DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Here's how to use AI to make a commercial in 3 hours, according to the guy whose creepy pizza ad grabbed the attention of Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Here's how you can make your own AI commercial. Use an image generator to come up with artThe stills in the AI pizza commercial, including the final exterior shot of the phony pizzeria, were created using Midjourney, which Pizza Later described as "mind-blowing." Midjourney // PIzza LaterUse a video generator to come up with clipsThe most noticeable aspect of the Pizza Hug Spot commercial was the video clips created using AI. For the Pepperoni Hug Spot commercial, Pizza Later also used Runway AI, a text-to-video generator, to create short clips to add to the commercial. Put it up for the world to seeAfter releasing the commercial, Pizza Later said he was surprised by the widespread online reaction.

☆ 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.

☆ Microsoft's $68.7 billion Activision takeover blocked by UK competition regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft's $68.7 billion takeover of Activision has been blocked by UK regulators. The UK's CMA blocked the deal on Wednesday over concerns antitrust concerns. Microsoft's $68.7 billion takeover of "Call of Duty" developer Activision has been blocked by the UK's competition regulator, marking a devastating blow to the blockbuster deal. According to the CMA, Microsoft already accounts for around 60-70% of global cloud gaming services through its Xbox platform and Azure. Microsoft and Activision did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ Microsoft’s blockbuster deal to buy Activision is in jeopardy. Here’s what could happen next
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

UK officials said Wednesday they will block the company’s $69 billion deal to acquire video game giant Activision-Blizzard. It could also complicate Microsoft’s future in the gaming industry and severely upend Activision, which was in the throes of an internal crisis in the months leading up to the deal. By buying Activision, Microsoft would become the third-largest video game publisher in the world after Tencent and Sony. (The UK dropped its concerns about the console market in March, while the European Union reportedly does not oppose the deal.) In a memo Wednesday to employees, Kotick attempted to strike an optimistic note, whatever the outcome of the deal may be.

☆ UK blocks Microsoft takeover of Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Hanna Ziady | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —The UK antitrust regulator has blocked Microsoft’s $69 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, thwarting one of the tech industry’s biggest deals over concerns it will stifle competition in cloud gaming. “The cloud allows UK gamers to avoid buying expensive gaming consoles and PCs and gives them much more flexibility and choice as to how they play. Allowing Microsoft to take such a strong position in the cloud gaming market just as it begins to grow rapidly would risk undermining the innovation that is crucial to the development of these opportunities,” it added. “Alongside Microsoft, we can and will contest this decision, and we’ve already begun the work to appeal to the UK Competition Appeals Tribunal,” Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement. “Cloud gaming needs a free, competitive market to drive innovation and choice.”The UK cloud gaming market is expected to be worth up to £1 billion ($1.2 billion) by 2026, around 9% of the global market, according to the Competition and Markets Authority.

CNN —National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby defended the United States’ decision not to evacuate US citizens from Sudan after US forces conducted a military operation extracting government personnel from its embassy in Khartoum Saturday. Internet connectivity has also been unreliable, leaving family members and friends outside of Sudan to worry if their loved ones are safe. Kirby said Monday that the violence in Sudan “is increasing,” and urged Americans remaining in the country to shelter in place. Officials told congressional staffers last week that there could be an estimated 16,000 American citizens in Sudan, most of whom are dual nationals. Kirby echoed this on Monday and suggested that many of those dual nationals “don’t want to leave” the country.

If you're looking for where to buy the RTX 4070 today, we're here to make your search much easier. Check RTX 4070 stock now: USA | UKIn the world of PCs, there are few products more valuable than an Nvidia RTX graphics card. Take a look below to see links to stores to where we'll be looking out for RTX 4070 stock. Once it releases on April 13, you'll be able to buy a GeForce RTX 4070 from a variety of electronics stores, including Best Buy and B&H Photo Video. Every RTX 4070 purchase also comes bundled with a free Overwatch 2 Ultimate Battle Pass, and 1,000 Overwatch 2 coins.

