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☆ Nintendo says Switch successor will be unveiled by March 2025
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Jerome Taylor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Nintendo says it plans to announce the followup to its popular Switch console by March 2025. “We will make an announcement about the successor to Nintendo Switch within this fiscal year,” Shuntaro Furukawa, the company’s president, wrote on X on Tuesday. “It will have been over nine years since we announced the existence of Nintendo Switch back in March 2015.”The announcement will be welcome news to fans who have been salivating for years over the prospect of a potential Switch successor, which Nintendo bosses have remained tight lipped about. The company expects to sell 13.5 million Switch units in the current financial year, according to Reuters, compared to sales of 15.7 million units last year. There’s the Nintendo Switch OLED and its rich, immersive screen; the standard Nintendo Switch with its tried-and-true hybrid design; and the cheaper and smaller Nintendo Switch Lite for those who mainly play on the go.

Persons: “, ” Shuntaro Furukawa Organizations: Hong Kong CNN — Nintendo, Nintendo, Reuters, Sony, SONY, Microsoft Locations: Hong Kong

Every weekend, the store offers a wide variety of deals on top products, so I've gathered the best Best Buy deals available now for you to shop. Whether you need a quick gift or want to upgrade your own tech, keep scrolling to find the best Best Buy deals you can shop below. Best Buy sale quicklinks Apple Watches : Get up to $100 off select models. Shop at Best BuyThis is just a small taste of this weekend's top Best Buy sale picks. Check out the full selection over at the Best Buy website.

Persons: I've, — Organizations: Business, Apple, Lenovo, Samsung, LG, Sony, Sporting, Barista, GE Gaming, GE

Samsung 65-inch S95D 4K OLED TV This exceptional high-end TV is the brightest OLED we’ve ever tested. I've seen this kind of behavior on a few other OLED TVs, but it's more extreme on this model than on competitors. However, there is speculation that the brand could sell versions of its 2024 OLED TVs with WRGB panels instead. Steven Cohen/Business InsiderBased on my initial testing, the Samsung S95D is an excellent option for anyone who wants a high-end OLED TV. Ultimately, buyers seeking a premium viewing experience can't go wrong with any high-end OLED TV.

Persons: It's, Slim, HLG, Steven Cohen, I've, wonky, upscaling, you'll, there's, that's, S95C Organizations: Business, Samsung, LG, Sony A95L, Shop, Dolby, HLG Smart, Samsung TV, Forza, Sony Locations: La

☆ Mark Zuckerberg says Meta will offer its virtual reality OS to hardware companies, creating iPhone versus Android dynamic
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Meta will partner with external hardware companies, including Lenovo, Microsoft and Asus, to build virtual reality headsets using the company's Meta Horizon operating system, the company said Monday. The move will create new hardware devices that run on the same operating system and software as Meta's current first-party virtual reality hardware, such as the Quest 3 and Quest Pro. The move further defines the fault lines of the virtual reality hardware market, months after Apple released its $3,500 virtual reality headset called Vision Pro in January. According to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who shared the news in an Instagram video Monday, the announcement essentially recreates the Android versus iOS dynamic in smartphones — only for virtual reality headsets. Meta Horizon is based on a version of Android, allowing for easier ports of apps from phones to virtual reality.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Meta's, Meta Organizations: Lenovo, Microsoft, Asus, Quest Pro, Apple, Reality Labs, Meta, Apple's, Google, Steam, Gaming, Xbox

☆ Microsoft and NetEase to re-launch Warcraft game in China, ending feud
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese video games giant NetEase said it is working with Microsoft to bring popular games including "World of Warcraft" back to the country after a public fallout that ended a decade-long partnership in 2023. NetEase was the publisher of Blizzard's games in China from 2008 to 2023. "We at Blizzard are thrilled to reestablish our partnership with NetEase and to work together, with deep appreciation for the collaboration between our teams, to deliver legendary gaming experiences to players in China," said Johanna Faries, president of Blizzard Entertainment. Additionally, Microsoft and NetEase said they have also entered into an agreement to explore bringing new NetEase titles to Microsoft's Xbox gaming consoles and its other gaming platforms. A number of popular online games developed by Blizzard were taken offline in China last year after the company terminated its lucrative, 14-year-long partnership with NetEase, citing disagreement over intellectual property control.

