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☆ Gaming’s winter of discontent bolsters M&A logic
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 12 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The holiday quarter is traditionally a bumper one for gaming groups, as punters stay home to play. As consumers and companies focus on “mega-brands”, smaller firms will struggle to attract staff, and match investment. Sony, for example, will need to bulk up in response to Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) $69 billion swoop on Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O). However, in a tougher environment, Guillemot will need to find some way to keep his hand on the joystick. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ The biggest announcements from CES 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Harry Rabinowitz | Harry Rabinowitz Is A Reporter For Select On Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Every year, the biggest brands in tech make their way to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES. TelevisionRoku, one of the top streaming platforms for smart TVs, announced that it is releasing its own Roku-branded televisions. Now, Roku will be launching its own brand, with Roku Select and Roku Plus TVs, alongside a Roku TV Wireless Soundbar. TCL, a top smart TV brand, is rebranding and overhauling its TV lineup. Now, all of its smart TVs will fall into two groups: the higher-end Q-Series and the budget-friendly S-Series.

There were new twists on foldable devices, cars that changed colors and smart ovens that live streamed dinners. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty ImagesBMW unveiled a wild color-changing concept car with 260 e-panels that can change up to 32 colors. During a demo, different parts of the car, including the wheel covers, flashed in varying hues and swirls of colors. A new look for foldable phonesSamsung's Flex Hybrid Display concept folds and slides SamsungSome companies offered a new twist on the foldable phone concept. The lock, which will cost $300, will be available for purchase late this spring, according to a company press release.

☆ At CES 2023, Sony's 'Gran Turismo' flags new entertainment strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

It also represents a significant bridging of the divides between Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony PlayStation and Sony Music, according to a dozen current and former senior executives interviewed by Reuters. “I defined our identity as a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation on technology,” Sony chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida said. Sony’s “creative entertainment” company approach extends beyond content. A Sony-Honda electric vehicle, scheduled to reach consumers by 2026, is being framed as a rolling showcase of Sony’s entertainment, gaming and camera sensor prowess. This August will bring another test of Sony’s strategy when “Gran Turismo” hits theaters after languishing for 12 years.

☆ 1 in 5 studio films included an LGBTQ character in 2021, GLAAD report finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Sixteen of the 77 films released by those studios (20.8%) featured 28 LGBTQ characters, the report found. That percentage is down slightly from 2020, during which 10 of the 44 theatrical releases (23%) featured 20 LGBTQ characters, according to the report. Of the 16 films that included LGBTQ characters in 2021, 11 films (69%) included gay male characters, four (25%) included lesbian characters and two (13%) included bisexual characters, according to the report. For the second year in a row, GLAAD found that there were zero LGBTQ characters with disabilities or LGBTQ characters living with HIV represented in the year’s films. The majority of the 28 characters, 17, received fewer than five minutes, and six of those characters received less than a minute of screen time.

☆ The ghost of Instagram haunts Microsoft’s future
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Jennifer Saba | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The FTC’s leader Lina Khan might be making up for regulators who waved through Mark Zuckerberg’s $1 billion purchase of Instagram. Though Microsoft’s deal is different, punishment under Khan’s regime seemed inevitable. Microsoft could try to corner the market by forcing consumers to not only buy the Activision games from Microsoft, but the platform as well. Microsoft’s rationale for buying Activision is to better compete in the gaming market against the likes of Tencent (0700.HK) and others. Streaming is the future, and in that way, Microsoft could easily be sidelined in the business if it doesn’t innovate.

☆ Microsoft says it has reached a 10-year deal to bring ‘Call of Duty’ to Nintendo
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Samantha Murphy Kelly | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft said late Tuesday it has reached a 10-year deal to bring the 19-year-old game franchise to Nintendo after its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which makes the game, is completed. The Nintendo deal is the latest attempt by Microsoft to ease concerns that its blockbuster acquisition of the gaming giant could harm competition in the industry. Microsoft head of gaming Phil Spencer announced the commitment with Nintendo in a tweet and said it will continue to offer “Call of Duty” on gaming platform Steam if the deal is completed. The company’s decision to bring “Call of Duty” to Nintendo comes as Microsoft’s Activision deal faces regulatory scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic. “Nintendo is not a high priority for ‘Call of Duty,’ all things considered – it has done perfectly fine without being on Nintendo recently,” Abbruzzese added.

