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☆ EU approves Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, clearing major hurdle
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

European Union regulators on Monday approved Microsoft's proposed $69 billion acquisition of gaming firm Activision Blizzard , subject to remedies offered by the U.S. tech giant. These remedies centered on allowing users to stream Activision games they purchase on any cloud streaming platform. Regulators globally have been probing whether Microsoft's acquisition of Activision could distort competition in the console and cloud gaming market. One area regulators questioned is whether Microsoft might take Activision games and keep them exclusively on the U.S. giant's own platforms. Microsoft sought to allay the Commission's concerns over making Activision games exclusive ahead of the EU decision.

☆ Barclays says there's a big buying opportunity in Activision Blizzard after blocked Microsoft deal, sees shares rallying 30%
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Activision Blizzard's recent tumult could be a buying opportunity for investors, according to Barclays. Regulators in the UK blocked Microsoft's attempt to purchase the company over competition concerns. ATVI YTD mountain Activision Blizzard could be a buying opportunity for investors despite the fallout of Microsoft deal. Lu said the move to stop the Microsoft deal was somewhat surprising, given that regulators seemingly eased up on concerns over the takeover at the end of March. Activision executives told investors the UK's Competition and Markets Authority was "disproportionate, irrational and inconsistent."

☆ UK blocks Microsoft's $69 bln Activision deal over cloud gaming concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Paul Sandle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The country's antitrust regulator said on Wednesday that Microsoft's commitment to offer access to Activision's multi-billion dollar "Call of Duty" franchise to leading cloud gaming platforms would not effectively remedy its concerns. The gaming company also reported quarterly results on Wednesday, a day earlier than scheduled, beating quarterly bookings estimates although that seemed to do little to allay investor concerns about Britain's move. Europe will decide on the Activision deal by May 22. The CMA said the cloud gaming market was forecast to be worth 11 billion pounds ($13.7 billion) globally by 2026. The CMA said Microsoft had an estimated 60%-70% of global cloud gaming services as well as competitive advantages including owning Xbox, PC operating system Windows and cloud provider Azure.

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. LONDON — Britain's top competition regulator on Wednesday moved to block Microsoft 's acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard . Microsoft announced its intention to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022 for $69 billion, in one of the biggest deals the video game industry has seen to date. Sony , in particular, has voiced concern with Microsoft's Activision purchase. The Japanese gaming giant fears that Microsoft could make Call of Duty exclusive to its Xbox consoles in the long run.

☆ UK regulator holding up Microsoft's Activision deal set to get new powers to rein in Big Tech
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.K. government on Tuesday published a draft bill that would give a newly created division within the independent competition regulator powers to levy huge fines against Big Tech firms for competition abuses, and investigate and block acquisitions with greater speed. The draft Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers bill will take aim at tech companies with annual revenues of at least £25 billion ($31.2 billion) globally, or £1 billion in the U.K., according to a statement. That's sure to include Amazon , Apple , Google , Microsoft and Meta , which generated $514 billion, $394.33 billion, $282.8 billion, $198 billion and $116.6 billion in revenue respectively in 2022. The CMA has been at the center of some major Big Tech crackdowns lately. The watchdog has held up Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard with an in-depth competition investigation.

Microsoft will release a Diablo IV Xbox Series X bundle alongside the game's launch on June 6. The $560 bundle includes an Xbox Series X console and a copy of Diablo IV for a small discount. The $560 Diablo IV bundle will include a standard Xbox Series X, a digital copy of Diablo IV, and multiple digital preorder bonuses. Xbox Series X Diablo IV Bundle This bundle includes a standard Xbox Series X console, a digital copy of Diablo IV, and special in-game rewards. Where to preorder the Diablo IV Xbox Series X bundleThe Diablo IV Xbox Series X bundle will be released alongside the game on June 6, and preorders are available now at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

The CWA in a statement said Activision's conduct showed a clear pattern of disregard for workers' legal rights. "In spite of Activision Blizzard's anti-union efforts, workers continue to organize, speak out about their working conditions and win union campaigns," the union said. Activision has said its social media policy is lawful and does not bar employees from exercising their rights under U.S. labor law. Small groups of workers at Activision subsidiaries in New York and Wisconsin have voted to join the CWA in recent months. Boston-based employees of Activision unit Proletariat in January withdrew a petition to have an election.

