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☆ Microsoft, Activision CEOs on witness list for hearing on FTC bid to block merger
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The FTC is seeking a preliminary injunction to block Microsoft from completing its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The FTC has argued the transaction would give Microsoft's video game console Xbox exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo (7974.T) consoles and Sony Group Corp's (6758.T) PlayStation out in the cold. Microsoft's bid to acquire the "Call of Duty" video game maker was approved by the EU in May, but British competition authorities blocked the takeover in April. The FTC is calling Nadella to testify about the video game industry, Microsoft Gaming’s strategy and business and the planned Activision acquisition, while Microsoft is calling him to testify about similar topics. Also testifying are two executives from Nvidia Corp.Microsoft Chief Financial Officer Amy Hood, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer and Microsoft Gaming CFO Tim Stuart are also scheduled to testify, as are a number of expert witnesses.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Bobby Kotick, Nadella, James Ryan, Dov Zimring, Amy Hood, Phil Spencer, Tim Stuart, David Shepardson, Chris Reese Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Federal Trade, FTC, Activision, Nintendo, Sony Group, EU, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Google, Nvidia Corp, Thomson

"We know you've wanted more storage with Xbox Series S," Xbox chief executive Phil Spencer said during the company's summer gaming showcase. Xbox Series X and Series S have been the fastest-selling generation of Xbox consoles to date, thanks in part to the affordable price of the Series S. If you're hoping to get your hands on the new 1TB Xbox Series S, we've got you covered with full details on how to preorder one now. Where to preorder the Xbox Series S 1TB Carbon Black modelThe Carbon Black 1TB Xbox Series S will be released on September 1, and preorders are available now for $350 at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Newegg, GameStop, and the Microsoft Store. Is the 1TB Xbox Series S different from the original Xbox Series S? The new Xbox Series S 1TB edition features double the storage space of the original Xbox Series S released in 2020.

Persons: you've, Phil Spencer, we've Organizations: Microsoft, Xbox, GameStop, Target, AA, Seagate, Amazon

☆ Activision fails to increase representation of women as it faces 2025 goal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Video game publisher Activision Blizzard failed to increase its representation of women in the first quarter of 2022, according to a diversity report it released on Thursday. Executives have pledged to make women more pervasive inside the company after media reports described cases of harassment of women, prompting government investigations. Microsoft , an Activision Blizzard competitor and partner, began talks to acquire the game publisher after the reports pushed down the game publisher's stock price. In 2021 the company set a goal to reach 35% by 2025. "We'll continue to measure the impact of these changes, as we're confident this work will contribute to our goal of becoming the most welcoming and inclusive company in the industry," Hines wrote.

☆ Activision increased representation of women and non-binary people by 2 percentage points as it faces 2025 goal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Video game publisher Activision Blizzard increased representation of women and non-binary people by 2 percentage points from November 2021 to December 2022, according to data shared with CNBC. The company said women and non-binary employees represented 24.3% of its workforce in November 2021 but that figure has increased to 26.3% as of the end of 2022. Executives have pledged to make women more pervasive inside the company after media reports described cases of harassment of women, prompting government investigations. Microsoft , an Activision Blizzard competitor and partner, began talks to acquire the game publisher after the reports pushed down the game publisher's stock price. In 2021 the company set a goal to reach 35% for full-time non-binary and women workers by 2025.

☆ Microsoft poses 'biggest potential threat' to Apple's App Store: Morgan Stanley
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Analysts at Morgan Stanley said Tuesday that a Microsoft app store on the iPhone would represent "the biggest potential threat" to Apple 's App Store. "We estimate the impact of a potential Microsoft App Store on the iPhone would be limited to <3% of App Store revenue and <0.5% of EPS, but it still represents the biggest potential threat to the App Store today," they wrote in a Tuesday note. Regulators in the U.S., the U.K. and Europe have raised concerns about what the acquisition of Activision Blizzard could mean for competition. Morgan Stanley analysts also found that fewer than 30% of Apple users would be willing to buy apps outside of the company's App Store. Even so, they said Microsoft's app store could prove to be a true competitor with time.

☆ Microsoft signs Japanese licensing agreement amid Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, March 15 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) signed a 10-year licensing deal to bring Activision's (ATVI.O) Call of Duty franchise to Japanese cloud gaming provider Ubitus on Wednesday, the latest move by the company to address regulatory worries about its bid for the games maker. While Xbox maker Microsoft is likely to secure EU antitrust approval for acquiring Activision with such licensing deals and other behavioural remedies, it is facing headwinds in the United States and Britain. "Microsoft and Ubitus, a leading cloud gaming provider, have signed a 10-year partnership to stream Xbox PC Games as well as Activision Blizzard titles after the acquisition closes," the chief executive of Microsoft's gaming division, Phil Spencer, said in a tweet. The company agreed a similar deal with cloud gaming provider Boosteroid a day earlier, on top of agreements with Nvidia (NVDA.O), Nintendo (7974.T) and U.S. distributor Valve Corp, owner of the world's largest video game distribution platform, Steam. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Microsoft inks licensing deal with cloud gaming provider Boosteroid
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BRUSSELS, March 14 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) on Tuesday signed a 10-year licensing deal to bring Activision's (ATVI.O) Call of Duty franchise to cloud gaming provider Boosteroid's platform, a move partly aimed at allaying competition concerns over its Activision acquisition. Ukraine-based Boosteroid's access to Call of Duty is conditional on regulatory approval for the Activision deal. The agreement will also bring Microsoft's Xbox PC games to Boosteroid's cloud gaming platform. That's why Xbox is committed to give everyone more ways to play their favorite games, across devices," said Phil Spencer, chief executive of Microsoft's gaming division. EU antitrust regulators are expected to approve Microsoft's takeover of Activision conditional on such licensing deals, people familiar with the matter have told Reuters.

