DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Who gets to buy a Birkin bag?
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Joan Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

(CNN) — It’s so hard to get your hands on an Hermès Birkin bag that it should be illegal. Hermès’ ultra-exclusive positioning has meant Birkin sales have continued to overperform in the market even as most other luxury brands see demand slowing from post-pandemic highs. A scarcity-driven distribution model has helped drive desire for Birkins, as well as more broadly fuel Hermès’ business. Saroyan Humphrey/WWD/Getty ImagesThe lawsuit alleges shoppers are required to buy ancillary products (items like scarves, pillows or shoes) before being allowed to purchase a Birkin handbag. Presumably, the plaintiffs could buy a Birkin from The RealReal even if they can’t from Hermès directly.

Persons: —, Birkin, Hermès, Kelly, aren’t, Alex Tai, ”, snagging, Erwan, Haffner, Saroyan Humphrey, WWD, ’ ”, Susan Scafidi, “ It’s, Sebastien Bozon Organizations: The, Fashion, CNN, HSBC, Law, Microsoft, Fashion Law, Fordham University, Getty Locations: Northern California, waitlists, Paris, China, California, Hermès, Allenjoie, France, AFP

Microsoft announced the biggest gaming deal in history in early 2022, but the acquisition was blocked by Britain's competition regulator, which was concerned the U.S. computing giant would gain too much control of the nascent cloud gaming market. Under the restructured deal, Microsoft will not be able to release Activision games like "Overwatch" and "Diablo" exclusively on its own cloud streaming service — Xbox Cloud Gaming – or to exclusively control the licensing terms for rival services. Instead, French gaming rival Ubisoft will acquire the cloud streaming rights for Activision's existing PC and console games, and any new games released by Activision in the next 15 years. A view shows a Microsoft logo at Microsoft offices in Issy-les-Moulineaux near Paris, France, January 25, 2023. Microsoft said Ubisoft would acquire the rights through a one-off payment and a market-based wholesale pricing mechanism, including an option that supports pricing based on usage.

Persons: Tom Smith, there's, Gonzalo Fuentes, Alex Haffner, Fladgate, Sarah Cardell, Yadarisa, Kate Holton, Foo Yun Chee, Barbara Lewis, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, Activision, Ubisoft Deal, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Markets Authority, European Commission, Geradin Partners, Big Tech, Reuters, REUTERS, European Union . Competition, Federal Trade Commission, European, European Union, Sony, U.S, Thomson Locations: New York, Paris, U.S, Europe, Brussels, EU, Issy, France, British, United States, Bengaluru, London

Why the CMA blocked the Microsoft-Activision dealThe U.K. CMA efficiently blocked the acquisition in April, saying the deal raises competition concerns in the nascent cloud gaming market. Like other regulators, the CMA is concerned that Microsoft could take Activision games and make them exclusive to its own platforms. Cloud gaming is a technology that enables gamers to access games via remote servers — effectively streaming a game like you would a movie on Netflix. The CMA, Microsoft and Activision now look set to hash out a possible resolution to the regulator's concerns to get a deal over the line. watch nowMicrosoft has already offered concessions to the U.K. regulator which were rejected.

Persons: Redmond, Michael Ciaglo, Alex Haffner, Fladgate, It's, it's, Haffner, Microsoft Organizations: Activision, Markets, Federal, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, CMA, Netflix, Warfare, Bloomberg, Getty, CNBC, FTC, Nintendo, European Union Locations: Denver , Colorado

☆ UK's CMA open to new Microsoft-Activision probe after u-turn
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

"It is really an unprecedented and dramatic turn of events," said Alex Haffner, competition partner at UK law firm Fladgate. Becket McGrath, a partner at Euclid Law, said it seemed like the CMA wanted a way out of an "uncomfortable position". Still, with the larger $69 billion deal back on track, the two sides are now focused on modifying the deal to obtain regulatory approval. Jonathan Compton, partner at law firm DMH Stallard and a specialist in competition law, said it was difficult to see what structural alterations the company could make. Britain's competition regulator has not given any further clarification on its U-turn or the new investigation, including whether it would fit into its Phase 1 and 2 process, the latter of which can take up to a year.

Persons: Alex Haffner, Becket McGrath, Jonathan Compton, DMH, Euclid's McGrath, Sarah Cardell, Paul Sandle, Muvija, Martin Coulter, Amy, Jo Crowley, Kate Holton Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Markets Authority, CMA, European Union, Euclid Law, Thomson Locations: United States, Devika

☆ Microsoft wins EU antitrust approval for Activision deal vetoed by UK
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. Microsoft has in recent months signed licensing deals with Nvidia (NVDA.O), Nintendo (7974.T), Ukraine's Boosteroid and Japan's Ubitus to bring Activision games to their platforms should the deal go through. "The European Commission has required Microsoft to license popular Activision Blizzard games automatically to competing cloud gaming services. CLOUD GAMING MARKET GROWTHVestager said the Commission had a different view from UK regulators of how the game streaming market, which accounted for just 1% of the total market last year, would develop. "Microsoft and Activision’s lawyers will also use the decision to provide greater ballast to their appeal of the CMA's decision."

☆ No Roger Federer Street in Basel, at least for now
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ZURICH, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Swiss tennis great Roger Federer's hometown won't be naming a street after him - at least for now. Officials and politicians in Basel have begun discussions on how to honour the 20-time grand slam singles champion, who retired from the ATP tour last month. But city surveyor Paul Haffner ruled out prospects of Federer getting his own street, an accolade already bestowed on him by some Swiss and German cities. "The policy in Basel is that only deceased individuals have a square or a street named after them," Haffner told Swiss broadcaster SRF. Reporting by Noele Illien; editing by John StonestreetOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Search resuls for: "Haffner"

6 mentions found