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☆ Nintendo to develop 'Zelda' movie in latest entertainment push
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of the Nintendo is displayed at Nintendo Tokyo, the first-ever Nintendo official store in Japan, at at SHIBUYA PARCO department store and shopping mall complex, during a press preview in Tokyo, Japan November 19, 2019. REUTERS/Issei Kato Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Nintendo (7974.T) said on Wednesday it will develop a live-action film of long running franchise "The Legend of Zelda" in the Kyoto-based firm's latest push beyond its core gaming business. The two men have been working on an adaptation of the "Zelda" franchise for many years but the movie will take time, according to posts on social media by Nintendo. Nintendo said on Tuesday it had sold 19.5 million units of the latest "Zelda" game at September-end as the series continues to deliver hits almost 40 years after its first installment. The "Zelda" movie development comes at a time of renewed appetite for adaptations of Japanese franchises globally, with examples including Netflix's recently launched adaptation of long running pirate manga series "One Piece".

Persons: Issei Kato, Zelda, Mario, Shigeru Miyamoto, Avi Arad, Wes Ball, Sam Nussey, Sandra Maler Organizations: Nintendo, Nintendo Tokyo, REUTERS, Rights, Sony, Thomson Locations: Japan, SHIBUYA PARCO, Tokyo, Kyoto

☆ Neopets is under new management and planning a comeback in a vastly different era of gaming
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Lim Hui Jie | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Since buying Neopets, Law said his team is in the process of restoring those minigames and modernizing them to enhance the experience. Competing in the current metaWhile Law is optimistic, he is aware that Neopets was born in a different era of video gaming. For Neopets, Law said the merch business would include both physical, like plushies and clothing, and digital, such as in-game purchases. In 2024, Law's team is planning to launch World of Neopets, a 3D simulator game that will utilize the existing Neopets world, but in a modern gaming environment. Does this mean that new Neopets games will replace the 24-year old Neopets.com?

Persons: Dominic Law, Neopets, Neopets …, Jakub Porzycki, NetDragon Websoft, Law, we've, John Legend, Kass Basher, Mickey Mouse Organizations: Neopets, Koelnmesse, CNBC, Gamescom, Law, Getty, Nurphoto, Adobe, Activision, Monopoly Locations: Asia, Singapore, asia, Canada, Hong Kong, Gamescom Asia, that's, Krakow, Poland, Neopets, U.S

☆ How I Get Eight Free Hotel Nights Every Year Without Doing Anything
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Ben Luthi | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +10 min

So long as you pay the annual fee, many hotel credit cards offer one free night each year. Before discovering free night credits, I stayed at my fair share of motels with rock-hard beds and paper-thin walls. However, as my life and finances evolved, the benefit of my free night certificates has become about more than saving money. My hotel credit card collectionYou probably don’t need eight hotel cards. Key perks: Annual free night award, fourth night free on consecutive award redemptions, automatic IHG® Platinum status, $100 trusted traveler program application fee credit every four years.

Persons: Ben Luthi, I’ve, ”, you’ll, ’, we’ve, I’m, you’re, Wyndham Wyndham, Wyndham Organizations: Nintendo, Card, Marriott Marriott, Marriott, California — Marriott, Marriott Bonvoy, Business, Residence, Ritz, Carlton, Hilton Hilton Honors Aspire, Hilton, Hilton Resort, Honors, Diamond, Las, Hyatt, Hyatt Credit, Hyatt House, Hyatt Card, Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt, Wyndham Locations: Sandy , Utah, Hilton, Park City, Marriott, California, Fairfield, Vegas, Seattle, Alaska, Grand, Wyndham

☆ These 11 Videogames Make Working Out Actually Fun
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Sam Sanders | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

GAME ON In ‘Beat Saber,’ your hands become lightsabers that you use to slash neon arrows as they fly towards you in rhythm with popular music. Photo: Beat GamesWE OFTEN ASSOCIATE videogames with lethargy—a group of snackers sitting around a screen. Enter: so-called “Exergames,” a portmanteau of “exercise games,” which make movement part of the play, so that even working out can be fun. Some titles of the genre can be played on your phone, great for novice gamers who aren’t ready to invest in a gaming console. The best, however, usually require controllers that can track motion—as with the Nintendo Switch and Sony PlayStation 5.

