DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Sonic the Hedgehog helped revive 63-year-old Sega. The firm wants a repeat with its other classics
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Sonic is reviving," Utsumi told CNBC's Arjun Kharpal, alluding to the success of the Sonic the Hedgehog adaptations in the box office. It comes as Sega is set to launch a new Yakuza game, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, next year. watch nowSega recently launched the latest iteration of its Yakuza game. Collectively, the Yakuza game series has sold 21.1 million units since its debut in 2005, according to Sega. Buying more studiosSega is also on the hunt for more acquisitions as it seeks to expand its ownership of gaming studios, Utsumi said.

Persons: Shuji Utsumi, Utsumi, CNBC's Arjun Kharpal, Sega Sammy, that's Organizations: Paramount, CNBC, Summit, Sega, Rovio, Angry Birds, PlayStation, Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft Locations: Libson, Portugal, lockdowns, Japan

The puzzle game on his Android phone had been interrupted by a video showing Hamas militants, terrified Israeli families and blurred graphic footage. Reuters has not been able to establish how the ad came to her son's video game, but her family isn't alone. In at least one case, the ads were played inside the popular "Angry Birds" game made by SEGA-owned developer Rovio (ROVIO.HE). Google ran more than 90 ads for the foreign ministry but declined to comment on where it displayed those ads. In the Cassis family's case, the ads appeared in a game called "Alice's Mergeland" made by a developer called LazyDog Game.

Persons: Maria Julia Assis, Hannah McKay, Maria Julia Cassis, Rovio, Lotta Backlund, David Saranga, Saranga, Outbrain, Holland –, Alexandra Marginean, Marginean, Stack's, Raphael Satter, Sheila Dang, Katie Paul, Ken Li, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: REUTERS, Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Reuters, SEGA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Israeli Foreign Ministry, Google, West Bank, Palestine, Palestinian Authority, Holland, Stack's Ubisoft, Subway, SYBO, Apple, Standards Authority, Thomson Locations: Israel, London, Britain, Brazil, Europe, Gaza, France, Austria, Germany, Munich, Austrian, Danish, Washington, New York

☆ Israel Launches PR Offensive As It Counters Hamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jack Newsham | Katherine Long | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Israel has dropped 6,000 bombs on Gaza since October 7 after a Hamas attack killed 1,300 Israelis. "Armed Hamas terrorists infiltrated into Israel via a ground invasion and started going door to door slaughtering innocent Israelis. In the 10 days since the Hamas terrorist attacks, Israel has dropped roughly 6,000 bombs on Gaza . AdvertisementAdvertisementMore than 1,300 people died in Hamas' initial attack on Israel Oct. 7, which also injured 2,800 others, officials said. TikTok didn't respond to an emailed request for comment.

Persons: Israel, —, they're, Israeli Defense Forces didn't, TikTok, It's, didn't, Rovio Organizations: Service, of Foreign Affairs, YouTube, Angry, Apple, ISIS, Google, Ad, European Union, Reuters, Israeli Defense Forces, Hacker News, Twitter, Facebook Locations: Gaza, Israel, United States, United Kingdom, Washington ,, Europe, Finnish

☆ ‘Angry Birds’ Maker to Be Bought by Sega
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Ben Dummett | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The success of ‘Angry Birds’ made Rovio a mobile-gaming trailblazer. Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. agreed to pay almost $800 million for the company behind the “Angry Birds” franchise, a deal that would end the independence of one of the pioneers of the mobile-gaming industry. The transaction is the latest consolidation move in the broader gaming industry. Games played mostly on phones boomed during the pandemic but sales have ebbed more recently.

☆ Sega to acquire Angry Birds maker Rovio for $776 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A model of Angry Birds character 'Red' sits on display inside the reception area of the Rovio Entertainment Oy headquarters in Espoo, Finland, on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. Japanese gaming giant Sega announced Monday it has made a 706 million euro ($776 million) offer for the maker of the Angry Birds puzzle game, Finland's Rovio Entertainment Oyj. Meanwhile its Angry Birds franchise has been licensed into other entertainment and consumer products. "Among the rapidly growing global gaming market, the mobile gaming market has especially high potential, and it has been SEGA's long-term goal to accelerate its expansion in this field," said Sega Sammy's Group CEO, Haruki Satomi, in a statement. Angry Birds is "loved across the world," he said.

☆ Angry Birds creator Rovio: Sega makes takeover bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Japan’s Sega, the company behind Sonic the Hedgehog, is buying Rovio Entertainment in a cash deal that values the creator of Angry Birds at €706 million ($774 million). The company’s prime asset, Angry Birds, which launched in 2009, became the first mobile game series to reach 1 billion downloads, according to Guinness World Records. People tour an Angry Birds theme park at its opening on July 9, 2016 in Tianjin, China. Feature China/Future Publishing/Getty ImagesThe story-based puzzle video game has players launching “Angry Birds” from a slingshot at a fortress containing pigs who stole their eggs. The company’s share price closed 4.2% down in Tokyo on Monday.