Persons: NetEase, Johanna Faries Organizations: Microsoft, Blizzard Entertainment, Activision, Blizzard, NetEase Locations: U.S, China

☆ Blizzard, NetEase deal: ‘World of Warcraft’ and other hit games return to China as dispute ends
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Diksha Madhok | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —China’s gaming giant NetEase will bring back the iconic “World of Warcraft” and other popular video games by Microsoft’s Blizzard Entertainment to the country, the companies said in a joint statement Wednesday. California-based Blizzard and Hangzhou-based NetEase had ceased their 15-year relationship in 2023 after an acrimonious fallout, leaving millions of fans in China heartbroken. “After a year of negotiations, Blizzard and NetEase are pleased to align on a path forward to once again serve players in mainland China,” the companies said in a post on NetEase Games’ official Weibo account. The new deal will see the return of “World of Warcraft” and “Hearthstone” games to China, as well as other titles in the Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and StarCraft universes, according to the statement. Foreign publishers must work with local partners to offer video games in China.

Persons: NetEase, “, ”, we’ve, William Ding, ’, Phil Spencer Organizations: CNN, Microsoft’s Blizzard Entertainment, Blizzard, Games, Weibo, Microsoft Gaming, Xbox, Microsoft, Activision, Big Locations: China, California, Hangzhou, Beijing, Big Tech

The Chinese company NetEase said on Wednesday that it had struck a deal to distribute titles from Microsoft’s Blizzard Entertainment, restoring access to popular video games like World of Warcraft for Chinese gamers. More than a year ago, NetEase and Blizzard called an end to their long-running partnership when renewal talks turned testy, with both sides accusing each other of bad-faith negotiations. An uproar ensued among Chinese gamers, upset about losing access to a slew of popular titles from Blizzard’s parent company, the U.S. game developer Activision Blizzard. NetEase said on Wednesday that it had reached the new deal with Microsoft, which acquired Activision Blizzard in a $69 billion deal in October. The two companies said they had also agreed to distribute NetEase titles on Microsoft’s Xbox game device.

Persons: NetEase, we’ve, ” William Ding Organizations: Microsoft’s Blizzard Entertainment, Activision Blizzard, Microsoft Locations: U.S

☆ Steve Ballmer's Son Reflects on Growing up in High Net Worth Family
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( Jane Zhang | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

I mean, I didn't really care about what I was wearing, and my brothers and I were fine with driving our dad's old '98 Lincoln. We didn't really talk about moneyThere were some indications that we were rich. Our family took really nice vacations, but as a kid, there was a disconnect between things and how much they cost. For both my mom and my dad, having a lot of money was a relatively new experience, as was raising children. I don't really see it as dishonest, though, because people are multifaceted and much more complex than the sum of where they grew up.

Persons: Pete Ballmer, Steve Ballmer, we'll, Let's, I'd, I'm, I've, That's, who've, They'll, We've, — Organizations: Microsoft, Ford, I'd, Lincoln, Rover, Clippers Locations: San Francisco, Japan, Bay

We'll also guide you step-by-step on how to use a VPN to watch UFC 299, no matter where you are. ET / 3 a.m. GMT (Sun) / 11 a.m. AWST (Sun)How to watch UFC 299 in the USUS viewers can watch the main event of UFC 299 on ESPN Plus tonight at 10 p.m. UFC PPV + Annual ESPN+ Membership (Bundle) ESPN+ is the home of UFC PPV events, meaning that fans need to purchase a subscription in addition to buying the one-off cards. Where to watch UFC 299 everywhere elseIf you're not in the US, you still have a few options to watch UFC 299. In Canada, UFC 299 will be available as a pay-per-view through most TV providers and directly via UFC Fight Pass.

Persons: Sean O'Malley's, Marlon Vera, There's, Dustin Poirier, Benoit Saint, Denis, We'll, ExpressVPN, O'Malley, Vera Main, Sean O'Malley, Kevin Holland, Michael Page, Gilbert Burns, Jack Della Maddalena, Petr Yan, Curtis Blaydes, Jailton Almeida, Katlyn, Maycee Barber, Mateusz, Rafael dos Anjos, Pedro Munhoz, Kyler Phillips, Philipe, Michel Pereira, Michal Oleksiejczuk, Robelis, Josh Parisian, CJ Vergara, Assu Almabayev, Joanne Wood, Maryna Moroz Organizations: Business, Kaseya, UFC, ESPN Plus, ESPN, TNT Sports, Amazon, Apple, PlayStation, Samsung, BT, BT Sport, League, LG Locations: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, Asia, Africa, Brazil