☆ Director Ang Lee will direct his son, playing Bruce Lee in biopic
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-30 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Ang Lee, the Academy Award-winning director of “Brokeback Mountain” and “Life of Pi,” is set to direct an upcoming film about the Chinese American martial arts icon Bruce Lee. Mason Lee, the son of Ang Lee, will play Bruce Lee in Sony’s 3000 Pictures film. At 13, he went on to study wing chun kung fu under the renowned master Yip Man, according to the Bruce Lee Estate. He also developed his own martial art during this time called Jeet Kune Do, the Bruce Lee Foundation's website said. After “The Green Hornet” was canceled, Bruce Lee struggled to find work in Hollywood and returned to Hong Kong to pursue a film career.

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☆ 'Black Panther: 'Wakanda Forever' aims to recreate blockbuster magic. Disney and theaters are counting on it
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

If early projections and ticket sales are any indication, it appears “Wakanda Forever” will be just that. Why “Wakanda Forever” matters to theaters"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" is set to be one of the biggest films of the year. “Every blockbuster counts more than ever for movie theaters right now.”Why does it matter how “Wakanda Forever” does this weekend? Why “Wakanda Forever” matters to Disney"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" could break records this weekend. The performance of “Wakanda Forever” likely won’t move the needle on Disney’s stock, given that investors remain heavily focused on the company’s streaming endeavors.

☆ Paramount took a risk keeping ‘Top Gun’ grounded for two years. It was this year’s biggest hit
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“Maverick” flew into theaters with lots of buzz and strong reviews, and that helped the movie blow past box office projections for its opening weekend. It brought in a Memorial Day weekend record of $160 million at the North American box office. “Maverick” is an old-school box office hit made for the biggest screen possible that emerged just as the industry’s future was very much in doubt. “The commercial reception of Tom Cruise’s legacy sequel was the summer movie miracle theaters needed,” Scott Mendelson, a box office reporter, wrote for Forbes. Climbing back up the mountain"We really felt, and Tom certainly agreed with the fact that we had a great big screen movie," Bakish said.

☆ The Weak Yen Means a Strong Sony—for Now
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Jacky Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

For Sony, the weak yen flattered what would otherwise have been disappointing results in the latest quarter. The weak yen has lifted Sony ’s earnings. The Japanese technology giant on Tuesday reported a 16% year-over-year increase in revenue for the quarter ending in September, while operating income grew 8%. Sony’s sales fell short of analysts’ estimates but its operating profit was better than expected. Sony raised its operating profit forecast for the fiscal year ending in March, after adjusting it down just three months earlier.

☆ Sony Q2 gaming profit tumbles 50% on higher costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FILE PHOTO: Sony Corp's logo is seen on its Crystal LED Integrated Structure (CLEDIS) display at its headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, February 2, 2017. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonTOKYO (Reuters) -Sony Group Corp’s second-quarter profit at its key gaming unit fell by 50% from a year earlier as the entertainment conglomerate booked higher costs from game development and acquisitions, the company said on Tuesday. The Tokyo-headquartered company’s gaming unit recorded a profit of 42.1 billion yen ($284.63 million) after selling 3.3 million units of its PlayStation 5 (PS5) console in the second quarter, equal to the year ago sales. It trimmed its full-year forecast for the games business by 12% to 225 billion yen citing lower software sales from third-party developers and the impact of dollar-denominated costs. Sony reported overall group operating profit rose 8% to 344 billion yen ($2.32 billion) in the July-September quarter, beating analyst estimates, after units including the music business offset the weakness in gaming.

☆ Toshiba shareholders curb their buyout enthusiasm
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUMBAI, Oct 13 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Toshiba (6502.T) shareholders are curbing their enthusiasm, and that makes sense. They bid up the Japanese conglomerate’s stock 8% following a report of a 2.8 trillion yen ($19.1 billion) buyout bid led by Japan Industrial Partners. That leaves the company’s enterprise value lagging the new bid by some 12%. Throw in a weak yen and all the global economic turmoil, and getting a buyout done at all will be triumph. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

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