☆ Activision Proposes Settlement in DOJ Lawsuit Over Esports Pay
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Denny Jacob | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. Justice Department is reviewing a proposed settlement to its antitrust lawsuit against Activision Blizzard Inc. after accusing the company of imposing rules that limited competition and suppressed wages for players in two of its videogame franchises’ professional esports leagues. The department alleged that in two of the esports leagues owned Activision, the company and the independently owned teams in each league implemented a so-called Competitive Balance Tax. The tax was structured to penalize teams in the “Overwatch” and “Call of Duty” leagues if a team’s player compensation exceeded a threshold set by Activision, the complaint alleges.

☆ Justice Department Sues Activision Over Esports Leagues
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Denny Jacob | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The U.S. Justice Department on Monday said it filed an antitrust lawsuit against Activision Blizzard Inc. alleging that the company imposed rules that limited competition for players in two of its videogame franchises’ professional esports league and suppressed wages for players in those leagues. The department said its complaint alleges that in two of the esports leagues owned by the videogame company, Activision and the independently-owned teams in each league implemented a so-called Competitive Balance Tax. The tax was structured to penalize teams in the “Overwatch” and “Call of Duty” leagues if a team’s player compensation exceeded a threshold set by Activision, the complaint alleges.

☆ Factbox: What happened to the U.S. drone downed near Ukraine?
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MOSCOW, March 15 (Reuters) - Russia and the United States have offered different accounts of the downing of a U.S. intelligence drone in the Black Sea. The United States said the drone was conducting routine operations in international airspace when it was intercepted and hit by the Russian aircraft. WHAT RUSSIA SAID:Russia said the MQ-9 drone was flying near Crimea - which Russia annexed in 2014 - and heading towards territories which Russia considers its own. "The unacceptable actions of the United States military in the close proximity to our borders are cause for concern," Antonov said. "If, for example, a Russian strike drone appeared near New York or San Francisco, how would the US Air Force and Navy react?"

☆ AI-generated audio of Joe Biden and Donald Trump trashtalking while gaming is taking over TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Allegra Rosenberg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

On TikTok, faked audio created by AI of Joe Biden and Donald Trump gaming has become a hit meme. But the ease with voice AI can be used for jokes also shows how easy it is to fake convincing quotes. The Biden Cinematic UniverseOn the @bidenandfriends TikTok account, "Sleepy Joe" plays Minecraft and other video games with his best (and worst) buddies. Other political and celebrity figures pop up in various installments, but the core trio of Trump, Biden, and Obama seems to persist across the lore. "I remember when people thought AI would kill us all, but this is how we use it," commented one TikTok user.

Microsoft President Brad Smith told a news conference on Tuesday he was now more optimistic of getting the Activision acquisition done after the Nvidia deal and a similar arrangement with Nintendo Co Ltd (7974.T). Instead, Nvidia's 25 million customers will need to pay Nvidia for access to its cloud gaming platform and pay Microsoft for its games. Shares of Microsoft fell 2%, Nvidia dropped 3.4% and Activision fell 0.7% in a broadly lower market on Tuesday afternoon. Nvidia said it now supports the Xbox maker's bid to purchase Activision, but the deal could still be a hard sell with regulators. Smith said he hoped that rival Sony Group Corp (6758.T) will consider doing the same type of deal with Nvidia.

☆ 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.

☆ Duty Calls Activision Blizzard Back to the Top
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Dan Gallagher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

It probably would have been more helpful to Microsoft if Activision Blizzard had put out another clunker. Alas, that didn’t happen. Fourth-quarter results from Activision late Monday showed that “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II” revived the blockbuster franchise after the previous year’s serious misfire. That, combined with strength in the company’s “World of Warcraft” and “Overwatch” franchises, and the ever-consistent mobile mainstay “Candy Crush,” drove net bookings to $3.6 billion in the fourth quarter—beating Wall Street’s projections by 12%, according to FactSet. Bookings also surged 43% year over year, making for Activision’s best growth in at least five years for that important metric during the crucial holiday season.

