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☆ It's official: 2023 is the year of Microsoft's glow-up
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Its big bet on AI appears to be paying off while blockbuster deals are getting greenlit. NEW LOOK Sign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAdvertisementIt's a history that is firmly behind the company: 2023 looks set to be the year Microsoft completes its glow-up. But by and large, 2023 has been a remarkable year for Microsoft.

Persons: —, Steve Ballmer, Bill Gates, Satya Nadella, Sam Altman, Nadella, Bing Organizations: Microsoft, Service, Apple, Google, The, Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority, Sky News, IRS, Treasury Locations: Ballmer

The deal was the biggest test of the CMA's global power to take on the tech giants since Britain left the European Union. "The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming as this market takes off, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gaming customers," it said in a statement. Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. Activision Blizzard said: "The CMA's official approval is great news for our future with Microsoft, and we look forward to becoming part of the Xbox Team." The European Commission said the new commitments given by Microsoft to the CMA did not interfere with its EU commitments.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jeremy Hunt, Sarah Cardell, Ben Barringer, Brad Smith, Activision Blizzard, Paul Sandle, Yadarisa Shabong, Aditya Soni, Foo Yun Chee, Varun H, Kate Holton, Sonali Paul, Jane Merriman, Sherry Jacob, Phillips Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, LONDON, Activision Blizzard, Sony, Activision, Competition, Markets Authority, Ubisoft Entertainment, Britain, European Union, PlayStation, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, REUTERS, British, Finance, Xbox, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Britain, Cheviot, London, Bengaluru, Foo

☆ Microsoft closes $69 bln deal for 'Call of Duty' publisher Activision
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Wang Yawei, a star fund manager in China, has been detained by authorities since August and is under investigation, according to three sources, adding to the list of top financial executives caught up in a widening corruption crackdown this year. 10:51 AM UTC

Persons: Wang Yawei Locations: China

☆ Microsoft’s Activision Buy Extends Nadella’s Decade of Deals
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Tom Dotan | Sarah E. Needleman | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/tech/microsofts-activision-deal-gets-green-light-from-u-k-regulator-95fd688a

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: activision

☆ Microsoft Closes $75 Billion Activision Blizzard Deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Tom Dotan | Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: activision

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. The deal was blocked in April by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which said it could give the U.S. computing giant a stranglehold over the nascent cloud gaming market. The deal was the biggest test of the CMA's global power to take on the tech giants since Britain left the European Union. "The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming as this market takes off, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gaming customers," it said in a statement. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission opposed the deal but after failing to stop it, the CMA was left standing alone.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jeremy Hunt, Sarah Cardell, Ben Barringer, Brad Smith, Activision Blizzard, Paul Sandle, Yadarisa, Foo Yun Chee, Varun H, Kate Holton, Sonali Paul, Jane Merriman Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, CMA, LONDON, Activision Blizzard, Competition, Markets Authority, Ubisoft Entertainment, Britain, European Union, PlayStation, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, British, Finance, Xbox, European Commission, Thomson Locations: Britain, Cheviot, London, Bengaluru, Foo

☆ Microsoft’s $75 Billion Activision Blizzard Deal Gets Green Light From U.K. Regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: activision

☆ Microsoft’s Activision Deal Gets Green Light From U.K. Regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Kim Mackrael | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: activision

☆ Microsoft-Activision: Ubisoft deal helps win Britain's nod
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 13 (Reuters) - Britain's antitrust regulator on Friday cleared Microsoft's (MSFT.O) acquisition of "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) after the restructured deal substantially addressed its earlier concerns. In August, Activision agreed to sell its non-European streaming rights to Ubisoft Entertainment (UBIP.PA) to get the biggest deal yet in video-gaming past Britain's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). "We have now crossed the final regulatory hurdle to close this acquisition, which we believe will benefit players and the gaming industry worldwide," Microsoft President Brad Smith said. The company had in July extended the deadline to close the deal by Oct. 18. Here is a snapshot of key events in the Microsoft-Activision saga:Reporting by Tiyashi Datta, Jaspreet Singh and Yadarisa Shabong in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Shinjini Ganguli and Varun H KOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brad Smith, Tiyashi Datta, Jaspreet Singh, Yadarisa, Anil D'Silva, Shinjini Organizations: Activision, Ubisoft Entertainment, Markets Authority, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick: We always believed the deal would get through
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailActivision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick: We always believed the deal would get throughActivision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick joins 'Squawk Box' to discuss Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, after U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority gave the green light to Microsoft’s proposed $69 billion takeover of the gaming firm, removing the last major hurdle for the deal to close.

Persons: Bobby Kotick Organizations: Activision, Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority

☆ Microsoft-Activision Blizzard takeover approved as UK removes final hurdle
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —UK antitrust officials have approved Microsoft’s planned takeover of Activision Blizzard, the maker of “Call of Duty” and other hit games, greenlighting one of the biggest tech deals of all time. The Competition and Markets Authority announced Friday that the merger had been cleared after the companies agreed to give up certain cloud gaming rights, removing the final regulatory hurdle to the deal closing. Microsoft (MSFT) unveiled the deal in early 2022, but it was blocked in April by the UK competition regulator. “The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming,” the agency said Friday. Alongside “Call of Duty,” it also produces “World of Warcraft” and “Overwatch.”Microsoft, which sells the Xbox gaming console, offers a popular video game subscription service called Xbox Game Pass, as well as a cloud-based video game streaming service.

