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☆ Nintendo founder's YFO set to raise Toyo bid -source
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Makiko Yamazaki | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

It took about nine months for Toyo to form a special committee to assess YFO's offer, which YFO said acted against shareholders' interest. At an annual meeting in June, Toyo shareholders approved seven of nine directors backed by YFO, allowing these directors to form a majority of the board. It had been possible for YFO to hold talks with Toyo since the board reshuffle, the source said. YFO had already notified Toyo of its proposal and believes it could start a tender offer by late December, the source said. Expectations for a sweetened offer from YFO have in recent weeks boosted Toyo shares, which closed at 1,241 yen on Monday.

Persons: Yamauchi, Toyo, YFO, YFO's, Makiko Yamazaki, Alexander Smith Organizations: Japan's Toyo, Toyo, YFO, Thomson Locations: TOKYO

☆ 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

☆ Nvidia's earnings Wednesday will be a big test for AI bulls
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Kif Leswing | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Revenue: $11.22 billion, according to Refinitiv. A closer look at estimates shows just how reliant Nvidia has become on AI chips. By contrast, Nvidia's Datacenter group, which houses AI chips, is looking at a 111% increase in revenue to $8.03 billion, according to estimates. Nvidia's AI chips, including the A100 and H100, have been difficult to purchase in recent months as startups, big companies, governments and cloud providers all have placed orders. Last year, the U.S. placed export restrictions on Nvidia, which forced the company to make specialized, slower versions of its AI chips for the Chinese market.

Persons: Jensen Huang, StreetAccount, chatbot, Nvidia's, Huang, TSMC, Morris Chang, Biden Organizations: Nvidia, Facebook, Meta, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Locations: Taipei, Refinitiv, China, U.S

☆ Sony shares slide after earnings highlight concern about games, sensors
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Operating profit slid 31% and comments by Sony executives over demand for its games and image sensors units also sparked concern. Despite an easing of those snarls, Sony said sales of were below expectations in the April-June quarter. It is targeting sales of 25 million units for the full year. Sony sold 3.3 million PS5 units in quarter. Adjustment to procurement by smartphone manufacturers is having a large impact in the second quarter, Sony said.

Persons: Issei Kato, Serkan Toto, Atul Goyal, Sam Nussey, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Sony PlayStation, REUTERS, Sony, PlayStation, Kantan, Jefferies, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan

☆ Hollywood is helping boost the economy as fans flock to 'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer,' and Taylor Swift's Eras Tour
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-05 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Taylor Swift's Eras Tour and "Barbenheimer" have been key drivers of consumer spending this year. "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" has also boosted theaters that are still struggling post-pandemic. "'Barbenheimer' likely drove the continued surge in year-on-year entertainment spending growth," analysts Shruti Mishra and Aditya Bhave wrote in a note. Nintendo/Universal"The Super Mario Bros. Bringing some more optimism to global economies is "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" — an animated adaptation of the Nintendo video game.

Persons: Taylor, Mario, quieten, hasn't, Swift, Barbie, Oppenheimer, Taylor Swift, Taylor Hill, Jamie Cox, Covid, Cox, Shruti Mishra, Aditya Bhave, Greta Gerwig's, Zelda Organizations: Mario Bros, Service, Hollywood, Federal Reserve, Institute, Harris Financial Group, Bank of America, AMC, Nintendo Locations: Wall, Silicon, Cincinnati , Ohio, what's, Philadelphia

☆ 33 of the biggest failed products from the world's biggest companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Ben Gilbert | Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Even the most successful companies in the world have the occasional flop. We put together 33 of the world's biggest flops, from Nintendo's Virtual Boy to Google Glass. Morning Brew Insider recommends waking up with, a daily newsletter. "Less than 3% of new consumer packaged goods exceed first-year sales of $50 million — considered the benchmark of a highly successful launch," say Joan Schneider and Julie Hall, co-authors of "The New Launch Plan." That's part of the reason that the most heavy-hitting names in business — from Nintendo to Netflix, Microsoft to McDonald's — have had some of the biggest belly flops.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Joan Schneider, Julie Hall, —, Aimee Groth, Jay Yarow, Drake Baer Organizations: Amazon, Nintendo's, Google, Nintendo, Netflix, Microsoft

☆ Super Mario movie and Zelda game breathe fresh life into Switch as Nintendo posts a 52% profit surge
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Nintendo reported a surge in revenue and operating profit for the June quarter boosted by the success of the "Super Mario Bros. Movie" and the the popularity of its latest Zelda game for the Switch console. Here's how Nintendo did in its fiscal first quarter versus Refinitiv estimates:Revenue: 461.34 billion yen ($3.2 billion) versus 395.40 billion yen expected. Net profit: 181.02 billion yen versus 109.91 billion yen expected. Operating profit came in at 185.44 billion yen, ahead of expectations, jumping 82.4% year-on-year. Nintendo previously forecasted its revenue for the current fiscal year, which ends in March 2024, at 1.45 trillion yen and 340 billion yen of profit.

