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☆ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's net worth swells from $3 billion to $90 billion in five years
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Jensen Huang, co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, during the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference in San Jose, California, on March 19, 2024. Five years ago, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang owned a stake in his chipmaker worth roughly $3 billion. After Thursday's rally, which pushed the stock to a record, his holdings now stand at more than $90 billion. Nvidia shares have more than doubled this year after tripling in 2023. OpenAI does most of its AI development on Nvidia GPUs.

Persons: Jensen Huang, Huang, OpenAI Organizations: Nvidia, Technology, Microsoft, Google, Meta Locations: San Jose , California

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

☆ 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

☆ London lags behind rest of Europe when it comes to 5G network quality, report finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

London falls far behind other major European cities when it comes to the quality of its 5G connection, according to a report shared with CNBC. According to MedUX, Berlin has the best 5G coverage of any European city overall, according to MedUX, with a 89.6% reach. It is also the best city overall for 5G streaming, with average latency of less than 40 milliseconds. Berlin, Barcelona, and Paris scored the highest among European cities on MedUX's overarching 5G quality benchmark. London, on the other hand, was close to the bottom of the ranking for European 5G networks.

Persons: MedUX, Berlin's, Rafael Galarreta, Galaretta Organizations: CNBC, London, Paris, 5G Locations: Reno, London, Europe, Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, Lisbon, MedUX, Milan, Porto, Munich, Germany

☆ UK antitrust regulator wins appeal over Apple probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Apple Inc. logo is seen hanging at the entrance to the Apple store on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, New York, U.S., October 16, 2019. REUTERS/Mike Segar Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Britain's antitrust regulator can investigate Apple's (AAPL.O) mobile browser and cloud gaming services, London's Court of Appeal ruled on Thursday, overturning a lower court decision the watchdog said could undermine its power to launch probes. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) opened a full investigation last year into the dominance of Apple and Alphabet Inc's Google (GOOGL.O) in mobile browsers. The Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled in Apple's favour in March, but the Court of Appeal upheld the CMA's appeal on Thursday. The CMA said its investigation is on hold pending any application for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Persons: Mike Segar, Judge Nicholas Green, Green, Sarah Cardell, Sam Tobin, Michael Holden, Jane Merriman Organizations: Apple Inc, Apple, REUTERS, London's, Markets Authority, CMA, Google, CAT, Supreme, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York, U.S, Apple's

☆ All kids want for Christmas this year … Robux and gaming subscriptions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Nicole Randol — a Missouri-based mother of two boys, ages 6 and 10 — recently posted a message on a popular Facebook parenting group about Robux, the virtual gaming currency for the platform Roblox: Target was having a 40%-off sale for Robux. “I expect it to be the most exciting thing they open [on Christmas],” Randol, who bought two $100 Robux cards, told CNN. Gaming subscriptions continue to gain popularity, too. “What’s changed, naturally, is the games that families are playing.”According to ESA, more than 212 million Americans play video games on a regular basis. Still, with the rise of subscriptions and gaming currency, what lands under the Christmas tree may be smaller in size than years before.

Persons: CNN — Nicole Randol —, —, ” Randol, Fortnite, trumping, ”, Christopher Byrne, Guy, “, ” Roblox, Robux, Michael Inouye, Cozy, Byrne, “ What’s, ” Byrne, Jim Silver, Bitzies, ” Bryne, Parija Kavilanz Organizations: CNN, Robux, Entertainment Software Association, Epic Games, PlayStation, Pro, Apple, ABI Research, National Retail Federation, ESA, Gaming Locations: Missouri

☆ Netflix's side quest: A deep dive into its ambitious plans to become a gaming giant
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailNetflix's side quest: A deep dive into its ambitious plans to become a gaming giantNetflix has quietly been building out a library of more than 70 video games as part of an ambitious new push to become a gaming giant, testing out a cloud gaming service and posting job openings for its first big-budget, blockbuster game. But it's a notoriously tough market to break into, one that many tech and media giants have tried at and failed. The undertaking is just one of a slew of new business lines that the Netflix has been experimenting with, and they're more important than ever as its stock lags behind the megacaps it used to be on par with. This week on Tech Check, we dive into Netflix's new side quest.