☆ Microsoft's president to push Activision deal at EU hearing; Google, Nvidia also present
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Smith will lead a delegation of 18 senior executives, including Microsoft Gaming Chief Executive Officer Phil Spencer, while Activision will be represented by its CEO Robert Kotick according to a European Commission document seen by Reuters. Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google and chip designer and computing firm Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O), which has a gaming business, will also be taking part in the hearing, the EU document showed. "The European Commission asked for our views in the course of their inquiries into this issue. We will continue to cooperate in any processes, when requested, to ensure all views are considered," a Google spokesperson said. The European Games Developer Federation (EGDF), which has said the deal will allow Microsoft to challenge Apple (AAPL.O), Google and Tencent, is one of the participants.

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard logo in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. BRUSSELS — Microsoft said Tuesday it will bring its Xbox PC games to Nvidia's cloud gaming service. Microsoft President Brad Smith said at a press conference that, effective immediately, its Xbox games will be available on Nvidia's GeForce Now cloud games service. Smith said if the Activision deal closes, it will bring all Activision Blizzard titles to GeForce Now. The commission is also concerned that it could give Microsoft an unfair edge in the nascent area of cloud gaming.

☆ Xbox CEO says Microsoft's layoffs were 'painful choices,' after tech giant announced 10,000 job cuts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Xbox CEO Phil Spencer said Microsoft's layoffs were "painful" in an email to staff. Video game blog Kotaku obtained a copy of Spencer's email to staff working in Microsoft's gaming division. Kotaku obtained a copy of a company-wide email — through a current Xbox employee — sent by Spencer to all full-time staff in Microsoft's gaming division. "This is a challenging moment in our business, and this week's actions were painful choices," Spencer wrote in the email. The layoffs affected Microsoft's gaming studios including 343 Industries, Bethesda Game Studios, and its parent company ZeniMax Media, according to Bloomberg.

☆ Microsoft responds to FTC case seeking to block Activision Blizzard deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Microsoft on Thursday filed its response to U.S. regulators' antitrust case attempting to block the software maker from buying video-game publisher Activision Blizzard . But then Microsoft revealed its plan to buy Activision Blizzard. To relieve government opposition to the deal, Microsoft has offered concessions. "Sony refuses to deal," Microsoft said in its filing. In the months since then, two groups of Activision Blizzard employees have voted to form unions.

☆ Microsoft Needs to Play Activision Out
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Phil Spencer, CEO of videogaming at Microsoft, had told The Wall Street Journal, “We have to break that duopoly” of two storefronts controlling the mobile market. One irony of Microsoft Corp.’s battle to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc. is that the deal’s fate may hang on the company’s ability to convince regulators—and now judges—that it has moved beyond the Xbox. Another is that the deal could prove key to reducing the market power of two other tech giants. Consoles were the main way that consumers played videogames then, and their respective makers worked to pile up exclusive content to keep players in their ecosystems. Those exclusive games augmented mega-popular franchises such as “Call of Duty” that were available across platforms.

☆ The FTC is suing to block Microsoft's $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The FTC filed a challenge seeking to stop Microsoft from buying Activision Blizzard, known for blockbuster games like Call of Duty. The $68.7 billion deal is Microsoft's largest and the biggest in the history of the video game industry. The $68.7 billion deal is Microsoft's largest, not to mention the biggest in the video game industry. In a letter to employees Thursday, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick reiterated his "confidence" that the deal will go through. "The competitive landscape is shifting, and, simply put, a combined Microsoft-ABK will be good for players, good for employees, good for competition and good for the industry.