The Communication Workers of America union (CWA) has accused the "Call of Duty" maker of a series of illegal labor practices at the union has sought to organize video game testers and other employees at the company and its subsidiaries. The CWA in a statement said Activision's conduct showed a clear pattern of disregard for workers' legal rights. "In spite of Activision Blizzard's anti-union efforts, workers continue to organize, speak out about their working conditions and win union campaigns," the union said. Activision is already facing a separate NLRB complaint issued last year claiming the company used a policy limiting what workers can post on social media to bar them from discussing working conditions. Activision has said its social media policy is lawful and does not bar employees from exercising their rights under U.S. labor law.

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.

☆ 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 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.

☆ Deutsche Bank upgrades Activision Blizzard, says video game stock can rally regardless of Microsoft deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Activision Blizzard can generate returns for shareholders regardless of if the Microsoft deal goes through, Deutsche Bank said. Analyst Benjamin Soff upgraded the gaming stock to buy from hold and raised his price target by $7 to $90. In 2022, Microsoft proposed buying the "Call of Duty" maker for $68.7 billion in cash. Despite headwinds to consumer spending, Soff expects health growth and predicts the company's 2023 releases will be commercially successful. Overall, Soff forecasted growth of 12% for net bookings and 17% for operating incomes in 2023.

☆ Microsoft's $69 billion Activision takeover in doubt as UK regulator raises competition concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The British competition regulator says Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard could harm competition in the U.K. gaming market and that it may move to block the deal. The Competition and Markets Authority published a provisional decision on the deal Wednesday, stating the takeover raises competition concerns and may result in higher prices, fewer choices and less innovation. This "could substantially reduce the competition between Xbox and PlayStation in the UK, in turn harming UK gamers," the watchdog added. Activision Blizzard shares were down 3.4% in U.S. pre-market trading Wednesday, following the CMA announcement. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick also sent an internal memo to employees Wednesday, saying that the company was "confident that the law – and the facts – are on our side."

☆ Cramer gives his thoughts on Activision Blizzard's most recent quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | 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 EmailCramer gives his thoughts on Activision Blizzard's most recent quarterCramer offered his take on the company's most recent quarterly earnings results.

☆ Activision Blizzard pays SEC $35 million to settle probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard, attends the Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference on July 8, 2022, in Sun Valley, Idaho. "Mr. Kotick would not have been informed of every report of misconduct at every Activision Blizzard company, nor would he reasonably be expected to have been updated on all personnel issues," an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said at the time. The SEC filing claimed Activision Blizzard required "a significant number" of departing employees who signed separation agreements to tell Activision Blizzard if regulators tried to contact them, or even if those employees wished to make a complaint of their own. "As the order recognizes, we have enhanced our disclosure processes with regard to workplace reporting and updated our separation contract language," an Activision Blizzard spokesperson said on Friday. 2022 for $18 million over related claims of retaliation in connection with sexual harassment claims.

☆ 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.

☆ EU regulators quiz rivals on Microsoft tactics after Activision
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Activision games "Call of Duty" are pictured in a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File PhotoBRUSSELS, Dec 20 (Reuters) - EU antitrust regulators have asked game developers and distributors if they think Microsoft (MSFT.O) will block their access to Activision Blizzard's (ATVI.O) games once it has bought the company, an EU document seen by Reuters shows. "Please specify which partial exclusivity strategy or strategies you believe Microsoft would have the ability to deploy with respect to Activision Blizzard's console games after Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard," the questionnaire asked. The EU antitrust watchdog asked if such strategies would include degrading the quality or interoperability of Activision's games available on competing consoles or providing upgrades to Activision's games only on Xbox. Regulators asked what advantages and disadvantages game developers and publishers and console game distributors would face if a game is distributed exclusively on one console.

