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☆ This is why Mark Zuckerberg won't give up on the Metaverse, and why Apple is about to dive into the technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Alistair Barr | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A new Activate study says this is the time for development and investment. Check out highlights from Activate's metaverse report below. Mark Zuckerberg made such a huge bet on the metaverse that he renamed his company Meta. The study shows why Zuckerberg refuses to give up on his vision, despite more than a year of rising ridicule. Companies will need to prioritize metaverse strategies, along with investments in AI, consumer engagement, and tech development, he added.

Persons: Zuckerberg, Activate's, Mark Zuckerberg, it's, Michael J, Wolf Organizations: MTV, Yahoo, Companies, Meta

☆ Take-Two stocks soars 13% after earnings come in mixed but guidance hints Grand Theft Auto 6 will be released in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Take-Two Interactive soared 13% on Thursday after the company offered strong guidance that suggests a 2024 release for Grand Theft Auto 6. While the company expects its fiscal 2024 net booking to be as much as $5.55 billion, it expects its fiscal 2025 net bookings to surge to more than $8 billion. Take-Two's fiscal 2024 year is in calendar-year 2023, while its fiscal 2025 year is in calendar-year 2024. Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto series has been wildly successful, with the 2013 release of Grand Theft Auto 5 driving lifetime unit sales of 180 million. Investors got a taste of what Grand Theft Auto 6 could look like after a massive data leak in September 2022 led to gameplay videos being posted online.

☆ The metaverse isn't dead, says the billionaire CEO behind Fortnite— and he's jokingly trying to hold a wake so 600 million gamers can mourn its passing in 'real-time 3D'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tim Sweeney on Tuesday mocked the notion that the metaverse is dead. But Sweeney is a long-term supporter of the Metaverse, putting in some serious money into the platform. Tim Sweeney, the billionaire CEO of Epic Games, doesn't think the metaverse is dead. After all, Epic Games — developer of Fortnite — is putting serious money into the metaverse. Moreover, Meta's still trying to convince users that the metaverse is alive and kicking and could potentially be lucrative.

☆ Check out the 16-slide deck Rebel Girls used to raise $8 million to expand its empowerment-focused storytelling to TV, film, and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-03 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Rebel Girls is a certified B Corp focused on empowering girls through inspiring content. Rebel Girls is a media company that started in 2016 with a mission to empower girls through inspiring, women-focused content. "It used to be if there was a female protagonist, she'd use magic — and the female protagonist was considered just for girls," Rebel Girls CEO Jes Wolfe told Insider. Rebel Girls' content strategy is to show up everywhere girls are, online and offline. Scroll down to read the pitch deck Rebel Girls used to raise its Series A.

☆ Right-wing organizers built a giant statue of a Russian propagandist in Minecraft for a digital rally that saw over 10,000 people show up — and then the server crashed
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Chris Panella | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Russian right-wing organizers built a monument to a dead Russian propagandist in Minecraft. The rally, held ahead of Russia's May Day, last week garnered 12,000 digital visitors. The event, held ahead of Russia's May Day, was organized by the right-wing populist Liberal Democratic Party of Russia, according to Meduza. Zhirinovsky, who died last year, was an ultranationalist politician and propagandist considered to be close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin. He baselessly told BCC in 2018 that Ukraine was Russian territory: "It's our territory; it's our people.

☆ I make 6-figures a month in revenue making games on Roblox. Here's how I started earning thousands in my first year.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Robin Madell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

Madsen creates new games on Roblox and updates his previous games to keep up a revenue stream. I remember when I made my first $2 from a Roblox game I created in 2017. Now, I've been generating six figures a month in revenue from Roblox experiences I've created or been a part of creating since 2021. I also create Roblox experiences outside of Splitting Point with friends. The reason is that even if it's a beautifully designed game, it isn't a Roblox game.

☆ This 24-year-old wants to freeze dead pets with the hope that science can one day bring them back to life – and he's got backing from Peter Thiel to get started
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-17 | by ( Melia Russell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Kai Micah Mills is a rare cryonics entrepreneur in the latest batch of Thiel Fellows. His startup Cryopets aims to establish a chain of animal hospitals set up to freeze pets upon death. When he was 14, Kai Micah Mills brought home a long-haired tabby cat and named it Cat. Someday, he hopes to expand to human preservation, as the science matures and pet owners warm to the idea. Mills hasn't figured out a pricing structure yet, but says pet owners will make a payment that covers their pet's storage for as long as necessary.