☆ Microsoft in 10-year commitment to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring the gaming title "Call of Duty" to Nintendo (7974.T) platforms, the chief executive officer of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, said in a post on Twitter on Wednesday. The agreement will bring the popular first-person shooter series from Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) to Nintendo game consoles for the first time. Nintendo said the Microsoft announcement was true but declined to comment further. The announcement comes after Microsoft's planned $69 billion acquisition of the "Call of Duty" maker raised concern among regulators that the deal could stifle competition. Microsoft competes with Sony Group Corp (6758.T) and Nintendo in the global video game industry, which saw strong growth in recent years with people spending more time at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

☆ Microsoft says it will bring Call of Duty to Nintendo for 10 years if Activision deal closes
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Regulators have raised concerns that Microsoft could block the hit Call of Duty franchise from being released on rivals' games consoles. Microsoft said it has offered Sony a 10-year contract for Call of Duty to be released on the PlayStation on the same day it comes to the Xbox. Microsoft was not immediately available for comment on these points when contacted by CNBC. Spencer also said that Microsoft has "committed" to offer Call of Duty on game distribution platform Steam simultaneously to Xbox after the close of the deal. Activision is the developer for Call of Duty.

☆ Microsoft to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo, Sony on the spot
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) has entered into a 10-year commitment to bring the gaming title "Call of Duty" to Nintendo (7974.T) platforms, the chief executive officer of Microsoft Gaming, Phil Spencer, said in a post on Twitter on Wednesday. The agreement will bring the popular first-person shooter series from Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) to Nintendo game consoles for the first time. "I think this is an attempt by Microsoft to pressure Sony into signing a deal with Activision and to make it easier for Microsoft to finish and close the deal with Activision," said Serkan Toto, founder of the Kantan Games consultancy. Microsoft competes with Sony and Nintendo in the global video game industry, which saw strong growth in recent years with people spending more time at home because of the coronavirus pandemic. Shares in Nintendo closed up 0.3% after the Microsoft announcement, outperforming the Nikkei average's (.N225) 0.7% slide and Sony's 1.3% fall.

☆ Microsoft says it has reached a 10-year deal to bring ‘Call of Duty’ to Nintendo
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft said late Tuesday it has reached a 10-year deal to bring the 19-year-old game franchise to Nintendo after its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which makes the game, is completed. The Nintendo deal is the latest attempt by Microsoft to ease concerns that its blockbuster acquisition of the gaming giant could harm competition in the industry. Microsoft head of gaming Phil Spencer announced the commitment with Nintendo in a tweet and said it will continue to offer “Call of Duty” on gaming platform Steam if the deal is completed. The company’s decision to bring “Call of Duty” to Nintendo comes as Microsoft’s Activision deal faces regulatory scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic. “Nintendo is not a high priority for ‘Call of Duty,’ all things considered – it has done perfectly fine without being on Nintendo recently,” Abbruzzese added.

☆ Cloud gaming is not a transformation we expect to see in the next 3-5 years, says Microsoft's Phil Spencer
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | 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 EmailCloud gaming is not a transformation we expect to see in the next 3-5 years, says Microsoft's Phil SpencerPhil Spencer, Microsoft Gaming CEO, joins 'TechCheck' to discuss what he expects to see on the consumer gaming front, what Xbox's mobile store will look like and what is happening in cloud gaming.

☆ Russian TV vs. Real Life: How Propaganda Promotes Ukraine Mobilization
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Tech Live: Microsoft Talks Activision Blizzard Deal, Mobile GamingMicrosoft has been expanding where and how its customers engage with its game offerings, looking to acquire video game company Activision Blizzard as part of that plan. Microsoft’s gaming chief Phil Spencer spoke with Wall Street Journal reporter Sarah Needleman about the deal and more at The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live conference. Photo: Nikki Ritcher for the Wall Street Journal

☆ Xbox Boss Phil Spencer Wants to Sever Apple-Google ‘Duopoly’ in Mobile Games
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Sebastian Herrera | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif.— Microsoft top videogame executive said the company is betting heavily on the future of mobile games and hopes that it will be able to overcome the power that Apple Inc. and Google have over how people play on smartphones. Phil Spencer , Microsoft’s chief executive of videogames, said the company’s ambition in mobile games is the main driver of its planned $75 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard which is being reviewed by competition regulators.

☆ Xbox boss says that the current metaverse is a 'poorly built video game' and is 'not how I want to spend my time'
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Xbox chief Phil Spencer compared the metaverse to a "poorly built video game" and a "living room." Spencer compared the metaverse to a "poorly built video game" during The Wall Street Journal's Tech Live conference on Wednesday, but admitted that it would "evolve." "Today it's a poorly built video game," Spencer said. What I see in the metaverse world is that we're at the early stage and this will evolve." Microsoft, which owns Xbox, has struggled to enter the metaverse, according to a Wall Street Journal report published on Wednesday.

☆ Microsoft exec says gaming is 'somewhat resilient' to economic weakness
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft's head of gaming said Wednesday that video games can stand up to economic weakness, even as the software maker expects slower pickup in other parts of its business targeting consumers. Gaming remains a high priority for Microsoft, with the company working to close its $68.7 billion acquisition of publisher Activision Blizzard . Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, sounded optimistic about the prospects of the unit. "The video game industry has never been 'recession-proof,' but that line gets brought out every time the r-word is mentioned," Mat Piscatella, executive director and video game industry advisor at market researcher NPD Group, wrote in a July tweet. "People can play video games for hundreds of hours," he said.

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