Organizations: Netflix, Tech

☆ After blockbuster Microsoft deal, gaming giants are still sitting on $45 billion cash hoard
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Public gaming companies currently hold cash and cash equivalents of $45.1 billion, according to a report from venture capital firm Konvoy. Publicly listed gaming companies had a fairly rosy year in 2023, on the whole. The VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF , which seeks to track MVIS Global Video Gaming & eSports Index, has climbed 20% in the year to date, according to Konvoy. Total venture funding into the video games industry in the third quarter of 2023 fell 9% quarter-over-quarter, to $454 million. That was when pandemic lockdowns were in full swing, and people had more time to spend playing video games indoors.

Persons: China's NetEase, hasn't, China's Tencent, Josh Chapman, Redmond, Chapman, Candy Crush, Konvoy's Chapman Organizations: Chesno Publicly, CNBC, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Bandai Namco, Public, Gaming, Esports, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, Netflix, Sony, Activision, U.S, U.K, Markets Authority, Duty, Bandai Namco Entertainment Locations: Konvoy, Washington

Learn moreSamsung's new S90C 4K OLED TV sits a step below the company's latest flagship model, and is designed to take on other value-forward OLEDs like LG's C3. Samsung S90C 65-inch 4K OLED TV The S90C is the successor to our favorite TV of 2022, the Samsung S95B. As for other home theater features, you'll get just about everything you'll need, with the exception of Dolby Vision. Ryan Waniata/InsiderDefinitely, Samsung's S90C is one of the best OLED TVs we've seen. And if you're still looking for more TV recommendations, check out our guides to the best 4K TV and best 65-inch TV.

Persons: you've, Ryan Waniata, brawn, priciest, it's, You'll, It's, Bixby, we've, we'd, you'll, OLED there's Organizations: Samsung, LG, Sony, Samsung's, Gaming, Nvidia, Dolby Vision, Vision, Dolby, Netflix, Disney, HDMI, Smart

☆ Goldman Sachs says this global tech stock will soar as 'gaming-as-a-service' takes off
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Ganesh Rao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors seeking exposure to Japan's growing gaming industry should look at technology and entertainment behemoth Sony , according to Goldman Sachs. Goldman expects shares of Sony Group Corporation to rise by 25% to 16,000 yen ($107) over the next 12 months. In addition, Goldman Sachs said there was significant growth potential for Crunchyroll, Sony's anime streaming service based in California, which it acquired in 2017. "Our team estimates that overseas markets will account for 80% of Japanese anime sales by 2036," the bank's report said. As earnings contributions from Crunchyroll and GaaS titles become more apparent starting in fiscal year 2025, Goldman Sachs sees an increase in consensus earnings estimates and valuation multiples.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, FactSet Organizations: Sony, Bungie, Goldman, Sony Group Corporation, New York Stock Exchange, SONY, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard Locations: Tokyo, California

The deal was the biggest test of the CMA's global power to take on the tech giants since Britain left the European Union. "The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming as this market takes off, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gaming customers," it said in a statement. Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. Activision Blizzard said: "The CMA's official approval is great news for our future with Microsoft, and we look forward to becoming part of the Xbox Team." The European Commission said the new commitments given by Microsoft to the CMA did not interfere with its EU commitments.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jeremy Hunt, Sarah Cardell, Ben Barringer, Brad Smith, Activision Blizzard, Paul Sandle, Yadarisa Shabong, Aditya Soni, Foo Yun Chee, Varun H, Kate Holton, Sonali Paul, Jane Merriman, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, LONDON, Activision Blizzard, Sony, Activision, Competition, Markets Authority, Ubisoft Entertainment, Britain, European Union, PlayStation, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, REUTERS, British, Finance, Xbox, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Britain, Cheviot, London, Bengaluru, Foo