☆ Apple's car at one point replaced the steering wheel with an Xbox-like controller for when its self-driving couldn't cut it: Bloomberg
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Apple's most advanced backup control for a car prototype looked like an Xbox controller, per Bloomberg. CEO Tim Cook tested this prototype in 2020, and he and other execs were impressed, per the outlet. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementApple's now-failed self-driving car at one point featured a backup control system that resembled a video game controller instead of a steering wheel, per Bloomberg. This prototype was called the "Bread Loaf" by employees for its minivan shape, and the controller was its most fully developed backup control system, the outlet reported.

Persons: Tim Cook, —, Apple's, Mark Gurman, David Bennett Organizations: Bloomberg, Apple, Service, Business

☆ PlayStation is laying off 900 people globally — read the full email employees received about it
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Shubhangi Goel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

AdvertisementSony Interactive Entertainment is laying off about 900 people from the PlayStation division. PlayStation Studios' London studio will close, Ryan wrote. Ryan will retire at the end of March, as he wrote in a press release shared in September. In January, Microsoft announced it's laying off 1,900 staff members across Activision Blizzard, Xbox, and ZeniMax. All employees who are part of the collective consultation will be made aware of the next steps today.

Persons: Jim Ryan, Ryan, Jim Organizations: Sony Interactive Entertainment, PlayStation, Asia Pacific, PlayStation Studios, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Unity, Business, Sony Locations: Americas, Europe, Japan, Asia, EMEA

☆ Electronic Arts, maker of Madden NFL, to lay off 5% of staff as gaming industry layoffs widen
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-28 | by ( Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

New York CNN —Electronic Arts plans to lay off 5% of its employees, making it the latest company in the gaming and tech space to reduce its workforce. Epic Games cut 830 jobs in September. In January, Tencent’s Riot Games said it would lay off 11% of its workforce and Microsoft said it would cut 1,900 jobs from its Activision Blizzard and Xbox gaming divisions. And electronics giant Sony said on Tuesday it would cut 8% of its global workforce, amounting to around 900 jobs. That means that after its cuts to staff last year, Wednesday’s layoffs could affect more than 600 workers.

Persons: ”, Andrew Wilson Organizations: New, New York CNN, Electronic Arts, EA, Madden NFL, Apex, ” EA, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Sony Locations: New York

☆ Four reasons Walmart wants to buy smart TV maker Vizio
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The retail giant announced last week that it plans to buy smart TV maker Vizio in a $2.3 billion deal. Here's a closer look at the major reasons Walmart wants to buy Vizio . Walmart can capitalize on Vizio's reachWhen shoppers think of Vizio, they likely envision store aisles filled with giant TVs. Walmart's in-house TV brand, Onn, currently has a licensing deal with smart TV competitor Roku . Plus, Walmart sees how much money its competitor, Amazon , makes from advertising — and wants to run the same play.

Persons: Joe Raedle, It's, Corey Tarlowe, Dan Day, Jefferies, Tarlowe, SmartCast, Kirby Grines, Vizio, Grines, Michael Morton, you've, That's, Morton Organizations: Walmart, Getty, Jefferies, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Riley Securities, Roku Locations: Hallandale Beach , Florida, Irvine , California, MoffettNathanson

☆ Skull and Bones, Singapore's first major video game title, launches to mixed reviews after decade-long wait
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Dylan Butts | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Justin Farren, Creative Director at Ubisoft Singapore, reveals "Skull & Bones" during the Ubisoft E3 conference at the Orpheum Theater on June 11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Ubisoft Singapore officially launched its first major video game, Skull And Bones, for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on Friday, ending an unusually long development saga that spanned over a decade. Ubisoft Singapore received a grant from the Economic Development Board in 2016 to aid in the development of an "AAA" game title from the city-state. The "AAA" game classification refers to titles that are produced and distributed by large, well-known publishers that will typically have high development and marketing budgets. According to data collected by market research company YouGov in 2020, at least three-quarters of the population in Singapore plays video or mobile games, which jumps to 90% among those aged 18 to 24.