Persons: Mario, Zelda Organizations: Nintendo, Mario Bros, Universal Studios

☆ 'Zelda' sales breakout juices Nintendo's aging Switch
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Attendees use a Nintendo Switch game console while playing a video game at the Paris Games Week (PGW), a trade fair for video games in Paris, France, October 29, 2019. Nintendo said it sold 18.51 million units of "Tears of the Kingdom" in the first quarter. The results underscore Nintendo's success in extending the life of the aging Switch system, which has sold almost 130 million units, and using its roster of popular characters to boost revenue beyond the core gaming business. The Kyoto-based gaming firm maintained its full-year forecast for the console of 15 million units, which would be a 16.5% decline on a year earlier. First-quarter operating profit leapt 82% on a year earlier to 185.4 billion yen with sales of first-party software at record highs.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, Mario, Zelda, Serkan Toto, Shuntaro Furukawa, Pikachu, Sam Nussey, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Nintendo, Paris Games, REUTERS, Mario Bros, Kantan, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, TOKYO, Kyoto

☆ Microsoft-Activision deal moves closer as judge denies FTC injunction request
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-11 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

A federal judge in San Francisco has denied the Federal Trade Commission's motion for a preliminary injunction to stop Microsoft from completing its acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard. The judge was deciding whether to grant the FTC's request for an emergency injunction to prevent the deal from closing. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick both testified, as did executives from Alphabet, Nvidia and Sony. Kotick said during the hearings that the Activision Blizzard board didn't see how the deal could continue if the judge were to grant the preliminary injunction. "After today's court decision in the U.S., our focus now turns back to the UK.

Persons: isn't, Jacqueline Scott Corley, Bobby Kotick, Brad Smith, we've, Satya Nadella, we'll, Kotick, Smith Organizations: Federal, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, FTC, Competition, Markets Authority, Court, Activision, U.S, Northern, Northern District of, PlayStation, Nvidia, Sony, Federal Trade Commission, CMA Locations: San Francisco, United Kingdom, Northern District, Northern District of California, Europe, U.S

☆ The biggest takeaways from Microsoft's courtroom showdown with the FTC over Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-30 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +21 min

The impulse to expand Microsoft's gaming business on mobile devices at least in part inspired the Activision acquisition. The impulse to expand Microsoft's gaming business on mobile devices at least in part inspired the Activision acquisition. Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, wasn't happy with a Microsoft-generated list of Activision Blizzard games that would remain accessible on the PlayStation after the acquisition closes. Jim Ryan, CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment, wasn't happy with a Microsoft-generated list of Activision Blizzard games that would remain accessible on the PlayStation after the acquisition closes. Activision Blizzard and Microsoft have agreed to terminate the deal if it's not done by July 18.

Persons: Satya Nadella, Phil Spencer, Spencer, James Weingarten, Weingarten, Jim Ryan, Sony, Ryan, Amy Hood, Bobby Kotick, Sarah Bond, Kotick, Amazon Weingarten, Bond, Tim Stuart, Nadella, Bernstein, Mark Moerdler, Hood, Stuart, it's, Jacqueline Scott Corley, she'll Organizations: Northern, Northern District of, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Sony, PlayStation, Mobile, Activision, Xbox, Zynga, Sega Sammy, Nintendo, Enix, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Management, Sony Group, Amazon, Microsoft's Xbox, Bernstein Research, Symantec, Sony PlayStation Locations: U.S, Northern District, Northern District of California, San Francisco, cybersecurity, United Kingdom, FarmVille, Asia, Japan, Tokyo

"You would have a revolt if you were to remove the game from one platform," said Kotick. He said that removing "Call of Duty" from PlayStation, which is made by Sony Group (6758.T), would be "very detrimental" to Activision's business. The Federal Trade Commission has asked a judge to stop the Microsoft acquisition temporarily in order to allow the agency's in-house judge to decide the case. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is scheduled to testify on Wednesday afternoon before Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley in federal court. The agency says the transaction would give Microsoft, which makes the Xbox console, exclusive access to Activision games, leaving Nintendo (7974.T) and Sony Group out in the cold.

