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An Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare video game is inserted into the Microsoft's Xbox One video game console arranged in Denver, Colorado, on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022. Shares of Activision Blizzard surged Friday, after the U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority narrowed the scope of its investigation into Microsoft 's takeover of the games publisher. The development marks a partial win for Microsoft, as it pursues an expansion of its video game business. Among its concerns, the regulator flagged that the deal would cause a substantial lessening of competition in the console gaming market. With this new evidence, the CMA now says it no longer believes the transaction will hamper competition in console games.

☆ Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s No. 1 tip for career success—if you don’t do this, ‘you can’t grow’
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella never expected to lead one of the world's largest, most powerful tech companies — he was just excited to work there, period. One of the most important lessons he learned in his decades at Microsoft — and his "best career advice" — is simple: "Don't wait for your next job to do your best work." Throughout his tenure at Microsoft, Nadella had to constantly adapt depending on the teams he worked with and the divisions he managed, all while keeping pace with fast-changing technologies. "You cannot grow if you don't think your growth comes because of what you're doing," he added. If you're feeling stuck at work or struggling to find meaning in your job, Nadella has advice for that, too.

☆ Microsoft’s Activision sweet talk
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The seller’s shares rose 5% on the news Friday, but hurdles remain. Unlike the European Commission, which seems minded to approve the deal, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, which is opposed but has a mixed success rate, a CMA block would likely be fatal. So Microsoft pressed its case, submitting data that the agency says shows it has no incentive to yank Activision’s games from rival consoles to its Xbox. Still, Microsoft’s arguments gaining traction is welcome news to merger arbitrageurs. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ UK drops console concern over Microsoft-Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, March 24 (Reuters) - Britain's competition regulator said Microsoft's (MSFT.O) 69-billion purchase of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) would not harm competition in gaming consoles, removing a major obstacle to the deal. The regulator, however, said it was still looking at the impact of the deal on the cloud gaming market. The takeover, the biggest ever in gaming, remains subject to the scrutiny of regulators in the United States and Europe. But Microsoft has since offered Sony a licence deal to address those concerns. A Microsoft spokesperson said: "We look forward to working with the CMA to resolve any outstanding concerns."

Xbox Game Pass vs. PlayStation Plus: GamesHorizon: Forbidden West is the latest high-profile game to hit PlayStation Plus. Horizon Forbidden West / SonyThe main selling points of Game Pass and PlayStation Plus are their Netflix-style libraries of downloadable games. That said, there are a handful of Game Pass titles that are only available on console or PC, not both. Game Pass members get a 10% discount when buying games that are already on Game Pass, so you can always get a deal before a game leaves the service entirely. That 10% discount also applies to downloadable content and add-ons for Game Pass games, which aren't always included with the base version.

☆ Meet a 35-year-old teaching tech skills to low-income youth through video games
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-18 | by ( Ashton Jackson | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

As tech talent remains in high demand, Damon Packwood, founder and executive director of Gameheads, a nonprofit teaching tech and video game design skills, is making sure that underserved youth has the tools necessary to get jobs in the field. But teaching tech skills through video games was still uncharted territory. "And teaching game design to low-income students of color has value because when you break apart a video game, you get these different medias. You get sound design, level design, architecture, coding, project management, art and animation, and motion picture. And there are some partnerships we have where they just give us books, laptops that they're not using anymore or video game consoles that they don't need anymore.

The NYSE FANG+ index is headed for its best week in one year. Semiconductor maker AMD is up 17.8% week to date, headed for its best week since July 24, 2020, when AMD jumped 26.1%. Facebook-parent Meta advanced 12.3% this week, on pace for its best week since Feb. 3, when the social media stock gained 22.9%. AMD 5D mountain AMD shares 5-day Microsoft shares are 11.4% higher week to date, headed for its best week since Nov 11, 2022 when the Xbox maker jumped 11.6%. Amazon shares are up 10% this week, headed for its best week since Jan. 13, when AMZN soared 14%.

UFC 286 will stream live on March 18, with the main card starting at 5 p.m. How to watch UFC 286You can watch the main event of UFC 286 on ESPN+ at 5 p.m. Ways to save on the UFC 286 pay-per-view priceIf you're signing up for ESPN+ to watch UFC 286, you can take advantage of a special discounted bundle. New members can buy a year-long ESPN+ membership with access to UFC 286 included for a total of $124.98. Here's the fight card for UFC 286: Edwards vs. UsmanESPNEarly Prelims — 12:30 p.m.