Persons: Justin Farren, Jean, Francois Vallee, CNBC's Organizations: Ubisoft Singapore, Ubisoft, Orpheum, PlayStation, Economic, AAA Locations: Los Angeles , California, AAA, Singapore

☆ Microsoft's Xbox boss says jacking up video game prices can end up being 'manipulative'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-21 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Xbox games may be more expensive now, but Microsoft's gaming CEO realizes that there's a limit to how much gamers will take. "We've raised the price of games," Phil Spencer, the CEO of Microsoft Gaming, told Game File, a newsletter focused on the business of gaming. AdvertisementBack in December 2022, Microsoft told The Verge that it would be raising prices to reflect "the content, scale, and technical complexity of these titles." "Skull and Bones," an action-adventure game for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles, got some flack for charging $70 for its highly anticipated game. Ubisoft, the company behind the pirate video game, defended the price because it was a "quadruple-A" game.

Persons: We've, Phil Spencer, Spencer, didn't, Neil Macker, flack, they're Organizations: Xbox, Microsoft Gaming, Business, Microsoft, Hollywood, Morningstar, Nintendo, Sony, Ubisoft, PlayStation, Activision Blizzard Locations: COVID

We'll also guide you step-by-step on how to use a VPN to watch UFC 298, no matter where you are. ET / 3 a.m. GMT (Sun) / 11 a.m. AWST (Sun)How to watch UFC 298 in the USUS viewers can watch the main event of UFC 298 on ESPN Plus tonight at 10 p.m. UFC PPV + Annual ESPN+ Membership (Bundle) ESPN+ is the home of UFC PPV events, meaning that fans need to purchase a subscription in addition to buying the one-off cards. Where to watch UFC 298 everywhere elseIf you're not in the US, you still have a few options to watch UFC 298. In Canada, UFC 298 will be available as a pay-per-view through most TV providers and directly via UFC Fight Pass.

Persons: Whittaker, Costa doesn't, We'll, ExpressVPN, Alexander Volkanovski, Ilia Topuria, Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa, Geoff Neal, Ian Machado Garry, Merab, Henry Cejudo, Anthony Hernandez, Kopylov, Amanda Lemos, Mackenzie Dern, Marcos Rogerio de Lima, Justin Tafa, Rinya Nakamura, Carlos Vera, Zhang Mingyang, Brendson Ribeiro, Josh Quinlan, Danny Barlow, Val Woodburn, Andrea Lee, Miranda Maverick Organizations: Business, Volkanovski, Honda Center, UFC, ESPN Plus, ESPN, TNT Sports, Amazon, Apple, PlayStation, Samsung, BT, BT Sport, League, LG, Elliott Locations: Anaheim, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Switzerland, Asia, Africa, Brazil

☆ Xbox is now on sale at Target for less than it was on Black Friday
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewThe Xbox Series S is on sale for cheaper than it was on Black Friday after reports Microsoft would share Xbox exclusives with other gaming platforms. The Xbox Series S, which normally retails at $299, is on sale at Target for $219, or about $80 off. The Series S is already the budget version of the current console, selling at a retail price of $200 cheaper than the Xbox Series X, which boasts higher-level graphics performance and more storage. The deal clocks in even lower than the lowest Black Friday deal for the console, which saw them going for $229.99 on sale at Dell, according to IGN. Sony has sold more than 50 million PlayStation 5 consoles since its release in November 2020, while the Xbox Series S and Series X have sold about 21 million units, IGN reported .

Persons: —, Peter Kafka Organizations: Service, Microsoft, Target, Business, Dell, IGN, Xbox, Sony, Financial Times, PlayStation, Nintendo, Activision Blizzard, Netflix

Opinion What Sourdough Taught Me, in the Pandemic and BeyondInside one tablespoon of active sourdough starter, the fermented culture made of flour and water used for thousands of years to leaven bread, there are billions of microorganisms. How to create a sourdough starter Repeat until bubbling with life. Add flour, water and salt. Add flour, water and salt. To avoid this exponential growth, a portion of sourdough starter is traditionally discarded at every feeding, which means there’s plenty to go around.