Persons: Bobby Kotick, Kotick, Satya Nadella, Jacqueline Scott Corley, Biden, Diane Bartz, Greg Bensinger, Matthew Lewis Organizations: FRANCISCO, Activision, Microsoft, PlayStation, Sony Group, Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Nintendo, Britain's, Markets Authority, Thomson Locations: United States, Washington, San Francisco

☆ Microsoft attempts to pick apart US legal argument against deal to buy Activision
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Greg Bensinger | Thomson Reuters | Greg Bensinger Joined Reuters As A Technology Correspondent In Focusing On The World'S Largest Technology Companies. He Was Previously A Member Of The New York Times Editorial Board | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has asked a federal judge to stop the transaction temporarily in order to allow the agency's in-house judge to decide if it can go forward. If the deal goes through, Microsoft has pledged to provide the game to Switch for 10 years. Microsoft attorney Beth Wilkinson pressed Lee in an effort to poke holes in his analysis of the deal, pointing out limitations of his economic modeling. Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, a federal judge in San Francisco who will decide the case, said little on Tuesday. Reporting by Greg Bensinger in San Francisco Additional reporting by Diane Bartz in Washington Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Microsoft's, Robin Lee, Lee, Beth Wilkinson, Wilkinson, “, Jacqueline Scott Corley, Greg Bensinger, Diane Bartz, Matthew Lewis Organizations: FRANCISCO, Activision, Harvard, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Microsoft, Xbox, FTC, Nintendo, Sony Group, Britain's, Markets Authority, Thomson Locations: Redmond, Washington, San Francisco, United States

☆ 32 of the biggest failed products from the world's biggest companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-23 | by ( Ben Gilbert | Lakshmi Varanasi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

We put together 32 of the world's biggest flops, from Nintendo's Virtual Boy to Google Glass. Morning Brew Insider recommends waking up with, a daily newsletter. "Less than 3% of new consumer packaged goods exceed first-year sales of $50 million — considered the benchmark of a highly successful launch," say Joan Schneider and Julie Hall, co-authors of "The New Launch Plan." That's part of the reason that the most heavy-hitting names in business — from Nintendo to Netflix, Microsoft to McDonald's — have had some of the biggest belly flops. Here's a look at 32 of those flops, and what we can learn from them.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Joan Schneider, Julie Hall, —, Aimee Groth, Jay Yarow, Drake Baer Organizations: Amazon, Nintendo's, Google, Nintendo, Netflix, Microsoft

☆ Nintendo expects to sell 15 mln Switch consoles this year
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, May 9 (Reuters) - Japan's Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T) on Tuesday said it expects to sell 15 million Switch game consoles in the financial year to end-March 2024, compared with 17.97 million the previous year. The Kyoto-based gaming firm posted operating profit of 504.38 billion yen ($3.73 billion) in the year ended on March 31, beating estimates, compared with profit of 592.76 billion yen a year earlier. Nintendo is facing slowing demand for its aging Switch console in its seventh year on the market, even as supply chain snarls have eased and the company bolsters its games lineup. On Friday Nintendo launches "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom", one of the most widely anticipated games of the year. Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Kenneth MaxwellOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Microsoft signs 10-year deal with Spain's Nware after UK blocks Activision bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The agreement marks the latest effort by Microsoft to ease fears its purchase of Activision would hinder competition in cloud gaming, which was the reason cited by the Competition and Markets Authority to veto the biggest deal in gaming. In its decision on Wednesday, 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. The Activision deal is the biggest involving technology companies the regulator has blocked. Microsoft shares were slightly lower in U.S. premarket trading, while those of Activision ticked up 0.2%. Reporting by Tiyashi Datta in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra ELuriOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 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.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft $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. Microsoft announced its Activision bid in January 2022 to boost its firepower in a video gaming market led by Tencent (0700.HK) and Sony (6758.T). 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.

☆ I got to play the latest 'Legend of Zelda' game early. Here's a preview of the biggest game the year.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( William Antonelli | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

"The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," Nintendo's biggest game this year, is releasing May 12. Last week, Nintendo invited Insider to play a demo of the game. Here are my first impressions of "Tears of the Kingdom," a wonderfully creative game that delivers on its hype. There are few games that have built more hype and anticipation than the newest Zelda game, "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom." "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom" releases on May 12.