☆ 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 tells UK it will license 'Call of Duty' to Sony for 10 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft last month struck a similar deal with Nvidia Corp's (NVDA.O) gaming platform, dependent on it getting the go-ahead for the much-contested acquisition. Microsoft President Brad Smith had said he hoped that rival Sony - which has strongly opposed the takeover - would consider doing the same type of deal. Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) in February said the deal could weaken the rivalry between Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation, and stifle competition in cloud gaming. It suggested that structural remedies could be needed to allay its concerns, including divesting the business associated with 'Call of Duty.' The biggest-ever deal in gaming, announced in January last year, is facing scrutiny in the United States and in Europe.

☆ Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's bet big on A.I. is paying off as his core technology powers ChatGPT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Katie Tarasov | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

As the engine behind large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Nvidia is finally reaping rewards for its early investment in AI. Nvidia counts on China for about one-quarter of its revenue, including sales of its popular AI chip, the A100. Nvidia Founder and CEO Jensen Huang shows CNBC's Katie Tarasov a Hopper H100 SXM module in Santa Clara, CA, on February 9, 2023. Nvidia founders Curtis Priem, Jensen Huang and Chris Malachowsky pose at the company's Santa Clara, California, headquarters in 2020. "We invented this new way of doing computer graphics, ray tracing, basically simulating the pathways of light and simulate everything with generative AI.

UFC 285 will stream live on March 4, with the main card starting at 10 p.m. Jon Jones will face Ciryl Gane for the UFC heavyweight title. How to watch UFC 285You can watch the main event of UFC 285 on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. Ways to save on the UFC 285 pay-per-view priceIf you're signing up for ESPN+ to stream UFC 285, you can snag a special discounted package. Here's the fight card for UFC 285: Jones vs. GaneESPNEarly Prelims — 5:30 p.m.

☆ Amazon Ring CEO steps down five years after acquisition
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Jamie Siminoff, the CEO of Amazon subsidiary Ring, is stepping down from the role later this month, the company announced Wednesday. Siminoff will take the role of chief inventor on March 22, and Elizabeth Hamren will succeed him as CEO. In addition to Ring, Hamren will also oversee Amazon Key, the company's in-home delivery service; shared network service Amazon Sidewalk; as well as Blink, another maker of home security cameras that Amazon acquired in 2017. The move comes five years after Amazon acquired Ring for a reported $1 billion in 2018. The program allows police and fire departments to request video footage recorded by Ring cameras.

☆ EU regulators extend deadline for Microsoft, Activision deal to April 25
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, March 1 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators have extended their deadline for a decision on Microsoft's (MSFT.O) $69 billion acquisition of "Call of Duty" maker Activision (ATVI.O) to April 25, according to a European Commission filing on Wednesday. The Xbox maker announced the Activision Blizzard deal in January last year to help it compete better with leaders Tencent (0700.HK) and Sony (6758.T) but has encountered regulatory hurdles in Europe, Britain and the United States. It is expected to offer remedies to the EU competition enforcer soon. Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Jake Paul will box Tommy Fury in a highly anticipated fight in Saudi Arabia. Paul vs. Fury (PPV Fight) Jake Paul will face Tommy Fury in an ESPN+ pay-per-view match on February 26. How to watch Paul vs. FuryYou can watch Paul vs. Fury on ESPN+ starting at 2 p.m. No matter how you subscribe to ESPN+, it still costs an additional $50 to unlock streaming access to the Paul vs. Fury main event. Paul vs. Fury fight card

☆ Morning Bid: Hang on a minute
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

And so a speech from New York Fed chief John Williams make give a better steer on current thinking. Markets are now priced for a Fed 'terminal rate' in the 5.25-5.50% range by July and no cut from there by year-end. European central bankers are also talking tough as the region's economies dodge recession and inflation stays high. But geopolitical concerns rankle again ahead of Friday's anniversary, with Russia unilaterally withdrawing from a key nuclear arms control treaty. As G20 finance chiefs meet in India, the world is watching closely the extent of the alliance between Beijing and Moscow.

☆ These companies stand to benefit from the A.I. 'tidal wave' overtaking Wall Street, Baird says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Since the launch of ChatGPT last year, analysts and tech enthusiasts can't seem to stop talking about artificial intelligence. But the Xbox maker is far from the only company poised to benefit from the AI "tidal wave" overtaking the investing community, according to Baird. The firm highlighted 50 artificial intelligence and machine learning stocks across sectors positioned to capitalize on AI mania in a Tuesday note to clients. For years, both companies have employed artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance their products. Software stocks Adobe and Salesforce also made the cut along with payrolls services company ADP .