Persons: — Organizations: European, of Investigation, Health, Education, Nintendo, Sony PlayStation

☆ Elon Musk’s Twitter takeover, the platform and its cultural impact have fundamentally changed
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( Brian Fung | Clare Duffy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

Here’s a (non-exhaustive) account of how Musk has fundamentally changed Twitter since he made one of the most consequential acquisitions of the social media age. Many of Musk’s content and product decisions have also led to what civil society groups have reported as a troubling spread of hateful speech on the platform. He recommended that X users monitor the Israel-Hamas conflict by following an account known for spreading disinformation, before later deleting his post. And, in an attempt to prove that former Twitter executives deliberately discriminated against conservatives on the platform, Musk provided a handpicked group of journalists with selective access to company records. It is perhaps Musk’s all-consuming presence that has most undermined what users used to love about Twitter.

Persons: New York CNN — It’s, Elon Musk, Linda Yaccarino —, Yaccarino, ” Yaccarino, —, it’s, Here’s, Musk, he’s, Donald Trump, LeBron James, James, ”, X, General Mills, ” Weeks, “ Elon, what’s, “, Paul Pelosi, Dilbert, Scott Adams, George Soros, Joe Biden’s, Ron DeSantis ’, Robert F, Kennedy, Jr, Tucker Carlson, Vivek Ramaswamy, Benjamin Netanyahu, Hunter Biden Organizations: New, New York CNN, Elon, Twitter, US Federal Trade Commission, Securities, Exchange Commission, EU, Premium, Nintendo, NPR, PBS, Volkswagen, —, Center, Defamation League, Wall Street, Florida Republican Gov, Fox, New York, Trump Locations: New York, Israel, United States, breakeven, New

☆ Comcast revenue and profit top estimates as Universal theme park sales soar
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Comcast topped both revenue and profit estimates in the third quarter, but the largest U.S. internet provider lost high-speed broadband customers and NBCUniversal advertising revenue slumped. NBCUniversal's flagship streaming service Peacock added 4 million subscribers and revenue increased 64% to $830 million, stemming the subscription service's quarterly loss to $565 million. Revenue rose 0.9% compared to the prior year period. U.S. broadband revenue rose 3.8% to $6.4 billion even as subscribers fell due to higher rates. Wireless revenue rose 16% to $917 million in the quarter on a net addition of 294,000 customers.

Persons: Peacock, Read Organizations: NINTENDO, Universal Studios Hollywood, Comcast, LSEG, Sky, Sky . Revenue, Super Nintendo, U.S Locations: Universal City , California, Sky .

☆ Foxconn founder Terry Gou lies low in Taiwan election as China tax probe reverberates
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] Terry Gou, founder of Taiwan's Foxconn poses for pictures while saluting during a news conference in Taoyuan, Taiwan April 5, 2023. But three months out from the election, Gou, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes at $6.7 billion, has gone to ground. China claims Taiwan as its own and believes Lai, who leads opinion polls, is a separatist bent on a formal declaration of independence. Since the Global Times report came out, Gou's team has declined to comment, referring questions to Foxconn itself. Gou remains a lauded figure at Foxconn after stepping down as chairman in 2019, referred to reverentially as "the founder".