☆ Sega offers $776 million for Angry Birds maker Rovio
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

HELSINKI, April 17 (Reuters) - Japan's Sega Sammy Holdings Inc (6460.T) has agreed to launch an offer for Finland's Rovio Entertainment (ROVIO.HE), the maker of the Angry Birds mobile game, for 706 million euros ($775.8 million), the companies said in a joint statement on Monday. Tokyo-based Sega will offer 9.25 euros per share for Rovio, a 19% premium over Friday's closing price of 7.775 euros. Rovio, which has been conducting a strategic review, on Saturday said it was in talks with Sega over a possible tender offer. The Wall Street Journal had reported on Friday that a deal between the two companies was imminent. Israeli peer Playtika (8II.F), had made a preliminary bid in January to buy Rovio for 683 million euros, but the Angry Birds maker confirmed last month talks had ended.

☆ Sega Sammy says it is considering buying Angry Birds maker Rovio
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The Wall Street Journal reported last week that Sega Sammy was nearing a deal to buy the Finnish firm behind the mobile game Angry Birds for about $1 billion. Rovio has said it was in talks with Sega Sammy over a possible tender offer. Sega Sammy shares fell 4.3% by midday in a broader market (.N225) that was virtually unchanged. "Sega Sammy's mobile gaming business is centred on the domestic market, while 'Angry Birds' is well known overseas. "But there has been no big hit (from Rovio) other than Angry Birds, which was originally launched more than 10 years ago.

☆ “Angry Birds” may finally have found right nest
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, April 17 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The winning trick of “Angry Birds” is to fire your slingshot at just the right angle to knock out the squadrons of enemy green pigs attempting to steal the birds’ eggs. Japanese gaming company Sega Sammy (6460.T) may have found that position. On Monday, Sega agreed to pay about 700 million euros in cash for Rovio Entertainment (ROVIO.HE), the maker of the “Angry Birds” franchise. The 9.25 offer price is a 63% premium to the closing price of Jan. 19, when rival suitor Playtika (8II.F)made a previous approach. Half the investors have preliminarily accepted the deal, and Rovio shares are near the offer price.

☆ European shares edge higher ahead of more Wall St earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Shubham Batra | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Rate-sensitive technology shares <.SX8P> fell 1.2% tracking overnight losses on Wall Street, while banking shares (.SX7P), which were the biggest gainers on Friday, fell 0.3% . Investors will closely monitor a slew of earnings reports led by Goldman Sachs (GS.N), Morgan Stanley (MS.N) and Bank of America (BAC.N) due later in the week. Last week, Citigroup Inc (C.N), JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N) and Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) beat earnings expectations, benefiting from rising interest rates and easing fears of stress in the banking system. "Cautious optimism is the Monday motivation mantra, as stronger U.S. corporate news and signs of consumer resilience help to mask ongoing worries about the knock-on effect of higher interest rates," said Susannah Streeter, head of money and markets, Hargreaves Lansdown. Shares of Rovio (ROVIO.HE) rose 17.8% after Japan's Sega (6460.T) agreed to launch a 706 million euro offer for Angry Birds maker.

☆ Morning Bid: Banks calm the horses
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

As U.S. banking giants calm the horses, global investors are now concentrated on world growth and earnings signals more than interest rate rises for direction - with an assumption the latter are near an end anyway. Somewhat relieved analysts marginally brightened their dim outlook for first-quarter U.S. results compared with a week ago. Futures markets now see a more than 80% chance the Fed will execute one final quarter point rate rise next month - reversing it by September. That rate rise would bring the real Fed policy rate - adjusted by headline consumer price inflation - into positive territory for the first time in three years. The dollar extended Friday's rebound as the May rate rise pricing hardened.

☆ Angry Birds maker Rovio confirms talks with Sega over tender offer
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 15 (Reuters) - Rovio Entertainment (ROVIO.HE), the company behind the mobile game Angry Birds, confirmed on Saturday that it is in talks with Japan's Sega Sammy Holdings Inc (6460.T) over a possible tender offer. Rovio announced the start of a strategic review and preliminary non-binding discussions regarding a potential tender offer for its shares in February, a statement from the group said. "As part of its strategic review, Rovio Entertainment Corporation confirms that it is in discussions with Sega Sammy Holdings Inc," it said. The company added in the statement that there "is no certainty as to when the possible tender offer would take place, or whether it would take place at all". Rovio received a 683 million euro takeover bid in January from Israeli peer Playtika Holding Corp (8II.F), but the talks were called off last month.