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. The deal was blocked in April by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which said it could give the U.S. computing giant a stranglehold over the nascent cloud gaming market. The deal was the biggest test of the CMA's global power to take on the tech giants since Britain left the European Union. "The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming as this market takes off, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gaming customers," it said in a statement. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission opposed the deal but after failing to stop it, the CMA was left standing alone.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jeremy Hunt, Sarah Cardell, Ben Barringer, Brad Smith, Activision Blizzard, Paul Sandle, Yadarisa, Foo Yun Chee, Varun H, Kate Holton, Sonali Paul, Jane Merriman Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, CMA, LONDON, Activision Blizzard, Competition, Markets Authority, Ubisoft Entertainment, Britain, European Union, PlayStation, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, British, Finance, Xbox, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Britain, Cheviot, London, Bengaluru, Foo

☆ Microsoft is set to buy Activision Blizzard in a $69 billion deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft has cleared a key regulatory hurdle in the UK to acquire video game giant Activision Blizzard. The UK's competition watchdog approved Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of the company. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAdvertisementMicrosoft has received clearance from the UK's antitrust regulator for its $69 billion acquisition of video game giant Activision Blizzard. Microsoft and Activision Blizzard did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: — Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Service, Activision Blizzard, UK's, Markets Authority

☆ Microsoft-Activision Blizzard takeover approved as UK removes final hurdle
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —UK antitrust officials have approved Microsoft’s planned takeover of Activision Blizzard, the maker of “Call of Duty” and other hit games, greenlighting one of the biggest tech deals of all time. The Competition and Markets Authority announced Friday that the merger had been cleared after the companies agreed to give up certain cloud gaming rights, removing the final regulatory hurdle to the deal closing. Microsoft (MSFT) unveiled the deal in early 2022, but it was blocked in April by the UK competition regulator. “The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming,” the agency said Friday. Alongside “Call of Duty,” it also produces “World of Warcraft” and “Overwatch.”Microsoft, which sells the Xbox gaming console, offers a popular video game subscription service called Xbox Game Pass, as well as a cloud-based video game streaming service.

Persons: “, Tencent, Brad Smith, “ we’re, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority, CMA, Microsoft, Activision, European Union, Ubisoft Entertainment, Sony, Twitter Locations: Hong Kong

Plus, it will be “productive for the gaming industry as a whole and healthy for competition in the gaming market,” he said. In the meantime, the U.K. regulator was the last major obstacle to the transaction going through. British regulators had initially blocked the transaction over concerns Microsoft could withhold Activision titles from the cloud gaming market. One factor was the EU’s approval, granted after Microsoft promised to automatically license Activision titles royalty-free to cloud gaming platforms. But the CMA's flip-flopping makes the U.K. regulator look “weak and indecisive,” he said.

Persons: Activision Blizzard, Candy, Overwatch —, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Joshua Chapman, ”, Sarah Cardell, Max von Thun, ” von Thun, Matt O’Brien Organizations: —, Activision, Markets, Microsoft, Xbox, Union, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Ubisoft Entertainment, U.K, PlayStation, European Commission, Open Markets, CMA, AP Locations: Konvoy, U.K, Europe, Providence , Rhode Island

☆ Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard takeover approved by UK, clearing way for deal to close
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Competition and Markets Authority said it had cleared the deal for Microsoft to buy Activision but without cloud gaming rights. Microsoft offered a spate of concessions, which centered around divesting the cloud rights of Activision games to French game publisher Ubisoft Entertainment. The U.K.'s regulatory U-turnRegulators globally were concerned that the takeover would reduce competition in the gaming market, in particular around cloud gaming. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission was fighting a legal battle with Microsoft in an effort to get the Activision takeover scrapped. "As cloud gaming grows, this intervention will ensure people get more competitive prices, better services and more choice.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, we've, Sarah Cardell, Cardell Organizations: Activision, Markets Authority, Microsoft, CMA, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Netflix, Reuters, Authorities, European Union, EU, Federal Trade Commission, Activision PC Locations: U.S, Europe, U.K

☆ Microsoft could buy Activision Blizzard by the end of the week. Here's what that means for 'Call of Duty.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Activision President Rob Kostich said he thinks the deal will make "Call of Duty" better. "This deal is good for the industry," Kostich told Games Beat. AdvertisementAdvertisementActivision Blizzard's president thinks that Microsoft could make the "Call of Duty" franchise even better. The UK Competition and Markets Authority previously blocked Microsoft's attempts to buy Activision Blizzard, causing Microsoft to reorganize the deal. "As we've said previously, this deal is good for the industry and will bring more games to more players," Kostich told Games Beat.