Persons: Terry Gou, Taiwan's, Carlos Garcia Rawlins, Taiwan's Terry Gou, Gou, Lai Ching, Lai, Steve Jobs, Foxconn, Democratic Progressive Party's, reverentially, Xi Jinping, Ben Blanchard, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Apple, Forbes, Global Times, Taiwan, Democratic Progressive, DPP, Taiwan People's Party, Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, Chicago, Atari, Dell, Sony Corp, Nintendo Co, Microsoft Corp, Communists, Communist Party's, Thomson Locations: Taoyuan, Taiwan, Rights TAIPEI, China, Foxconn, Beijing, Kuomintang, People's Republic of China

☆ Sony’s PlayStation Access controller offers a new social lifeline for gamers with disabilities
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Catherine Thorbecke | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Sony Interactive Entertainment is the maker of the wildly popular PlayStation consoles and a lineup of fan-favorite PlayStation games. Paul Amadeus Lane, an accessibility consultant working with Sony Interactive Entertainment, is pictured here with the Access controller, a Sony device specifically designed for gamers with disabilities. After years of tinkering and consulting with gamers who have disabilities like Lane, Sony Interactive Entertainment unveiled a first look at its Access controller for gamers with disabilities earlier this month. Gamers get a first look at Sony's Access controller, a highly-customizable device designed specifically for people with disabilities, at an event in San Mateo in September. “The industry needs to understand that the Xbox controller, the PlayStation controller, while they’re great and while they’re very beneficial, they cannot help everyone,” he said.

Persons: CNN — Grant Stoner, ” Stoner, I’ve, Stoner, Grant Stoner, Paul Amadeus Lane, quadriplegic, Lane, ” Lane, Alvin Daniel, ” Daniel, Daniel, “, ”, he’s, there’s Organizations: CNN, Super Nintendo, “, Pittsburgh, Sony, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo, Gamers, Sony’s PlayStation, Gran Turismo Locations: San Mateo

☆ After blockbuster Microsoft deal, gaming giants are still sitting on $45 billion cash hoard
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Public gaming companies currently hold cash and cash equivalents of $45.1 billion, according to a report from venture capital firm Konvoy. Publicly listed gaming companies had a fairly rosy year in 2023, on the whole. The VanEck Video Gaming and eSports ETF , which seeks to track MVIS Global Video Gaming & eSports Index, has climbed 20% in the year to date, according to Konvoy. Total venture funding into the video games industry in the third quarter of 2023 fell 9% quarter-over-quarter, to $454 million. That was when pandemic lockdowns were in full swing, and people had more time to spend playing video games indoors.

Persons: China's NetEase, hasn't, China's Tencent, Josh Chapman, Redmond, Chapman, Candy Crush, Konvoy's Chapman Organizations: Chesno Publicly, CNBC, Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Bandai Namco, Public, Gaming, Esports, Big Tech, Microsoft, Google, Apple, Meta, Netflix, Sony, Activision, U.S, U.K, Markets Authority, Duty, Bandai Namco Entertainment Locations: Konvoy, Washington

☆ Meet Microsoft games chief Phil Spencer, who helped drive $69 billion Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

When Phil Spencer took the helm of Microsoft's gaming division in 2014, he and newly appointed CEO Satya Nadella weren't sure if the company should keep investing in the Xbox, which was losing to Sony. Less than a decade later, Spencer and the Xbox are at the center of the software company's largest acquisition ever. Coyner, who left Microsoft in 2018, said he's confident that smart people at the company can explain the high price. He told an interviewer from gaming website Shacknews in 2020 that he only got to become head of Microsoft's gaming division because so many other people had left, and he was still there. In the most recent fiscal year, gaming revenue was $15.5 billion, accounting for 7.3% of total Microsoft sales.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Satya Nadella weren't, Spencer, Don Coyner, it's Organizations: Sony, Activision, Microsoft, European Commission, Federal Trade, FTC, Nintendo Locations: U.S, San Francisco

☆ Mario Can’t Be Super Without Psychedelic Power-Ups
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Zachary Small | More About Zachary Small | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Oct. 17, 2023Early into his newest adventure, Mario transforms into a large elephant. It’s not a costume like those in previous Super Mario video games, where acrobatics are imbued in the cat suits, penguin wings and frog legs worn by the Mushroom Kingdom’s savior. Zowie!”That peculiar power-up, which lets Mario use his trunk to swat enemies and water benevolent flowers, is just one spectacle in the eccentric Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which arrives Friday for the Nintendo Switch. But by turning its star into an elephant, Nintendo is also acknowledging a simple fact of its Goomba-stomping, Koopa-kicking empire: Mario himself is a little boring. The smorgasbord of power-ups is what keeps players excited.