WHAT IS THE ACTIVISION DEAL? A group of 10 gamers in the United States has filed a private consumer antitrust lawsuit over the deal. Both companies have signed 10-year licensing deals that will bring Call of Duty to their gaming platform if the Activision deal is approved. Spain's Nware also signed a 10-year deal to bring Xbox and Activision Blizzard games to the Spanish cloud-gaming platform. Microsoft's Smith said the company would fight the FTC's request to block the deal.

Persons: Tencent, Martin Coleman, Brad Smith, Smith, Spain's Nware, Meta, Microsoft's Smith, Foo Yun Chee, Aurora Ellis, Maju Samuel Organizations: U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Activision, ACTIVISION, HK, Sony, U.S . FTC, Britain's, Markets, FTC, Nintendo, Sony Group, CMA, Commission, WHO, United States, May, Games Development, UNI Global Union, Nvidia, MICROSOFT, Britain, NINTENDO, NVIDIA, Xbox, Activision Blizzard, Antitrust, Facebook, Thomson Locations: metaverse, U.S, United, Brazil, Chile, Serbia, Saudi Arabia

☆ Amazon, Wells Fargo, Microsoft, Nvidia are in the headlines. Here's our take on the news
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Club holdings Amazon (AMZN), Wells Fargo (WFC) as well as Nvidia (NVDA) and Microsoft (MSFT) are in the news Wednesday. In buying tech-focused One Medical, Amazon has said the companies together can make visiting the doctor an easier and more convenient experience. The news: A pair of banking regulators are investigating record-keeping failures at Wells Fargo, according to the company's annual filing. Specifically, Wells Fargo said the probes from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) are focused on "business communications sent over unapproved electronic messaging channels." The Club's take: This is new disclosure from Wells Fargo is not cause for concern.

☆ Explainer: How Microsoft is addressing antitrust concerns over Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WHAT IS THE ACTIVISION DEAL? The UK competition agency CMA has suggested divesting Call of Duty to address its concerns while the European Commission has warned Microsoft about the possible anti-competitive impact of the deal. A group of 10 gamers in the United States has filed a private consumer antitrust lawsuit over the deal. WHAT ARE THE NINTENDO AND NVIDIA LICENSING DEALS? Both companies have signed 10-year licensing deals that will bring Call of Duty to their gaming platforms but these are conditional on the Activision deal being approved.

☆ Microsoft Signs ‘Call of Duty’ Pact With Nintendo as Activision Deal Faces Scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Sarah E. Needleman | Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The deal would give Nintendo access to new ‘Call of Duty’ games on the same day Microsoft’s Xbox system does. Microsoft Corp. has signed a pact to give Nintendo Co. access to “Call of Duty” games for a decade if its $75 billion deal to buy the game’s developer, Activision Blizzard Inc., gets approved, part of the software maker’s efforts to relieve regulators’ concerns about the transaction. In a tweet Tuesday, Microsoft Vice Chairman and President Brad Smith said the commitment with Nintendo, first proposed late last year, is now solidified. It means that Nintendo would gain access to new “Call of Duty” games the same day as they appear on Microsoft’s Xbox system.

☆ 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 Signs ‘Call of Duty’ Pacts With Nintendo and Nvidia as Activision Deal Faces Scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Sarah E. Needleman | Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The deal would give Nintendo access to new ‘Call of Duty’ games on the same day Microsoft’s Xbox system does. Microsoft Corp. signed pacts to give Nintendo Co. and Nvidia Corp. access to “Call of Duty” games for a decade if its $75 billion deal to buy the game’s developer, Activision Blizzard Inc., gets approved, part of the software maker’s efforts to relieve regulators’ concerns about the transaction. In a tweet Tuesday, Microsoft Vice Chairman and President Brad Smith said the commitment with Nintendo, first proposed late last year, is now solidified. It means that Nintendo would gain access to new “Call of Duty” games the same day they appear on Microsoft’s Xbox system.

☆ Microsoft enters 10-year agreement with Nintendo in fight to save Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Gayle Harrington | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Microsoft announced it has agreed to partnerships with Nvidia and Nintendo as it tries to convince European Union officials to approve its $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard — the company behind the popular game franchise Call of Duty. Microsoft President Brad Smith had a closed-door meeting Tuesday with EU regulators and competitors in Brussels to address concerns that its acquisition of Activision Blizzard could hurt competition in the video game industry. The deal has also come under scrutiny from regulators in the United States and the United Kingdom. Microsoft (MSFT) said that it has entered into a 10-year partnership with Nvidia to bring Xbox PC games to Nvidia’s cloud gaming service. In a statement, the software giant said the partnership “resolves Nvidia’s concerns with Activision Blizzard.

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