Persons: ”, —, Seamus Blackley, . Kan, they’ve, “, Caesar, cura, Jesus, John, we’ve, Thomas White, Gazans, Alice Spearman, Germany Chiara G, Netherlands Anna Celda Czechia Veronika Moravcikova, Allie Wist, we’re Organizations: U.S, International New York, Penn, Ala . Iowa Miss, Okla . Texas Colo, Okla . Texas Colo . Puerto Rico Wyo, Utah Idaho Mexico Ariz, Great, Netherlands France Belgium Denmark, Poland Latvia Slovenia, Poland Latvia Slovenia Italy Croatia, . Connecticut Massachusetts Rhode Island New Jersey New Hampshire Vermont Pennsylvania, . Connecticut Massachusetts Rhode Island New Jersey New Hampshire Vermont Pennsylvania Maryland Delaware D.C, Maine Virginia, Maine Virginia West Virginia Ohio, Maine Virginia West Virginia Ohio North Carolina Michigan Indiana South, Maine Virginia West Virginia Ohio North Carolina Michigan Indiana South Carolina Kentucky Tennessee Wisconsin Illinois, Alabama Iowa Mississippi Minnesota Florida Arkansas, Canada Louisiana Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma, Canada Louisiana Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas Colorado, Canada Louisiana Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas Colorado Puerto Rico Wyoming, Portugal Spain, Supermarkets, United Nations, BBC, Alice Spearman Canada Locations: Barthelme, Conn, R.I . N.J, N.H . Vt, Md, Del, D.C, Maine Va, W.Va . Ohio N.C, Mich, Ind, S.C . Ky, Tenn, Wis, Ill, Ala . Iowa, Minn, Fla, Canada, Okla . Texas, Okla . Texas Colo . Puerto Rico, Mont, N.M, Utah Idaho Mexico, Ore, Calif, Iceland, Portugal Spain, Netherlands France Belgium, Netherlands France Belgium Denmark Luxembourg Sweden Germany Brazil Switzerland, Poland Latvia, Poland Latvia Slovenia Italy, Poland Latvia Slovenia Italy Croatia Hungary Bulgaria Greece Hawaii, Argentina, China Bhutan India South Africa, Malaysia Singapore, Australia, . Connecticut Massachusetts Rhode Island New Jersey New Hampshire Vermont, . Connecticut Massachusetts Rhode Island New Jersey New Hampshire Vermont Pennsylvania Maryland Delaware, Maine, Maine Virginia West Virginia, Maine Virginia West Virginia Ohio North Carolina, Maine Virginia West Virginia Ohio North Carolina Michigan Indiana South Carolina Kentucky Tennessee Wisconsin, Maine Virginia West Virginia Ohio North Carolina Michigan Indiana South Carolina Kentucky Tennessee Wisconsin Illinois Georgia, Alabama Iowa Mississippi Minnesota, Canada Louisiana Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas, Canada Louisiana Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas Colorado Puerto Rico, Canada Louisiana Nebraska Kansas Oklahoma Texas Colorado Puerto Rico Wyoming Montana New Mexico, Utah Idaho Mexico Arizona Nevada Washington Oregon California Iceland, Portugal, Portugal Spain France The Netherlands Belgium Denmark Luxembourg Sweden Germany Brazil Switzerland, China Bhutan India, Africa, Uruk, France, Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza, Germany, Netherlands

NEW YORK (AP) — Several exclusive Xbox games will be soon making their way to rival consoles, the video gaming brand and its parent company, Microsoft, announced Thursday. In a special edition of the Official Xbox Podcast, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer confirmed that four Xbox games will no longer be exclusive. Microsoft has already been moving away from this through its “Game Pass” subscription service that works something like a Netflix for video games. The tech giant's recent acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard allows that service to grow even further. On Thursday, Xbox President Sarah Bond announced that the first Activision Blizzard game on Xbox Game Pass will be Diablo IV, starting March 28.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Spencer, “, ”, Indiana Jones, Sarah Bond, ” Bond Organizations: Microsoft, Bethesda, Netflix, Activision Blizzard, Activision, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Windows, Sony Locations: Diablo, Redmond, Washington

☆ Google's new AI-powered wingman highlights the challenges of using a tool that could eventually replace you
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. In today’s big story, we’re looking at Google’s new internal AI model aimed at improving worker efficiency. The big storyAI assistanceCBS Photo Archive/Getty ImagesGoogle employees are getting an AI-powered wingman in the company’s bid to improve efficiency. Goose can answer questions about Google's tech and write and edit code, according to an internal summary of the model. Tech companies have tested inventions on their own employees for years in a process known as "dogfooding," writes BI's Alistair Barr.