Persons: Mario Organizations: Nintendo

☆ Microsoft closes $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard after lengthy regulatory review
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jordan Novet | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"Today we start the work to bring beloved Activision, Blizzard, and King franchises to Game Pass and other platforms," Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said in a blog post . Microsoft has closed its $69 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard , according to a regulatory filing by the company Friday. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will stay on as CEO through the end of the year. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, who took the helm in 2014, is aiming to diversify the company's business beyond its core areas such as operating systems and productivity software. WATCH: Microsoft deal with Activision Blizzard set to clear final hurdle

Persons: Phil Spencer, Tony Hawk, It's, Bobby Kotick, Satya Nadella, pushback, Victoria Graham, Activision Blizzard Organizations: Activision, Blizzard, Microsoft, Markets Authority, Federal Trade Commission, European Commission, Markets, Economic, Activision Blizzard, Nintendo, Sony, Nvidia, San, U.S, Appeals, Circuit, Ubisoft, FTC Locations: U.S, San Francisco federal

Learn moreThis is my sixth Prime Day as a deals editor, and with each event, I get pickier and pickier about which deals end up in my own shopping cart. I've learned that many of the best Prime Day deals do eventually come back around. Last Prime Day, I was lucky enough to score it, and this Prime Day you might have a shot at it, too. The deal: 60% off an Amazon Fire TV 50" 4K smart TV. Why buy the Amazon Fire TVLook, I'm a home & kitchen editor, not a tech editor, so if you're looking for the best TV you can buy, you'll probably want to check out our Prime Day TV live blog.

Persons: I've, —, you'll Organizations: Amazon, British Baking, Netflix, Hulu, Nintendo

☆ People are figuring out ways to generate inappropriate images with Meta's new AI stickers — and sharing the results online
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Users have found ways to generate wildly inappropriate images with the tool, and are sharing the results online. One academic hit out at Meta's AI safeguards in a blog post on Sunday. AdvertisementAdvertisementMeta launched the AI stickers and other features like celebrity AI assistants on September 27. But the stickers are already drawing ridicule online after people started trying to figure out ways to generate wildly inappropriate images using the tech. AdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, Tama Leaver, a professor of internet studies at Curtin University, hit out at Meta's AI safeguards in a separate blog post on Sunday.

Persons: Meta, —, Justin Trudeau, ince, lew, haring, ike, ickey, onic, hough Organizations: Service, Meta, Canadian, ust

TOKYO (AP) — Business sentiment among big Japanese manufacturers improved in July-September for the second straight quarter, according to a central bank survey released Monday. The Bank of Japan's “tankan” quarterly survey measured business sentiment among major manufacturers at plus 9, up from plus 5 in June. That’s tough for Japan, which imports almost all its oil, at a time when the Japanese yen is weakening. For the tankan’s projection of business sentiment three months from now, large manufacturers are expecting an improvement of 1 point at plus 10. What the Bank of Japan will do to interest rates in coming months is being closely watched.

Persons: ”, Toshihiro Nagahama, ___ Yuri Kageyama Organizations: TOKYO, Japan's, Dai, ichi, Toyota, Nintendo, Bank of Locations: Ukraine, Japan, Bank of Japan

☆ Atari 2600+ sees its future in retro gaming — and maybe in a handheld too
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Michael Nam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Atari home video game system took the late1970s and early 1980s by storm, complete with faux wood paneling and a classic joystick with a big red button. Centipede - Atari 2600 VCS Videogame ArcadeImages/Alamy Stock PhotoWith Rosen at the helm, the company is taking a closer look at its own history to chart its future, releasing remastered or reimagined versions of its classics like “Missile Command” and “Centipede,” producing the critically acclaimed “Atari 50” interactive documentary, and introducing its soon-to-be released retro console the Atari 2600+. They’re radically different things.”The retro console arrives in November at a $130 price point and in a more compact version. While it comes packaged with 10 games in a single cartridge, the console will also play new titles and work with original Atari 2600 and 7800 game cartridges. Atari is reimagining the classic "Haunted House" video game.