Persons: “, Tencent, Brad Smith, “ we’re, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Activision Blizzard, Markets Authority, CMA, Microsoft, Activision, European Union, Ubisoft Entertainment, Sony, Twitter Locations: Hong Kong

☆ How finally closing its Activision purchase will diversify Microsoft's revenue streams
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Microsoft (MSFT) closed its landmark acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI), according to a company regulatory filing Friday, furthering the Big Tech name's video game ambitions. However, this biggest video game deal ever was completed despite the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) ongoing fight to block it. Activision reported $7.5 billion in revenue for the 2022 fiscal year, in comparison to Microsoft's $212 billion in sales for the same period. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Microsoft submitted a new proposal to U.K. regulators for the takeover of American game publisher Activision Blizzard after its initial proposal was rejected.

Persons: Victoria Graham, Jim Cramer, Jim, Tony Hawk, Jim Cramer's Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Big Tech, Activision, pushback, Markets, CMA, Ubisoft, Federal Trade Commission's, CNBC, FTC, Xbox, Nurphoto, Getty Locations: U.S, OpenAI

Plus, it will be “productive for the gaming industry as a whole and healthy for competition in the gaming market,” he said. In the meantime, the U.K. regulator was the last major obstacle to the transaction going through. British regulators had initially blocked the transaction over concerns Microsoft could withhold Activision titles from the cloud gaming market. One factor was the EU’s approval, granted after Microsoft promised to automatically license Activision titles royalty-free to cloud gaming platforms. But the CMA's flip-flopping makes the U.K. regulator look “weak and indecisive,” he said.

Persons: Activision Blizzard, Candy, Overwatch —, Brad Smith, Bobby Kotick, Joshua Chapman, ”, Sarah Cardell, Max von Thun, ” von Thun, Matt O’Brien Organizations: —, Activision, Markets, Microsoft, Xbox, Union, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, FTC, Ubisoft Entertainment, U.K, PlayStation, European Commission, Open Markets, CMA, AP Locations: Konvoy, U.K, Europe, Providence , Rhode Island

☆ Microsoft's $69 billion Activision Blizzard takeover approved by UK, clearing way for deal to close
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Competition and Markets Authority said it had cleared the deal for Microsoft to buy Activision but without cloud gaming rights. Microsoft offered a spate of concessions, which centered around divesting the cloud rights of Activision games to French game publisher Ubisoft Entertainment. The U.K.'s regulatory U-turnRegulators globally were concerned that the takeover would reduce competition in the gaming market, in particular around cloud gaming. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission was fighting a legal battle with Microsoft in an effort to get the Activision takeover scrapped. "As cloud gaming grows, this intervention will ensure people get more competitive prices, better services and more choice.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, we've, Sarah Cardell, Cardell Organizations: Activision, Markets Authority, Microsoft, CMA, Ubisoft Entertainment, Ubisoft, Netflix, Reuters, Authorities, European Union, EU, Federal Trade Commission, Activision PC Locations: U.S, Europe, U.K

☆ Microsoft is set to buy Activision Blizzard in a $69 billion deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Kai Xiang Teo | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft has cleared a key regulatory hurdle in the UK to acquire video game giant Activision Blizzard. The UK's competition watchdog approved Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of the company. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementAdvertisementMicrosoft has received clearance from the UK's antitrust regulator for its $69 billion acquisition of video game giant Activision Blizzard. Microsoft and Activision Blizzard did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Insider, sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: — Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, Service, Activision Blizzard, UK's, Markets Authority

☆ 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

Signage is seen at the Federal Trade Commission headquarters in Washington, D.C., U.S., August 29, 2020. In the United States, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also fought the deal, and has an argument scheduled before an appeals court on Dec. 6. The agency said on Friday that it remained focused on that appeal. "The FTC continues to believe this deal is a threat to competition." Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by Susan FentonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Victoria Graham, Diane Bartz, Susan Fenton Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Activision, Ubisoft, Ubisoft Entertainment, Microsoft, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, Britain, United States

Microsoft, which owns the Xbox gaming system, closed its $69 billion deal to buy game-maker Activision Blizzard on Friday after fending off global opposition from antitrust regulators and rivals. It marks a career-defining moment for Spencer, who first joined Microsoft as an intern in 1988 and has helmed Xbox since 2014. When the companies announced a planned merger in January 2022, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made clear it would be "critical for Activision Blizzard to drive forward” on its commitments to improve its workplace culture. As of late last year, Activision Blizzard had 13,000 employees, about 72% in North America, according to a regulatory filing. “It is a new day for workers at Activision Blizzard,” said CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. in a statement Friday.