Persons: Rob Kostich, Kostich, —, we've, Activision Blizzard Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Activision, Service, Markets, Ubisoft, Cloud Gaming, Sunday

In our view, the companies in the regulators' sights — Alphabet 's (GOOGL) Google, Amazon (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT) — are not engaged in anti-competitive behavior. In January, the DOJ filed a second, separate antitrust lawsuit against Alphabet in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. MSFT YTD mountain Microsoft YTD U.K. regulators have also hounded the Big Tech name, aiming to block Microsoft's acquisition of Activision over cloud gaming concerns. In a showdown years in the making, the FTC last month filed a highly-anticipated antitrust lawsuit against e-commerce giant Amazon. The logos of Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft displayed on a mobile phone and a laptop screen.

Persons: Satya Nadella, —, Nadella, Bing, Jim Cramer, Activision Blizzard, ChatGPT, Morgan Stanley, Joe Biden, Lina Khan, Khan, Jim, Jim Cramer's, Justin Tallis Organizations: Big Tech, Google, Microsoft, Washington D.C, Justice, District of Columbia, DOJ, Eastern, of, Activision, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Ubisoft, U.K, Markets Authority, Yale Law, Amazon, CNBC, Apple, Facebook, Getty Locations: Washington, U.S, of Virginia, Virginia, Amazon

The French competition authority (FCA) said on Wednesday it conducted the dawn raid a day earlier on a company in the "graphics cards sector", it said. French newspaper Challenges and the Wall Street Journal identified the company as Nvidia (NVDA.O). While GPU prices start from over $1,000, the ones favoured by AI companies can cost well over $10,000. Nvidia has a presence in both sectors, and if any startup is planning to create an AI company, they would need to depend on Nvidia for the chips. Various French authorities have looked at Big Tech companies previously, including issuing a fine to Google in 2021 for infringing EU competition law.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Charlotte Colin, Dubuisson, Colin, Supantha Mukherjee, Dominique Vidalon, Emelia Sithole Organizations: NVIDIA, REUTERS, Rights, Nvidia, Big Tech, Wall Street Journal, Intel, AMD, Tesla, Oracle, Google, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Rights STOCKHOLM, FRANCE, France, Stockholm, Paris

REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) gaming master plan is slowly coming together. But Microsoft’s gaming revenue was still around 8% of group sales, or $15 billion, for the year ended June 2022. Given these risks, it makes sense for Nadella to grow his exposure to those parts of the gaming market which are less likely to be upended by cloud gaming. It remains possible that cloud gaming is a dog that doesn’t bark – or at least not for some time. As a result of the Activision deal, Nadella has a hedge of sorts against cloud gaming happening too fast.

Persons: Kevork, Satya Nadella’s, Ampere, ”, GamesIndustry.biz, Nadella, George Hay, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: Activision, REUTERS, Reuters, Bethesda, Microsoft, Satya Nadella’s Activision, Ampere, Sony, Nintendo, Reuters Graphics, Netflix, Gamers, Xbox, PlayStation, Big Tech, Apple, HK, reckons, Competition, Markets Authority, CMA, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, United States, U.S

☆ Meta Quest 3: Zuckerberg unveils mixed-reality VR headset
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Jennifer Korn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Meta is moving forward in its efforts to dominate the AR world with the new and improved Meta Quest 3. Unveiled by CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the company’s virtual Meta Connect event Wednesday, the headset starts at $500 and is a complete redesign of earlier models. The Meta Quest 2 allows for strictly virtual reality, while the Meta Quest Pro has advanced passthrough cameras for seeing your actual surroundings, but it costs a whopping $1,000. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveils the Meta Quest 3 at Meta Connect in Menlo Park, California, on September 27, 2023. To get ahead of Apple’s June unveiling of the Vision Pro, Zuckerberg teased the Meta Quest 3 just days before its rival’s big announcement.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, ” Zuckerberg, Zuckerberg, Meta, Morgan Stanley Organizations: New, New York CNN, Meta, Pro, Meta Connect, Facebook, Quest, Apple Vision, Vision, Street, IDC, Apple Locations: New York, Menlo Park , California