☆ Inside the Rise and Fall of Kittyhawk, Larry Page's Failed Flying Car Company
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Hugh Langley | Rob Price | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +22 min

Killing off projects had become something of a tradition at Kittyhawk, the secretive flying-car startup launched by the Google cofounder Larry Page. Larry Page has used his Google money to found a series of flying car companies with one common goal: "to free the world of traffic." "When Bloomberg did their original exposé, that's when urban air mobility became a thing," a former Kittyhawk employee recalled. Everyone thought: If Larry Page is in this space, there must be something here." Interpreting "Larry-isms" or "learning to speak Larry" were essential skills for any Kittyhawk employee who wanted to retain their sanity.

☆ Discord users say Jack Teixeira only leaked documents to show off. That's a problem for the US military, which uses the app as a conduit for recruitment: reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old airman, was accused of leaking US intelligence documents on Discord. The US military uses Discord to recruit young people who are enthusiastic about video games. Jack Teixeira, a 21-year-old junior-ranking US National Guard airman, was arrested on Thursday in connection to the leak of classified Pentagon documents. Some Republicans — most prominently Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — have hailed Teixeira as a national hero, but members of Thug Shaker Central said otherwise. A spokesperson for Discord and the Defense Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

☆ The man who may have leaked top-secret Pentagon documents was a fit and armed military guy who controlled a group of young gamers united by their worship of guns and God: WaPo
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He was the leader of a group of young gamers who loved guns, military gear, and God, per the outlet. As early as 2020, OG began sending the classified information to his Discord server, which was once named "Thug Shaker Central," per The Post. And at least 10 documents were later sent to another Discord server dedicated to the video game "Minecraft," Toler reported. "He said something had happened, and he prayed to God that his event would not happen," one of the young Discord members told The Post. The "Thug Shaker Central" server has been deleted, Bellingcat reported.

☆ The worst Pentagon leak in years may have started in a gamer chatroom, where people weirdly keep posting classified documents trying to win arguments on the internet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The leaked Pentagon documents may have started in an online chatroom for gamers. It's not the first time users have leaked classified or sensitive information to the internet to settle a debate. "Here, have some leaked documents," the user wrote in response to the discussion. In recent years, players of "War Thunder" — a combat video game — have shared highly sensitive information to various chatrooms on multiple occasions, including content about tanks, fighter jets, and missiles. In one case, a user posted information from the manual of an F-16 fighter jet, as well as content about the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.

☆ Leaked Pentagon documents appeared on a 'Minecraft' Discord server weeks before officials knew about a breach: report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Leaked Pentagon documents appeared on Discord servers weeks before the received official attention. At least 10 documents appeared on the server "Minecraft Earth Map" on March 4, Bellingcat reported. At least 10 such documents were posted in March on a Discord server dedicated to the "Minecraft " video game, Bellingcat investigator Aric Toler reported. Wow_Mao told The New York Times he does not spend much time managing his Discord server but admits he could have moderated it better. The analyst cited conversations with several members of the Discord server, who sent him images of the documents.

☆ Pentagon Investigates More Social-Media Posts Purporting to Include Secret U.S. Documents
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Yaroslav Trofimov | Nancy A. Youssef | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Pentagon is investigating social-media posts that purport to reveal highly classified U.S. government documents on the war in Ukraine and other key international topics, in what could be one of the most dangerous intelligence breaches in decades. Well over 100 images, marked with “Top Secret” and other classifications indicating they represent highly sensitive U.S.-produced intelligence, were posted in the Discord message board of fans of the Minecraft computer game around March 1. While many of them were deleted recently, open-source intelligence researchers have managed to download more than 60 files.

☆ I run a multimillion-dollar slime business at 19. Here's how I got started in middle school with only $200.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Lola Christina Alao | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Jungmin Kang started making slime out of Elmer's glue and borax as a hobby when she was 13. I started making slime in 2017 when I was a 13-year-old middle schooler after watching a video on Instagram. I realized that you could easily make it with glue and slime activator, which is borax diluted in water. When Jungmin started high school, it became difficult to balance the business with her education. Being a business owner has taught me about persistenceWhen I started, some of my classmates called slime childish and ridiculous.

☆ Authorities identified a Capitol rioter because he wore a bright red backpack with his last name embroidered on it
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Accessories helped authorities to identify him, including a pair of Pit Viper sunglasses. Christopher Carnell, who appeared in a Raleigh court on Thursday, was caught on CCTV cameras with a bright, red backpack with his last name stitched on the back. Other fashion statements that helped to identify him and his friend David Worth Bowman included a pair of Pit Viper sunglasses and a blue facemask. After seizing Bilyard's phone, authorities found a group chat with three of Bilyard's friends, including Carnell and Bowman. Two days after the riot, the group also spoke in code about entering certain parts of the US Capitol Building.

☆ 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.

