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☆ GM's Cruise names former Amazon, Microsoft Xbox executive as new CEO
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-25 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

DETROIT – General Motors' Cruise autonomous vehicle unit on Tuesday announced former Amazon and Microsoft executive Marc Whitten as its new CEO. His appointment comes at a crucial time for Cruise, which is testing and relaunching its autonomous vehicles on public roadways. Following the incident, several key leaders, including Cruise CEO and co-founder Kyle Vogt, departed the company. The probe also investigated allegations of a cover-up by Cruise leadership, but investigators did not find evidence to support those claims. Cruise was a crucial part of GM's plan to double revenue to $280 billion by the end of this decade.

Persons: Marc Whitten, Whitten, Kyle Vogt, Marc, Mary Barra, Cruise, Rowe Price, Nick Mulholland, Craig Glidden, Glidden, Grant Dixton, Dixton, Mary Organizations: DETROIT, Motors, Amazon, Microsoft, Cruise, GM, Honda Motor, Walmart, Rivian, Activision Blizzard, Boeing Locations: San Francisco, Phoenix , Houston, Dallas, Dubai

☆ AMD shares fall as first-quarter forecast comes in light
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

AMD reported fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday that were in line with analyst expectations, while the company's revenue beat estimates, but AMD offered a first-quarter forecast that fell short of expectations. It said that its data center revenue would be flat as server chip declines would be offset by AI GPU sales. Net income in the fourth quarter was $667 million, or $0.41 per share, versus $21 million, or $0.01 per share a year ago. AMD gave a positive update on its AI chips sales. Data center, which includes server CPUs and AI chips, rose 38% on an annual basis to $2.28 billion in sales.

Persons: Lisa Su, It's Organizations: AMD, Nvidia, Data Center, Microsoft Xbox, Sony Locations: Las Vegas , Nevada, U.S

☆ 12 Video Games Releasing This Fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Jason M. Bailey | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It has been such a fruitful year for video games that you couldn’t blame someone for wanting a light fall lineup to finish titles like Tears of the Kingdom and Baldur’s Gate 3. For better or worse, this season is stacked with AAA releases, long-awaited sequels and promising independent games. (Some games will be available before their official launch dates because of early-access programs.) (Sept. 19; PC, Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation 5, Microsoft Xbox Series X|S)LIES OF P This is not Disney’s Pinocchio. (Sept. 19; PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)

Persons: Johnny Cage, Belle Organizations: AAA, Nintendo, Sony PlayStation, Microsoft, Xbox

Game enthusiasts and industry personnel walk between the Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation exhibits at the E3 trade show on June 16, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Sony has signed a binding agreement with Microsoft to keep Call of Duty on its PlayStation gaming consoles after closing the Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft said on Sunday. "We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said on Twitter Sunday. Regulators around the world had expressed significant concern about Microsoft's power over the gaming market if an Activision acquisition was approved. The deal does something to ameliorate those concerns, although Microsoft and Sony aren't disclosing the duration of the agreement.

Persons: Activision Blizzard, Phil Spencer, Jim Ryan, Ryan, Brad Smith, divestitures Organizations: Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, Sony, Microsoft, PlayStation, Activision Blizzard, Activision, Twitter, Regulators, Sony's PlayStation, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, EU, Markets Authority Locations: Los Angeles , California, San Francisco federal

WASHINGTON, July 11 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge ruled on Tuesday that Microsoft may go forward with its planned acquisition of videogame maker Activision Blizzard, turning aside antitrust enforcers' request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop the $69 billion deal. The FTC had originally asked the judge to stop the proposed deal, arguing it would give Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), maker of the Xbox gaming console, exclusive access to Activision (ATVI.O) games including the best-selling "Call of Duty." The deal would be the largest for Microsoft and the biggest in the history of the videogame business. The FTC's complaint had cited concerns about loss of competition in console gaming, as well as subscriptions and cloud gaming. And while much of the testimony in the recent trial focused on "Call of Duty," Activision produces other bestsellers like "World of Warcraft," "Diablo" and the mobile game "Candy Crush Saga."

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, Douglas Farrar, we'll, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, Diane Bartz, Caitlin Webber Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Britain's, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Microsoft Corp, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo, Sony Group, Activision Blizzard, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: U.S, San Francisco

Activision shares surged 10% on the day, as the U.S. and Britain have been the two countries opposed to what would be Microsoft's biggest deal ever and the largest transaction in the videogame industry's history. Microsoft shares rose 64 cents to $332.47. Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. "It does seem like the Microsoft and the CMA could work out a deal within the next couple of weeks," said D.A. The FTC's complaint had cited concerns about loss of competition in console gaming, as well as subscriptions and cloud gaming.