☆ NetEase Rejects Activision Offer to Extend China Licensing Partnership
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Raffaele Huang | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

SINGAPORE—Chinese videogame publisher NetEase Inc. has refused Activision Blizzard Inc.’s offer to extend a licensing partnership, the two companies said, deepening a rift between the firms over operations in the world’s biggest mobile game market. Blizzard Entertainment Inc., an Activision Blizzard subsidiary, said Tuesday that it proposed to NetEase a six-month extension to the partnership that is set to expire next week. The licensing partnership has brought Blizzard’s globally popular videogames such as “World of Warcraft,” “Diablo III” and “Overwatch” to the Chinese market through NetEase.

☆ Activision Says NetEase Rejected Offer to Extend China Licensing Partnership
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Raffaele Huang | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

NetEase recently launched a new version for its multiplayer role-playing game ‘Justice,’ with features that NetEase said are similar to Blizzard’s ‘World of Warcraft.’SINGAPORE— Activision Blizzard Inc. said NetEase Inc., its longtime partner in China, has refused its offer to extend a licensing partnership and that it is in talks with several videogame firms to find a new partner in the country. Blizzard Entertainment Inc., an Activision subsidiary, said Tuesday that it proposed to NetEase a six-month extension to the partnership that is set to expire next week. The licensing partnership has brought Blizzard’s globally popular videogames such as “World of Warcraft,” “Diablo III” and “Overwatch” to the Chinese market through NetEase.

☆ Ukraine's heavy artillery, not high-tech anti-tank missiles, is what stopped Russia's rush to Kyiv, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Coverage of the fighting often focused on the role of anti-tank missiles in stopping that advance. Many people believe the initial Russian offensive was halted in large part by Ukraine's diverse arsenal of anti-tank missiles. This was enough to pin down Russian armor, hit targets of opportunity, and engage Russian tanks from beyond the range their cannons. However, "delivering large volumes of fire against concentrated units is best achieved by artillery," Watling said. Many Russian tanks — and Ukrainian tanks, which are upgraded Soviet-era designs — are designed to fire anti-tank guided missiles from their cannons.

☆ Blizzard seeks new partners to continue offering World of Warcraft in China
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Blizzard Entertainment is in talks with potential partners about continuing to offer its popular World of Warcraft title in China, as its deal with Chinese gaming giant NetEase is set to wind down. Blizzard said last month that it would discontinue services for World of Warcraft and other games in China from January 2023, after failing to renew its contract with NetEase. The deal, first signed in August 2008, allowed Blizzard to offer World of Warcraft in the country, where it has since become wildly popular. World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online game that sees players role play as their own characters, embark on various quests and battle monsters. High did not say whether Blizzard plans to seek alternative distribution partners for its other games in China, which include Hearthstone, Starcraft and Diablo III.

☆ How Dexerto became 'the TMZ of esports,' with $10 million in revenue last year and 30 million monthly visitors
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

On the homepage of Dexerto, a seven-year-old gaming-news website, staid posts about competitive esports commingle with screaming headlines about online gossip. Dexerto — pronounced "desert-o," "as if the x was an s," the cofounder and CEO, Joshua Nino, said — was founded on "sport-style esports coverage." Today, dexerto.com attracts 30 million monthly visitors, it said — a formidable sum, though less than 30-year-old stalwarts like IGN and GameSpot, which clocked 98 million and 69 million monthly visits in September, according to the web-analytics firm Similarweb. Direct-ad sales account for about half of revenue, with programmatic ads (30%) and social monetization (20%) making up the rest. Nino said Dexerto had been mostly bootstrapped — aside from about £257,000 in seed funding — and had been profitable since 2016.