☆ How VC Moritz Baier-Lentz went from being one of the world's best professional gamers to the new head of Lightspeed's gaming practice
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Madeline Renbarger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Moritz Baier-Lentz is joining Lightspeed Venture Partners as a partner to lead its gaming practice. Before becoming a top gaming investor, he was the top global professional "Diablo II" player. But he ditched his competitive gaming career for a more traditional career path in business. Lightspeed Venture Partners' newest partner Moritz Baier-Lentz has been a prominent gaming investor for years, orchestrating deals for big banks like Goldman Sachs and backing startups in the gaming space as an early-stage venture investor at BITKRAFT Ventures. Baier-Lentz put his gaming career on pause to go to college and then went on to work as a data manager for IBM.

☆ China's NetEase buys gaming studio involved in major titles including Halo Infinite and Minecraft
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Canadian firm SkyBox Labs is co-developing Halo Infinite for Microsoft's Xbox. NetEase acquired SkyBox Labs as part of an aggressive international push and as it eyes a slice of the console market. NetEase announced on Friday it had acquired Canadian gaming studio SkyBox Labs which is co-developing major games including Halo Infinte, as the Chinese technology giant continues its aggressive international push. SkyBox labs will operate independently under NetEase, China's second-biggest gaming company. SkyBox Labs is currently co-developing Halo Infinite and working on projects with Minecraft.

☆ Microsoft's investment into ChatGPT's creator may be the smartest $1 billion ever spent
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Microsoft's $1 billion investment into OpenAI may be one of the shrewdest bets in tech history. OpenAI released AI bot ChatGPT and is in discussions to raise capital at a $30 billion valuation. "We believe Microsoft's investment in OpenAI will translate to significant underappreciated upside," Luria wrote. Investors may be souring on speculative tech but AI looks resilientThere is speculation that Microsoft may look to buy OpenAI. That suggests investors will still look to pile into the hottest AI companies, cementing the value of Microsoft's deal.

☆ Parents who say their kids are addicted to Fortnite slam Epic Games with lawsuit — and research shows it's not the only game people are worried about
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-31 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Candy Crush and Minecraft are among other video games people are searching for addiction support for, research finds. However, the court didn't agree with the parents' claim that Epic Games deliberately made Fortnite addictive. As part of the class-action, other Fortnite players in Quebec who believe they've experienced symptoms of addiction to the game. In 2019, the World Health Organization officially classified video game addiction as a mental health disorder named "gaming disorder." These include Minecraft (2,800 monthly searches), World of Warcraft (2,620 monthly searches), League of Legends (2,130 monthly searches), and Candy Crush (1,550 monthly searches).

☆ Netflix will be next on Microsoft’s shopping list
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Look for him to add Netflix (NFLX.O) to the list in 2023. Since his 2014 promotion into the technology titan’s corner office, Nadella has embarked on a pricey shopping spree. Later, Microsoft bought LinkedIn for $26 billion and the speech recognition and artificial intelligence software developer Nuance for $20 billion. Even if Nadella loses out on the video-game company for competition reasons, however, owning Netflix would make strategic sense and probably be an easier sell in Washington and Brussels. With a market value 13 times that of Netflix, as of early December, $1.8 trillion Microsoft can afford Netflix.

☆ 'Tech shame' is hitting young colleagues the hardest as they try to fix older colleagues' technical issues and their own
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Jordan Hart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Gen Z workers are 10 times more likely to feel ashamed about technical issues than their older colleagues, HP survey says. According to a November survey from tech company HP, young people are 10 times more likely to feel "tech shame" than their older colleagues when experiencing computer problems like WiFi connection. Although they're often tapped to assist, Gen Zers say they're fed up with being the tech gurus for older coworkers. While most of the comments were from younger workers complaining, one commenter offered advice that could help address tech shame and lessen frustration in early-career workers. The user suggested Gen Zers "use this opportunity to find a mentor" within their company instead of feeling anxious about their ability to help solve tech problems.

☆ Read the pitch deck Anima, an augmented-reality startup, used to raise $3 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Marta Biino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An augmented-reality startup called Anima announced a $3 million funding round. Anima shared 15 pages of the pitch deck it used to convince investors. Anima plans to offer the technology to allow creators to bring 3D assets into AR and easily view and interact with their creations. Examples of augmented-reality art on Anima include this mirror sculpture on a beach. Anima gave Insider an exclusive look at 15 slides from the pitch deck it used to raise $3 million.

She was 11, about his age, and both had little sisters who sold Girl Scout cookies and were adorable sprites who also drove them batty. They were at an age when little sisters could get in the way, no matter how cute they looked in a Girl Scout sash. Sadie could unload Girl Scout cookies as if she were giving away gold — she sold 1,400 boxes in 2022. And why was Sadie selling all those Girl Scout cookies? Their moms would bring them each to New York, along with their little sisters, in June.

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