silicone moulds. We will offer an extensive selection of exclusive silicone molds at competitive prices. We will also manufacture a silicone mould on order specifically for your needs if so required.  We have 1 Dimensional, 2 Dimensional and 3 Dimensional silicone moulds.

Our silicone moulds are flexible and can be used at very high and very low temperatures allowing use in the oven as well as in the freezer, without affecting the silicone mould. The silicone used in our manufacturing process is the preferred silicone to manufacture mold-making and model-making moulds, due to its considerable precision in reproduction and high dimensional stability. The silicone molds will be suggestively suitable for the sections of the website they are allocated to, but if you want to use one for your own suitability and find a silicone mould suitable for something other than our suggested use please notify us and share your silicone mould creation, so we can pass it on to prospective and present silicone mould clients. Join our Facebook page and paste your creation.

The silicone molds also have a high chemical and mechanical resistance to the aggressive and abrasive components of some types of resin and molding pastes. The silicone molds have a high resistance to an alkaline environment as well.

The silicone molds have an extremely high tear strength, thus guaranteeing a high resistance to wear and tear.

The silicone moulds also have an excellent anti-stick effect. The translucent silicone mold is 100% food compliant, and FDA approved, thus totally suitable to be used in the food processing field of cake decorating and sugarcraft creations.

The silicone molds can be used for a variety of crafts and mediums, being creative and innovative has never been this easy when using them with the following mediums and applications:

The History of Silicone Molds and Silicone Bakeware:

The way we cook and the things we use for cooking are very different than those from a hundred years back, and one important aspect of this continuous progress is the use of silicone bakeware and cookware. The silicone cooking and baking items have a history of about 30 years, and they were quite a revolutionary invention at first.

People were intrigued when hearing that using a silicone bakeware set is possible, mainly because of the fact that silicone utensils are flexible, and the idea of having a flexible pan was a bit hard to understand.  In fact, these appliances of the use of silicone in the cookware industry come after many other ways of taking advantage of the properties of silicone, such as using it for manufacturing rubber boots.

Even though it was pretty hard to believe in the beginning, people got used to the thought that using silicone bakeware is perfectly safe and effective, and that it was quite a break through, an important step in the cooking industry’s development.

Silicone, as a material for manufacturing bakeware items, comes with a series of characteristics that make it a very good choice:

• Heat resistant: just like a ‘conventional’ pan, a silicone piece is highly resistant to high temperatures and can be used in the oven or on the stove;
• Flexible: unlike bakeware tools manufactured using other materials, the silicone ones are flexible and can thus be more easily stored and washed after use;
• Easy to clean: they can be either manually washed or put in the dishwasher. Hot water and a bit of mild detergent should be more than enough;
• Nonstick: just like the Teflon coated pans, the silicone ones are nonstick and, in plus, they are extremely long lasting due to the fact that they are not sensitive to abrasive materials or metal;
• Molecule structure that makes it ‘immune’ to odors: its non porous consistency and appearance doesn’t keep odors or particles of food;
• Silicone kitchen tools such as baking cups can be kept in the freezer, without being damaged by the extreme temperatures;
• As opposed to metal pans and cups, silicone bakeware elements are not exposed to rust, thus lasting much longer;
• It is not necessary to use any fats (oil, butter or margarine) on the pan. The products you bake won’t stick to the pan when you try to get them out;
• Cakes and bread (or anything else you might cook or bake using silicone pans) are very easy to take out, without paying extra attention to not touching the pan with metal.

Apart from these functional characteristics that recommend silicone as being the best solution when it comes to cookware and bakeware manufacturing, there’s another aspect that needs to be pointed out: the way silicone kitchen items look. They are far catchier than others, and one could say that they are actually pleasant to look at. There’s nothing conventional or boring about them and they fit in perfectly into the rhythm of today’s society, governed by speed and orientation towards the future.

The silicone bakeware sets are products with great customer reviews, and, from what users say, they seem to open new horizons when it comes to cooking. The ‘silicone experience’ is suited for both cooking professionals and novices, for people who cook for a living as well as for those who prepare dishes for pleasure, fun or passion. The truth is that you can make the most out of preparing a home cooked meal by using the best tools on the market: the silicone ones.

When you turn from your old muffin pan, cake pan and the rest of the bakeware equipment to silicone tools, there are some things to be kept in mind, such as:

• Make sure that the flexibility will not work against you! In other words, try to make the baking tool as stable as you can before putting it into the oven. One way to do this is by placing it on a regular cookie sheet;
• Pay attention to the baking time required by different recipes! As you change the bakeware, you have to know that silicone pans interfere with the recommended baking time; this way, preparing your favorite muffin might take a bit longer or might be a shorter process than before.

These two tips for properly using silicone bakeware are not to be interpreted as signs that this new technology comes with its disadvantages. There are people who don’t like using silicone tools because they are used to their old ones, but the fact is that it is much more effective and a lot easier and healthier (you don’t have to use fats at all) to make silicone bakeware sets your kitchen, creative  & dinning buddies!

This is why it is highly recommended to check out what these new bakeware solutions have to offer and to accept change and evolution as being completely natural. Just as silicone Molds themselves as part of the Silicone Bakeware Evolution have been around for at least 10 years.

The major stumbling block using these silicone molds to create extraordinary pieces was to find a economical and food safe silicone process to make the silicone molds affordable. Taking flexibility and temperatures into consideration as well as the Icing and or