☆ Blizzard will pull ‘World of Warcraft’ from China as NetEase deal ends
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Blizzard Entertainment said Thursday it will no longer offer games such as ‘World of Warcraft’ and ‘Hearthstone’ in China from next year once its deal with NetEase (NTES) ends, prompting shares in the Chinese internet giant to tumble. The games to be suspended include “World of Warcraft”, “Hearthstone”, “Warcraft III: Reforged”, “Overwatch”, the “StarCraft” series, “Diablo III”, and “Heroes of the Storm.”According to NetEase, the recently published “Diablo Immortal,” co-developed by NetEase and Blizzard, is covered by a separate long-term agreement, allowing its service to continue in China. The absence of Blizzard games could lower NetEase’s revenue by 6-8% next year, Daiwa Capital Markets wrote in a research report on Nov. 9. Blizzard Entertainment said upcoming releases for “World of Warcraft: Dragonflight,” “Hearthstone: March of the Lich King,” and season 2 of “Overwatch 2” will proceed later this year. “We are looking for alternatives to bring our games back to players in the future,” Blizzard President Mike Ybarra said in the statement.

☆ World of Warcraft to go offline in China as Activision Blizzard and NetEase end 14-year deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The booth of Blizzard Entertainment at the Chinajoy Expo in Shanghai, China, on Aug. 2, 2019. Activision Blizzard and Chinese gaming firm NetEase are ending their 14-year licensing agreement, a move that will result in hit game franchises like World of Warcraft and Overwatch shutting down in China. The deal, which was first struck back in August 2008, will now expire in January 2023 after the two firms were unable to agree on renewal terms. World of Warcraft, a massively multiplayer online game, is hugely popular in China. In a statement, NetEase CEO William Ding said Blizzard and NetEase had "material differences on key terms" in deal negotiations.

Nov 17 (Reuters) - Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) said on Thursday it would suspend most Blizzard game services in mainland China once its current licensing agreements with NetEase (9999.HK) end in January. California-based Blizzard said new sales would be suspended in the coming days and players would receive further details. The absence of Blizzard games could cause a 6-8% drop in NetEase's revenue next year, analysts from Daiwa Capital Markets wrote in a research report on Nov. 9. The estimate is founded on the basis that licensed games account for around 10% of NetEase's total revenue and Blizzard accounts for 60-80% of licensed games. "We are looking for alternatives to bring our games back to players in the future," Blizzard President Mike Ybarra said in the statement.

☆ Days after Biden's face-to-face meeting with Xi Jinping, Kamala Harris is making a rare trip to a South China Sea hotspot
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Palawan looks over the South China Sea, where Beijing and its neighbors have competing claims. "This is another historic visit, as the vice president is the highest-ranking US official ever to visit Palawan," a senior administration official told reporters on Tuesday. It divides the Sulu Sea and the South China Sea, where the Philippines is one of several countries that dispute Beijing's expansive claims. The Philippine province of Palawan separates the Sulu Sea and the South China Sea. Asked on Tuesday how China should view the trip, the US official said, "China can take the message it wants.

☆ From Apple AirPods and Squishmallows to 'Encanto' toys, here are some of the most anticipated gifts this holiday season, according to Adobe
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-27 | by ( Sarah Belle Lin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

"The shape of the holiday season will look different this year, with early discounting in October," Patrick Brown, Adobe vice president of growth marketing and insights, said in a statement. Here are the toys, gaming devices, games, and other gifts that Adobe predicts will be the most popular items this holiday season. SquishmallowsThe stuffed animals come in all sizes, shapes, and colors and are expected to once again be popular this holiday season. Xbox Series XThe Xbox Series X is the fastest, most powerful Xbox yet, per Microsoft. Apple Watch Series 8/UltraThe new Apple Watch Series 8 comes in eight different colors, with either a 41-millimeter or 45-millimeter case.

Search resuls for: "Overwatch"

25 mentions found