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As video game worlds get more expansive, some game studios are experimenting with AI tools to give voice to a potentially unlimited number of characters and conversations. Some fear that AI voices could replace all but the most famous human actors if big studios have their way. SAG-AFTRA has already made a deal with one AI voice company, Replica Studios, announced last month at the CES gadget show in Las Vegas. It sets terms that also allow performers to opt out of having their voices used in perpetuity. We’re not replacing actors.”It was Replica Studios that first reached out to Magee about a voice-over audio clip he had created demonstrating a Scottish accent.

Persons: Andy Magee, Magee, aren't, ”, they've, Joe Biden, Anthony Bourdain —, —, Sarah Elmaleh, “ We’ve, Elmaleh, ” Elmaleh, AFTRA, Fran Drescher, Shreyas Nivas, Nivas, “, Zeke Alton, hasn't, Alton, ” Alton Organizations: Screen, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists, SAG, Studios, CES Locations: Scottish, Northern Ireland, British, U.S, Fortnite, Las Vegas, Vancouver , British Columbia

☆ 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

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

☆ What to do when 'own, don't trade' Apple and Nvidia grow into big positions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-07 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Apple and Nvidia are "own, don't trade" stocks, so should they be kept as they are, or shrink down? First, let's address our idea of "own, don't trade" stocks. To main a diversified portfolio, we don't want any of our positions, even Apple, to get much bigger than 5-6%. That doesn't mean we don't love the name or no longer view it as an "own, don't trade," it simply means that while it is an "own, don't trade" we also still abide by the view that discipline trumps conviction (diversification and not don't be greedy being the two disciplines of focus in this case) and that overrides the own, don't trade mantra. When we say "don't trade" these two names, we stay invested in both and don't try to catch the next 10% move up or down.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Eli Lilly, Jennie, Nvidia —, Nvidia wasn't, Jim Cramer's, Jim, SeongJoon Cho Organizations: Nvidia, Broadcom, Costco, Apple, Federal Reserve, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Apple Inc, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: Hanam, South Korea

☆ Why own Apple stock when there are no near-term catalysts? Here are 3 key reasons
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-31 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

However, the reason Apple is designated an "own it, don't trade" stock is because near-term catalysts are less important than the longer-term trajectory. If 2023 taught us anything it's that the stock market will always surprise you. We think the best approach is to not worry too much about quarterly dynamics, and focus on the longer-term drivers of Apple stock. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Dave You, that's, Siri, it's, you've, Jim Cramer's, Jim, SeongJoon Cho Organizations: Club, Apple, EU, Nvidia, Apple Watch, Services, Apple Care, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Apple Inc, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: spurts, India, Hanam, South Korea

Microsoft, which owns the Xbox gaming system, closed its $69 billion deal to buy game-maker Activision Blizzard on Friday after fending off global opposition from antitrust regulators and rivals. It marks a career-defining moment for Spencer, who first joined Microsoft as an intern in 1988 and has helmed Xbox since 2014. When the companies announced a planned merger in January 2022, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made clear it would be "critical for Activision Blizzard to drive forward” on its commitments to improve its workplace culture. As of late last year, Activision Blizzard had 13,000 employees, about 72% in North America, according to a regulatory filing. “It is a new day for workers at Activision Blizzard,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. in a statement Friday.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Spencer, “, ”, Gil Luria, Davidson, he’s, Bobby Kotick, who's, Kotick, Satya Nadella, Joe Biden's, ” Luria, George Jijiashvili, Elder, ” Jijiashvili, Claude Cummings Jr, ” Cummings Organizations: Activision Blizzard, Microsoft, Activision, PlayStation, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade, ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Softworks, Communications Workers of America Locations: Southern California, U.S, United Kingdom, San Francisco, Bethesda, North America, Canada

Learn moreWe're more than halfway through Amazon's fall Prime Day event, but the deals are still coming hot and fast. This includes a big discount on a solid state drive that can massively boost your games' load times and performance. The best Prime Day SSD deal we've found is on the Samsung 990 Pro, which is discounted by up to 40%. And for more deal recommendation, check out our live roundup of all the best Prime Day deals. The best Samsung 990 Pro SSD Prime Day dealsOnce you click through to Amazon, you can select the Samsung 990 Pro's exact capacity, and whether it includes a dedicated heatsink.