Persons: —, Denny's, customizations, Hugh Langley, Tom Cruise’s copilot, Alistair Barr, Tyler Lee, “, Bryan R, Smith, Wall, Gary Gensler, We’re, Société, Elad Gil, Gil, ChatGPT, it’s, Uber, Nomura, Young homebuyers, Meredith Whitney, Donald Trump, Dan DeFrancesco, Hallam Bullock, Jordan Parker Erb, George Glover Organizations: Business, Service, CBS, Getty, Microsoft, OpenAI, Tech, Google, Big Tech, Fed, UBS, SEC, Silicon Valley’s, BI, Xbox, Dragon, Workers, Wall Locations: China, New York, London

☆ Microsoft will bring four Xbox games to other companies' consoles
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Phil Spencer, CEO of gaming at Microsoft, speaks during the company's Xbox event ahead of the E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles on June 10, 2018. Microsoft said on Thursday that it will release four of its video games on competing consoles. Microsoft completed the acquisition of prominent video game publisher Activision Blizzard for over $75 billion in October. Many Xbox fans expressed frustration on social media, speculating that Microsoft will give up trying to keep exclusive games on its console in the future. Earlier this week, The Verge reported that games such as Hi-Fi Rush, Pentiment and Sea of Thieves would be coming to non-Microsoft consoles.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Spencer, Indiana Jones, We've Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo, Indiana, Xbox, PlayStation, Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax Media Locations: Los Angeles, Bethesda, Pentiment

☆ Here's why Microsoft is going to let you play Xbox games on rival consoles
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Peter Kafka | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Big news for (some) video game players: Microsoft is going to stop making you use Microsoft devices to play (some) Microsoft games. AdvertisementVery short summary of the console video game business: It's common for video game hardware makers to also own or license games that are exclusively for their devices. The idea is that a single game (or several games) will be enough reason for a gamer to buy a specific device. Maybe, as Warren reports, Microsoft will also announce new hardware plans at the same time it makes the new software change. But it's hard to see how the games move alone is going to be anything more than Microsoft accepting reality.

Persons: Tom Warren, Mario Kart, I've, It's, Warren Organizations: Service, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Business, PlayStation, Mario, Xbox, Activision, Netflix, Apple, Samsung

☆ Nintendo CEO once cut his salary in half to prevent layoffs—here's why that's so uncommon today
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As sweeping rounds of layoffs rock the tech, media and finance industries in 2024, some video game fans are thinking about former Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata. Iwata ran the Kyoto, Japan-based video game company from 2002 until his death in 2015. To avoid layoffs, Iwata took a 50% pay cut to help pay for employee salaries, saying a fully-staffed Nintendo would have a better chance of rebounding. Iwata had faith in his talentFor Iwata, taking a pay cut over layoffs centered around his employees' ability to bounce back, Verma says. "Nintendo [needed] to see through the changes that necessitated launching the Nintendo Switch, which has been massively profitable for the company," says Verma.

Persons: Satoru Iwata, Iwata, Rohan Verma, —, it's, Verma, could've, Sandra Sucher, Sucher Organizations: Nintendo, Riot Games, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Stanford University, Harvard Business, CNBC Locations: Kyoto, Japan, —, U.S

☆ I moved to Montreal to be with a man I met on Xbox. It was a bigger culture shock than I expected.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Elle Hardy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I spent almost my entire life in Massachusetts until I met my now husband, Marc, six years ago. He's from Montreal, and we met online while playing Grand Theft Auto on Xbox. I'm a pet sitter, so once I got my PR, I could start pet sitting and dog walking here. Quebec is different from the rest of North AmericaThe culture shock was more than I expected. I'm much more confident now, and sometimes when I think I'm going to say something in English, French comes out first.

Persons: —, Melissa Rebelo, Marc, Sauve, poutine, Sauve It's, It's, it's, Thomas, Frank Pepe's Organizations: Service, Business, Facebook Locations: Sauve, Massachusetts, Montreal, Boston, Canadian, Quebec, North America, you'll, Springfield , Massachusetts, Canada, Connecticut

☆ Xbox chief announces mysterious event after weeks of leaks, layoffs, and drama
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Camilo Fonseca | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, promised a "business update event" to clarify the situation. The controversial rumors came weeks after Microsoft announced layoffs in its gaming divisions. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . "We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox."

Persons: It's, Phil Spencer, —, Spencer, We've Organizations: PlayStation, Microsoft Gaming, Microsoft, Service, Xbox

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