Persons: Wade Rosen, Rosen, ” Rosen, “, They’re, ”, Tengku Bahar, there’d, It’s Organizations: CNN, Atari, “, Command, Getty, Nightdive Studios, Nintendo, PlayStation Locations: Hong Kong, AFP

☆ Pokémon teams up with Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Jack Guy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Pokémon is partnering with the Vincent van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam as part of a new collaboration to teach youngsters about the work of one of the Netherlands’ most famous artists. A number of Pokémon-themed exhibits will run at the Van Gogh Museum from Thursday as part of the museum’s 50th anniversary celebrations, according to a press release published Wednesday. Courtesy Van Gogh Museum“This collaboration will allow the next generation to get to know Vincent van Gogh’s art and life story in a refreshing way. The Van Gogh Museum and The Pokémon Company have drawn on many years of educational expertise to create a special experience for children, their supervisors, and we hope many others at the Van Gogh Museum,” said Emilie Gordenker, general director of the Van Gogh Museum, in the release. Courtesy Van Gogh MuseumThe collaboration will run until January 7 and a regular ticket to the museum is required for entry.

Persons: Pokémon, Vincent van Gogh, Vincent van Gogh’s, Van, ”, Emilie Gordenker, Van Gogh's, Theo, Vincent, ‘, Mathieu Galante, Galante, Pikachu Organizations: CNN, Van, Van Gogh Museum, Pokémon Company Locations: Amsterdam, Netherlands, Van Gogh, Gogh, Japan

REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 27 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Microsoft’s (MSFT.O) gaming master plan is slowly coming together. But Microsoft’s gaming revenue was still around 8% of group sales, or $15 billion, for the year ended June 2022. Given these risks, it makes sense for Nadella to grow his exposure to those parts of the gaming market which are less likely to be upended by cloud gaming. It remains possible that cloud gaming is a dog that doesn’t bark – or at least not for some time. As a result of the Activision deal, Nadella has a hedge of sorts against cloud gaming happening too fast.

Persons: Kevork, Satya Nadella’s, Ampere, ”, GamesIndustry.biz, Nadella, George Hay, Katrina Hamlin Organizations: Activision, REUTERS, Reuters, Bethesda, Microsoft, Satya Nadella’s Activision, Ampere, Sony, Nintendo, Reuters Graphics, Netflix, Gamers, Xbox, PlayStation, Big Tech, Apple, HK, reckons, Competition, Markets Authority, CMA, Xbox Cloud Gaming, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, United States, U.S

☆ 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

People gather ahead of the "Festival of Fantasy" parade at the Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom theme park in Orlando, Florida, U.S. July 30, 2022. REUTERS/Octavio Jones Acquire Licensing RightsSept 20 (Reuters) - Walt Disney's (DIS.N) $60 billion spending plan on parks and cruises to stay ahead of growing competition has worried some Wall Street analysts with its long road to payoff. "Expanding parks and cruises tends to be a multi year undertaking as a result of which, revenue and margin acceleration lags the investment cycle," Barclays analysts said. The bump in parks spending also follows a quiet period for the business during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, when the spread of COVID-19 forced park closures and hit attendance. That led Needham analysts to warn Disney could be basing its decision on "unsustainable and elevated profit margins."