Organizations: Samsung, Sony, PlayStation Locations: 1TB

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

☆ Microsoft projects two new areas of growth for gaming, leaked document says: Mobile and ads
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The document does not mention the $68.7 billion Activision deal, which had been announced months earlier. It shows gaming revenue doubling to $36 billion in the 2030 fiscal year, compared with a forecast of $18 billion for the 2022 fiscal year. Actual fiscal 2022 gaming revenue totaled $16.23 billion, according to an annual report. And it indicated that management saw revenue from mobile transactions reaching $2.6 billion, compared with none in fiscal 2022. The total of the two categories is $4 billion, or 11% of total gaming revenue.

Persons: Jacqueline Scott Corley, Corley, Phil Spencer, Candy, Spencer, Amy Hood Organizations: Microsoft, Federal Trade Commission, Activision Blizzard, U.S, Northern, Northern District of, Activision, Twitter, Yahoo, Xbox, King Digital Entertainment, United Kingdom's, Markets Authority, Ubisoft Locations: Northern District, Northern District of California

☆ Microsoft gaming chief Phil Spencer says Starfield is seeing 'huge demand'
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, appears at the Political Opening of the Gamescom conference in Cologne, Germany, on Aug. 23, 2023. Microsoft is seeing "huge demand" for its new Starfield video game, Phil Spencer, the software company's CEO of gaming, said Wednesday. Microsoft picked up the game through its $8.1 billion acquisition of game publisher ZeniMax, the parent of Bethesda. Spencer said Starfield is the most wish-listed game the company has had on the Steam game store. Spencer said tens of millions of Game Pass subscribers were getting a chance to play Starfield on Wednesday.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Spencer, CNBC's Steve Kovach, ZeniMax, Jim Ryan, Ryan, We've, we've, Starfield Organizations: Microsoft Gaming, Microsoft, Microsoft's Bethesda Game Studios, PlayStation, Gaming, Activision Blizzard, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Activision, Sony, Nintendo, Markets Authority, Ubisoft Locations: Cologne, Germany, Microsoft's, Bethesda, San Francisco

In the opening hours of the role-playing video game, it’s possible to land your spaceship on Earth’s moon or zip 16 light-years to Alpha Centauri. That sprawling celestial journey within Starfield, developed by Bethesda Game Studios, reveals both the tremendous potential and the monumental challenge of an open-world space adventure. Bethesda has hyped an expansive single-player campaign with 1,000 explorable planets. And expectations around the game, officially releasing on Sept. 6 after a 10-month delay, are nearly as vast. To compete, Microsoft went on a spending spree, acquiring Bethesda’s parent company in 2020 and agreeing to purchase Activision Blizzard in 2022, a $69 billion bet that is being challenged by regulators.

Persons: Starfield, It’s Organizations: Alpha Centauri, Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Activision Blizzard Locations: Starfield

☆ Activision Blizzard jumps 11% after judge rules Microsoft can buy the video game publisher in a win over FTC
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Max Adams | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Activision Blizzard stock popped 11% after a judge paved the way for Microsoft to complete its takeover of the game publisher. She said the deal would in fact enhance access to popular game franchises like "Call of Duty" and other titles published by Activision. The company has said it is concerned that Microsoft will make popular franchises like "Call of Duty" exclusive to its consoles. Microsoft has said it doesn't intent to do this, but critics point to the firm's $11 billion takeover of Zenimax in 2021. The deal can now proceed before a hearing that the FTC had scheduled for August, in which it was set to challenge the merger.

Persons: Microsoft's, Jaqueline Scott Corley, Biden, Bobby Kotick Organizations: Activision Blizzard, Microsoft, Federal Trade Commission, Service, Privacy, US, FTC, Activision, That's, Sony, Xbox Locations: Wall, Silicon, Zenimax

"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

☆ 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.

Learn moreNew Nvidia and AMD graphics cards have driven a PC gaming boom amid an international chip shortage. International tariffs and resellers on eBay and Amazon have also led to graphics cards getting more expensive in recent years. AdvertisementAdvertisementAMD Radeon RX 7000 series graphics cardsAn AMD Radeon RX 7000 series card. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhere to buy an Nvidia or AMD graphics cardRecommended retailers for an Nvidia or AMD graphics card include Microcenter, Best Buy, Newegg, and Amazon (Nvidia, AMD). Finally, you can always buy a graphics card as a part of a pre-built PC, rather than purchasing a card separately for an upgrade or custom build.

Organizations: Nvidia, AMD, Service, eBay, they're, YouTube, lotto Locations: Wall, Silicon

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