☆ 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' smashes box office records with the biggest global opening for an animated film ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"The Super Mario Bros. Movie" had the biggest opening for an animated film on record. The movie, based on Nintendo's video game, stars Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Jack Black. In the US the film took $31.7 million on Wednesday, $26 million on Thursday and a further $146.4 million Friday to Sunday. It's also the biggest opening of any film so far this year, beating "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," according to The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter said "Super Mario" was set to be "the first all-audience blockbuster of 2023."

☆ Nintendo to repair for free unresponsive game controllers, EU says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Foo Yun Chee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, April 4 (Reuters) - Japanese gaming company Nintendo (7974.T) has agreed to repair for free beyond the legal guarantee period unresponsive console controllers following complaints from European consumer groups, the European Commission said on Tuesday. Nintendo found itself in the EU spotlight after the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) and nine national consumer groups in 2021 complained to the EU executive about its Nintendo Switch console, saying they deteriorate too quickly. This technical problem known as the 'Joy-Con drift' affected both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite consoles. "This is only a short-term fix that will allow consumers to have their defective products repaired for free. Yet Nintendo can still sell the console with the potential bug," BEUC Deputy Director General Ursula Pachl said in a statement.

☆ Nintendo is releasing a limited-edition Switch OLED to celebrate the new Legend of Zelda game — here's how to preorder
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( William Antonelli | Steven Cohen | Tech Reporter For Insider Reviews | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nintendo Switch OLED (The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Edition) This version of the Nintendo Switch OLED has a design inspired by The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. How to preorder the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Nintendo Switch OLEDNintendo only just unveiled the new Zelda-themed Switch OLED model, so not every retailer is offering it yet. It releases on April 28, and costs $360 — which is $10 more than a regular Nintendo Switch OLED. Alongside the new Switch OLED, Nintendo is also offering a Zelda-themed Pro Controller and carrying case. Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is one of the most anticipated games of 2023, and a sequel to the acclaimed Action RPG The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

TOKYO, March 28 (Reuters) - The Japanese construction company targeted for takeover by the family office linked to Nintendo Co's (7974.T) founder is pushing back against the fund and has asked the government to investigate alleged breaches of foreign ownership rules. Toyo Construction Co (1890.T), the marine construction company now 27% owned by Yamauchi-No.10 Family Office (YFO), made the request to the government this month, according to a letter seen by Reuters. YFO has amassed most of its 27% stake through three related investment companies registered in the Cayman Islands, each of them with less than 10%. It said the three investment vehicles were not closely related as defined by law in terms of the capital structure and that all three had different directors. "In both the acquisition of Toyo Construction shares and the formulation of the buyout proposal, we have been in close consultation with regulators throughout.

The Mario Choose One Bundle comes with a Switch, a sticker sheet, and a code for one free Mario game. The code lets you download Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, or Super Mario Odyssey. This exclusive Switch bundle includes a standard Nintendo Switch console, Mario Red Joy-Cons, stickers featuring art from the upcoming Super Mario Bros. movie, and a code you can redeem for one free Mario game. For more Mario Day discounts, check out our roundup of Nintendo Switch game deals you can snag right now. Deal Nintendo Switch Mario Choose One Bundle This bundle includes a standard Nintendo Switch console, special Joy-Con controllers, a free game, and exclusive stickers, all for the cost of a regular Switch.

☆ Two Google engineers built a ChatGPT-like AI chatbot years ago, but execs reportedly shut it down due to safety concerns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Ex-Google engineers developed a conversational AI chatbot years ago, per The Wall Street Journal. Google is now racing to catch up with Microsoft's AI and plans to release its AI chatbot this year. "It caused a bit of a stir inside of Google," Shazeer said in an interview with investors Aarthi Ramamurthy and Sriram Krishnan last month. But Google's AI plans may now finally see the light of day, even as discussions around whether its chatbot can be responsibly launched continue. Alphabet chairman John Hennessy agreed that Google's chatbot wasn't "really ready for a product yet."

Right now, Best Buy is taking $20 off popular Switch games like Super Mario Odyssey and Mario Kart 8. Deal Nintendo Super Mario Odyssey Down to $40, this is an excellent chance to save on the most recent of Nintendo’s flagship Super Mario games. Great Price Nintendo Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Mario Kart 8 lets you bring the classic racing game to wherever the party may be with your Nintendo Switch. Deal Nintendo Super Mario Maker 2 A Mario game designed for the most creative of fans, Super Mario Maker lets you play, create, and share your very own side-scrolling Super Mario courses. Lowest Price Nintendo Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit Nintendo Switch Set Mario Kart Live brings the classic racing game to life by letting you control a real-life Mario Kart alongside your game.

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