☆ 'Bored Ape' NFT startup names Activision operating chief as CEO
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 19 (Reuters) - "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard's (ATVI.O) chief operating officer Daniel Alegre will join "Bored Ape" NFT maker Yuga Labs as its chief executive, the metaverse startup said on Monday. The announcement comes days after the Biden administration sued to block tech giant Microsoft's (MSFT.O) $69 billion takeover of Activision. Alegre, who has served as operating chief at the videogame publisher since April 2020, will succeed Nicole Muniz as Yuga's CEO in the first half of 2023. "Since exploding onto the scene with Bored Ape Yacht Club in 2021, Yuga Labs has quickly made a name for itself through a powerful combination of storytelling and community-building,” Alegre said. Bored Ape NFTs are often used as profile pictures on social media.

Diablo IV will be released on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms on June 6, 2023. Diablo IV will launch on June 6, 2023 for Windows PCs, PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and Xbox One. The developers of Diablo IV have said one of their primary goals was to return to the franchise's roots of darkness and horror. Diablo IV can connect between platforms, so players on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox should have no issues playing together. Diablo 4 first-look impressionsDiablo IV / Activision BlizzardWe got to try the first few hours of Diablo IV during a hands-on media event.

☆ Activision acquisition would be good for Microsoft and the overall stock market
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

That implies that the other 35% of the market is made up of firms with equal to or less than about a 2% market share. For simplicity's sake, let's say an additional 17 firms have a 2% market share each to bring us to 100% of the market. That means the HHI, calculated by the market share number squared and then added together for all 27 companies, would be under 650. If the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard deal goes through, and you combine the market share concentration of the two companies, the HII would be just over 700. The other issue is how one measures the gaming market.

☆ 'They are untouchable': Microsoft employees say 'golden boy' executives are still running wild, 8 years after the company vowed to clean up its toxic culture
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Ashley Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +23 min

The Microsoft executive walked into the small, windowless room in Studio C at about 8 o'clock that evening. Despite Nadella's public stance against those he has called "talented jerks," many inside the company say Microsoft retains a nearly unlimited tolerance for bad behavior by its top rainmakers and developers. "The Microsoft of 2021 is very different from the Microsoft of 2000 to me and to everyone at Microsoft," Nadella said. But some women say the investigations drag on for months or even years, with no clear timeline for resolution. What's more, some employees say Microsoft's efforts to promote racial equity often smack of tokenism.

☆ Morning Bid: Bear Hunt
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Long-term sovereign bond yields have been falling sharply all week in advance of finance minister Jeremy Hunt's new budget, dragged down largely by U.S. disinflation hopes. UK 10- and 30-year gilt yields outperformed, however, dropping to their lowest since early September before backing up slightly on Thursday. U.S. housing starts numbers out later will give another glimpse at the state of the ailing property sector. Reverberations continued around the world from this month's latest implosion in the crypto universe and the failure of the FTX exchange. Major crypto player Genesis Global Capital suspended customer redemptions in its lending business on Wednesday, citing the FTX collapse.

☆ EU antitrust regulators to probe Microsoft's $69 billion Activision bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Activision games "Call of Duty" are pictured in a store in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 18, 2022. EU antitrust regulators on Tuesday opened a full-scale investigation into Microsoft's $69 billion bid for "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard, warning the deal may hurt competition. The U.S. software company, which announced the deal in January, is betting Activision's stable of games will help it compete better with leaders Tencent and Sony, with the latter being a critic of the deal. "The Commission's preliminary investigation shows that the transaction may significantly reduce competition on the markets for the distribution of console and PC video games, including multigame subscription services and/or cloud game streaming services, and for PC operating systems," the European Commission said in a statement. "In particular, the Commission is concerned that, by acquiring Activision Blizzard, Microsoft may foreclose access to Activision Blizzard's console and PC video games, especially to high-profile and highly successful games (so-called 'AAA' games) such as 'Call of Duty'," it said.

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