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, ”, Joost Van Dreunen, University's, Corley, Douglas Farrar, we'll, Dado Ruvic, Biden, Brad Smith, Franco Granda, Satya Nadella, Diane Bartz, David Shepardson, Jaspreet Singh, Aditya Soni, Chris Sanders, Caitlin Webber, Matthew Lewis David Gregorio, Muralikumar Organizations: Activision, Microsoft, Biden, U.S, Markets Authority, University's Stern School of Business, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Nintendo, Sony Group, FTC, Sony PlayStation, REUTERS, FOCUS Gaming, CMA, Davidson &, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, British, Britain, San Francisco, New, Washington, Bengaluru

That would leave Nintendo (7974.T) and Sony Group (6758.T) out in the cold, the FTC has said. Asked if Microsoft would have any incentive to shut out Sony's PlayStation in order to sell more Microsoft Xbox consoles, Nadella responded: "It makes no economic sense and no strategic sense." To address the FTC concerns, Microsoft has agreed to license "Call of Duty" to rivals. The FTC has asked Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in San Francisco to temporarily stop the deal from closing in order to allow the agency's in-house judge to decide the case. Resolving the U.S. lawsuit is one of several key antitrust battles Microsoft and Activision have fought around the world.

Persons: Microsoft Corporation Satya Nadella, Read, Satya Nadella, Nadella, Jacqueline Scott Corley, Biden, Bobby Kotick, Diane Bartz, Lincoln Organizations: Microsoft Corporation, . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Federal Trade Commission, Activision, Nintendo, Sony Group, FTC, PlayStation, European Union, Thomson Locations: California, Downtown San Francisco , California, U.S, WASHINGTON, San Francisco

The deal had been announced in January 2022 and the FTC sued to stop it in December last year. Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in San Francisco pressed FTC lawyers on where their economist got the data to show the deal would harm consumers. The FTC has said that if Microsoft bought Activision, Microsoft would have the incentive and the ability to harm competition in markets related to consoles, subscription game services and cloud gaming. "The harm here is we think is substantial in locking up Activision content," said FTC lawyer James Weingarten. To address the FTC concerns, Microsoft has agreed to license "Call of Duty" to rivals.

Persons: Microsoft Corporation Satya Nadella, Read, Microsoft's, Jacqueline Scott Corley, James Weingarten, Corley, Microsoft's Beth Wilkinson, it's, Satya Nadella, Nadella, Biden, Diane Bartz, Lincoln Organizations: Microsoft Corporation, . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, U.S . Federal Trade, Activision, Federal Trade Commission, Nintendo, Sony Group, FTC, PlayStation, Thomson Locations: California, Downtown San Francisco , California, U.S, WASHINGTON, San Francisco, British, Canada

☆ 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.

Cyber Monday is delivering some fantastic deals on Xbox consoles, games, and gear, including the best price we've seen on the Xbox Series S.Microsoft's online store is the best place to find the more expensive and more powerful Xbox Series X console on Cyber Monday, while discounts on controllers and games can be found at stores like GameStop, Best Buy, and Amazon. Below, we've collected all the best Xbox deals during Cyber Monday 2022, from console sales and bundles to various popular games and accessories. Best Cyber Monday deals on Xbox consolesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price Xbox Series S During the holidays, Microsoft is offering their budget console, the Xbox Series S, for $60 off. Deal Microsoft Xbox Series S|X Wireless Controller The new Xbox controller is a streamlined, enhanced version of the previous Xbox gamepad.

The best Cyber Monday game console dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price Xbox Series S During the holidays, Microsoft is offering their budget console, the Xbox Series S, for $60 off. The best Cyber Monday game dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $39.99 from Best Buy Originally $59.99 Save 33%The best Cyber Monday gaming accessory dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Deals on essential subscriptions like Xbox Game Pass and Nintendo Switch Online are also available during Cyber Monday, too.

Best Cyber Monday gaming PC gaming dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price ASUS ROG Strix G15 Gaming Desktop PC ROG Strix is ASUS' premiere PC gaming brand, and this prebuilt PC is a great example of the quality that name brings. Best Cyber Monday PC gaming monitor dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. $139.99 from Best Buy Originally $249.99 Save 44%Best Cyber Monday PC gaming graphic card dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Best Cyber Monday PC gaming SSD dealsDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Below, we've collected all the best Xbox deals during Black Friday 2022, from console sales and bundles, to discounts on Xbox Game Pass. Best Black Friday deals on Xbox consolesDeal icon An icon in the shape of a lightning bolt. Great Price Xbox Series S During the holidays, Microsoft is offering their budget console, the Xbox Series S, for $50 off. Deal Microsoft Xbox Series S|X Wireless Controller The new Xbox controller is a streamlined, enhanced version of the previous Xbox gamepad. Deal Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-Month Membership (Digital) Xbox Game Pass Ultimate offers a Netflix-style subscription with hundreds of games for Xbox and PC, and the Xbox Live Gold service needed to play Xbox games online.

☆ Chinese brands outnumber foreign names among Singles Day best-sellers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A delivery worker wearing a protective mask rides an electric scooter across a street ahead of Alibaba's Singles' Day shopping festival, following a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Shanghai, China, November 10, 2022. Alibaba said Singles Day sales were in line with last year, when gross merchandise value rose 8.5%, the lowest since the company started the shopping event in 2009. For the first time, Alibaba did not announce sales data this year. Alibaba rival JD.com said that in the 28 hours from 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, Chinese brands accounted for 80% of the sales of the top 20 brands. ($1 = 7.1066 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Sophie Yu, Brenda Goh; Editing by William MallardOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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