Persons: Octavio Jones, Walt Disney's, Needham, Samrhitha Arunasalam, Aditya Soni, Anil D'Silva Organizations: Walt Disney, REUTERS, Wall Street, Walt Disney World, Netflix, Barclays, Analysts, ABC, Comcast, Disney, Nintendo, Thomson Locations: Orlando , Florida, U.S, Hulu, COVID, California, Florida, Bengaluru

☆ Why Barbie, Star Trek, and Star Wars succeed where other movie franchises fail to capitalize on fandoms, according to a new study
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Fandom unveiled the top 25 game and TV/film franchises of 2023 with Marvel, One Piece, Elder Scrolls, and Harry Potter following Star Wars. The idea was to give a unified view on what's capturing fan attention and why, said Perkins Miller, Fandom's CEO. Fandom study describes why franchises fans buy. "We saw original fans far less likely to watch those," Iaffaldano said of the animated shows. FandomOverall, world-building, as exemplified by Star Wars, was the most important factor in love of a franchise, cited by 32%.

Persons: Scrolls, Harry Potter, Perkins Miller, Warner, David Zaslav, Bob Iger, Marvel, Barbie, hasn't, Zelda, Anthony Iaffaldano, Iaffaldano, It's, Miller, they're Organizations: Star Wars, Marvel, Star, deca, Warner Bros, Discovery, Disney, Nintendo, Netflix, Paramount

☆ Insider Today: Big banks are screwed
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

It's the latest example of the pressure big banks are under to keep their place atop Wall Street. Before the announcement, the bank's share price was down almost 9% this year, trailing all of its fellow big bank peers in the US except Bank of America. Citi's overhaul represents how big banks are scrambling to stay on top of a financial world passing them by. CEO Jamie Dimon recently quipped he "wouldn't be a big buyer of a bank" in reference to proposed regulations requiring big banks to keep more money on the sidelines. Whether it's fintechs or so-called shadow banks, there's no shortage of players looking to offer services previously dominated by big banks.

Persons: that'll, isn't, Mike Kemp, Insider's Jennifer Sor, Jane Fraser, Fraser, Fraser isn't, she's, Michael Corbat, Citi's reorg, Goldman Sachs, David Solomon, Rebecca Ungarino, Wells, Charlie Scharf, JPMorgan — isn't, Jamie Dimon, it's, Robert Nickelsberg, Morgan Stanley, — isn't, Arantza Pena Popo, Nicole Zaridze, Elon Musk, Post Malone, —, Hunter Biden, Garrett Ziegler, Paul Morigi, Biden's, Joey Hadden, I've, Dan DeFrancesco, Naga Siu, Hallam Bullock, Lisa Ryan Organizations: Service, Citigroup, Getty, Bank of America, JPMorgan, Independence, Apple, Post, SEC, Trump, Wikimedia, Motors, Ford, Nintendo Locations: Wall, Silicon, Seattle, New York City, China, Boxabl, Michigan, San Diego, London, New York

☆ 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

☆ 12 Video Games Releasing This Fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Jason M. Bailey | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It has been such a fruitful year for video games that you couldn’t blame someone for wanting a light fall lineup to finish titles like Tears of the Kingdom and Baldur’s Gate 3. For better or worse, this season is stacked with AAA releases, long-awaited sequels and promising independent games. (Some games will be available before their official launch dates because of early-access programs.) (Sept. 19; PC, Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation 5, Microsoft Xbox Series X|S)LIES OF P This is not Disney’s Pinocchio. (Sept. 19; PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S)

Persons: Johnny Cage, Belle Organizations: AAA, Nintendo, Sony PlayStation, Microsoft, Xbox

In the opening hours of the role-playing video game, it’s possible to land your spaceship on Earth’s moon or zip 16 light-years to Alpha Centauri. That sprawling celestial journey within Starfield, developed by Bethesda Game Studios, reveals both the tremendous potential and the monumental challenge of an open-world space adventure. Bethesda has hyped an expansive single-player campaign with 1,000 explorable planets. And expectations around the game, officially releasing on Sept. 6 after a 10-month delay, are nearly as vast. To compete, Microsoft went on a spending spree, acquiring Bethesda’s parent company in 2020 and agreeing to purchase Activision Blizzard in 2022, a $69 billion bet that is being challenged by regulators.

Persons: Starfield, It’s Organizations: Alpha Centauri, Bethesda Game Studios, Bethesda, Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Activision Blizzard Locations: Starfield

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