☆ Angry Birds maker may soon be owned by Sega if expected $1 billion sale goes through, report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Sega is nearing a deal to buy "Angry Birds" game creator Rovio Entertainment. After much success launching "Angry Birds" in 2009, the Finnish company reported losses in 2019. Rovio, a Finnish company that went public in 2017, has experienced vast success from its "Angry Birds" mobile game franchise. Since its debut in 2009, "Angry Birds" has inspired multiple spinoff games as well as TV shows and movies. Sega Sammy Holdings — which was formed by a merger of Sega and Sammy Corporation in 2004 — is best known for its "Sonic the Hedgehog" games and films.

An Angry Birds balloon floats during the Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. is nearing a deal to acquire the company behind the “Angry Birds” mobile game for about $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The Japan-based entertainment conglomerate could seal a deal to buy Rovio Entertainment Oyj by early next week, assuming the talks don’t break down or drag out, the people said.

☆ Sega nears deal to acquire Angry Birds maker Rovio for $1 billion, Wall Street Journal reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

April 14 (Reuters) - Japan's Sega Sammy Holdings Inc (6460.T) is nearing a deal to acquire Rovio Entertainment (ROVIO.HE), the company behind the 'Angry Birds' mobile game, for about $1 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. Tokyo-based Sega could finalize the deal to complete the acquisition of Rovio by early next week, the report said citing people familiar with the matter. Israeli peer Playtika (8II.F), had made a preliminary bid in January to buy Rovio for 683 million euros ($750.96 million), but the Angry Birds maker confirmed last month talks had ended. Rovio and Sega did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. ($1 = 0.9095 euros)Reporting by Rahat Sandhu in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra EluriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Rovio posts Q4 profit drop, says mobile game market shrank last year
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 9 (Reuters) - Finnish game maker Rovio (ROVIO.HE), best known for its Angry Birds franchise, posted a fall in fourth-quarter profit on Thursday and said the global mobile game market in 2022 declined for the first time ever. Rovio, which is currently the target of a takeover offer from larger U.S.-listed rival Playtika , said game developers' revenue was also dented by privacy changes on Apple's iPhone. "Apple's App Tracking Transparency (ATT) framework has heavily impacted game publishers' ability to target high-value players," the gamemaker said. Rovio reported a 55% decline to 5.9 million euros ($6.3 million) in its fourth-quarter adjusted operating profit, while its revenue declined 2.5%. The mobile gaming market showed signs of stabilising towards the end of the year, it said, adding it expects flat revenue and profit development this year.

☆ ‘Angry Birds’ Owner Gets Takeover Bid From Playtika
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Dominic Chopping | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

‘Angry Birds’ became a hit with gamers when it was launched in 2009. Rovio Entertainment Oyj said it received a takeover proposal from Israel’s Playtika Holding Corp. for 751 million euros, equivalent to $813.5 million, sending its shares up 38% Friday. Rovio, which helped pioneer the now-booming mobile-gaming industry with its 2009 “Angry Birds“ hit, said the 9.05 euro-a-share bid represented a sweetened offer, following an earlier, undisclosed 8.50 euro bid by Playtika. Playtika specialized in casino-style mobile games before moving into casual games similar to “Angry Birds.“ Rovio said it isn’t engaged in deal talks with Playtika, and said there was no assurance a deal would be reached.

☆ “Angry Birds” buyout may have more levels to beat
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 20 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Remember “Angry Birds”? Finland-listed Rovio Entertainment (ROVIO.HE) has used the round-headed creatures to create a long series of mobile games, two films, plush toys and more. That makes strong long-time brands like “Angry Birds” more attractive. Rovio’s share price was hovering around 7.50 euros on Friday morning, or 20% below Playtika’s bid. That’s probably because Rovio’s board, which said it learnt about the offer “nearly simultaneously” with its public release, sounded unimpressed.

☆ Playtika offers to buy 'Angry Birds' maker Rovio for 683 mln euros
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Israeli gaming firm Playtika Holding Corp (8II.F) said on Thursday it offered to buy Finnish game maker Rovio (ROVIO.HE), best known for its "Angry Birds" franchise, for 683 million euros ($737.50 million) in a sweetened all-cash deal. The offer price of 9.08 euros per share represents a premium of about 60% to Rovio's close of trading on Jan. 19. Rovio did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Playtika's offer is roughly 40 million euros more than its previous offer in November. The latest offer comes as the gaming industry is going through a round of consolidation.

Search resuls for: "Rovio"

20 mentions found