☆ Meta Connect: All the details on Quest 3, Ray-Ban smart glasses, AI chatbots
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers a speech, as a pair of Ray-Ban smart glasses appear on screen, during the Meta Connect event at the company's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, U.S., September 27, 2023. AI CHATBOTS, STICKERSMeta unveiled more than two dozen chatbots that will work within its social media applications. The company announced Meta AI Studio, a platform for developers to build custom AI chatbots. RAY-BAN SMART GLASSESMeta announced new generation Ray-Ban smart glasses, priced at $299. The smart glasses will also have Meta AI built in, with the ability to give information on the item a user is looking at.

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, Carlos Barria, Snapdragon, Meta, Microsoft's Bing, Bear Grylls, Chloe Kim, Josh Richards, RAY, Yuvraj Malik, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: Meta, REUTERS, Gaming, Facebook, United States, Thomson Locations: Menlo Park , California, U.S, WhatsApp, United, Bengaluru

☆ Britain says may clear restructured Microsoft-Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 22 - Microsoft's (MSFT.O) restructured acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) "opens the door" to the deal being cleared, Britain's antitrust regulator said on Friday. The Ubisoft divestment "substantially addresses previous concerns," the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said in a statement. "While the CMA has identified limited residual concerns with the new deal, Microsoft has put forward remedies which the CMA has provisionally concluded should address these issues," the regulator said. The CMA said there were "residual concerns" that certain provisions in the Ubisoft deal could be circumvented, terminated or not enforced.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Brad Smith, Yadarisa, Paul Sandle, Varun, Jason Neely Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, Activision Blizzard, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Markets Authority, CMA, Thomson Locations: U.S, Bengaluru, London

☆ UK regulator says it may clear Microsoft's new Activision Blizzard takeover offer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft submitted a new proposal to U.K. regulators for the takeover of American game publisher Activision Blizzard after its initial proposal was rejected. LONDON — The U.K.'s competition regulator on Friday said Microsoft 's restructured takeover proposal of Activision Blizzard , submitted in August, "opens the door to the deal being cleared." The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority had blocked the Redmond tech giant's initial $69 billion transaction, first put forward in January 2022, on concerns that it would restrict competition in the nascent cloud gaming sector. Critically, cloud gaming could eliminate the need for costly specialized consoles, allowing players to access the games on PCs, mobile phones and TVs. EU officials were first to clear the deal in May, after Microsoft offered concessions to the tune of royalty-free licenses to cloud gaming platforms to stream Activision games that a buyer has purchased.

Persons: —, Brad Smith, We're, Bobby Kotick Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, LONDON, Competition, Markets Authority, Redmond, Activision PC, Activision, Ubisoft Entertainment, CMA, Ubisoft, Netflix, European Union, U.S . Federal Trade Commission Locations: San Francisco

LONDON (AP) — British competition regulators gave preliminary approval Friday to Microsoft’s restructured $69 billion deal to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard, easing a final global hurdle that paves the way for one of the largest tech transactions in history to go through. The updated offer “opens the door to the deal being cleared,” the watchdog said, though there are lingering concerns. “The CMA’s position has been consistent throughout — this merger could only go ahead if competition, innovation and choice in cloud gaming was preserved," CEO Sarah Cardell said. Crucially, it got a thumbs-up from the 27-nation European Union after agreeing to allow users and cloud gaming platforms to stream its titles without paying royalties for 10 years. The CMA then put its original decision on hold and opened a new investigation into the revamped proposal.

Persons: Sarah Cardell, “, Brad Smith, ”, Bobby Kotick Organizations: Microsoft’s, Activision, The, Markets Authority, Microsoft, Union, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, CMA, Ubisoft Entertainment Locations: British, U.S, Britain

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