Persons: Phil Spencer, Spencer, “, ”, Gil Luria, Davidson, he’s, Bobby Kotick, who's, Kotick, Satya Nadella, Joe Biden's, ” Luria, George Jijiashvili, Elder, ” Jijiashvili, Claude Cummings Jr, ” Cummings Organizations: Activision Blizzard, Microsoft, Activision, PlayStation, Sony, U.S . Federal Trade, ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Softworks, Communications Workers of America Locations: Southern California, U.S, United Kingdom, San Francisco, Bethesda, North America, Canada

☆ UK clears Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailUK clears Microsoft's $69 billion acquisition of Activision BlizzardThe U.K. Competition and Markets Authority approved Microsoft to go ahead with its proposed $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, clearing the way for the deal to close globally. CNBC's Arjun Kharpal reports.

Persons: CNBC's Arjun Kharpal Organizations: Activision, Competition, Markets Authority, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard

That same year, Amazon unsuccessfully sought to get her recused from agency probes against the company, arguing she was too biased. The District of Columbia also tried to sue Amazon on antitrust grounds before, but its lawsuit was dismissed by a federal judge last year. Experts say the FTC faces a few hurdles in its own case, including convincing the court which slice of the market Amazon is allegedly monopolizing. In a blog post responding to the lawsuit, Amazon General Counsel David Zapolsky accused the FTC of attempting to “gerrymander alleged market” to portray Amazon as something it’s not. The FTC also alleges Amazon keeps sellers dependent on services that have allowed it to collect billions in revenue every year.

Persons: Lina Khan, hasn’t, Khan, Joe Biden, ” Khan, David Zapolsky, “ gerrymander, ”, Neil Saunders, Maurice Stucke, Stucke, Sean Sullivan, they’re Organizations: Federal Trade, Activision Blizzard, FTC, Microsoft, Yale Law, Amazon, of, Walmart, GlobalData, Google, Department of Justice, University of Tennessee, University of Iowa College of Law Locations: California, of Columbia, U.S, monopolization

☆ Microsoft could buy Activision Blizzard by the end of the week. Here's what that means for 'Call of Duty.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Activision President Rob Kostich said he thinks the deal will make "Call of Duty" better. "This deal is good for the industry," Kostich told Games Beat. AdvertisementAdvertisementActivision Blizzard's president thinks that Microsoft could make the "Call of Duty" franchise even better. The UK Competition and Markets Authority previously blocked Microsoft's attempts to buy Activision Blizzard, causing Microsoft to reorganize the deal. "As we've said previously, this deal is good for the industry and will bring more games to more players," Kostich told Games Beat.

Persons: Rob Kostich, Kostich, —, we've, Activision Blizzard Organizations: Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, Activision, Service, Markets, Ubisoft, Cloud Gaming, Sunday

Deal negotiations between Exxon and Pioneer are advanced but have not yet led to an agreement, Reuters reported on Thursday. These transactions were eventually allowed to be completed, and the regulator has not sued to thwart an oil and gas production deal since 2000. The lawyers and experts interviewed said the FTC would face an uphill struggle in challenging Exxon's attempted acquisition of Pioneer. "The modern U.S. experience is that oil and gas deals of any notable size get a close look. It sued to block the merger and only agreed to drop its objections after BP offered to divest oil production acreage in Alaska.

Persons: Joe Biden, Janet Yellen, Leah Millis, producer's, Lina Khan, Andre Barlow, Doyle, Barlow, Mazard PLLC, Sheldon Whitehouse, William Kovacic, George Washington, consultancies Wood MacKenzie, David Kass, Diane Bartz, David French, Mike Stone, Greg Roumeliotis, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Treasury, White, REUTERS, Exxon Mobil, Natural Resources, Exxon, Pioneer, Reuters, Federal Trade Commission, Democratic, George, Companies, Activision, FTC, Atlantic, BP, RBC Capital Markets, Chevron, PDC Energy, University of Maryland, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, U.S, Atlantic Richfield, Alaska, West Texas, New Mexico, Rystad, Denver, Julesburg, Washington ,, Atlanta

☆ Microsoft looks to close Activision deal next week - The Verge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard logo in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/file Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 6 (Reuters) - Microsoft (MSFT.O) is aiming to close its $69 billion deal for "Call of Duty" publisher Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) on Oct. 13 if it gets approval from Britain's antitrust regulator, the Verge reported on Friday, citing a source. The Xbox maker had in July extended the cutoff date for the deal to Oct. 18 to get more time to secure approval from the UK. Microsoft won preliminary approval from the Competition and Markets Authority last month after Activision agreed to sell its streaming rights to Ubisoft Entertainment (UBIP.PA). Reporting by Zaheer Kachwala in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun KoyyurOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Activision Blizzard, Microsoft's, Zaheer Kachwala, Arun Koyyur Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, Competition, Markets, Ubisoft Entertainment, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ PepsiCo is among the most oversold S&P 500 stocks. Here are the others
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The S & P 500 entered Friday's session down for the week, but a 1% rally put it on track to snap a four-week slide. Here are some of the most oversold names: PepsiCo is one of the most oversold companies in the S & P 500, scoring an RSI of 5.7 and a consensus price target implying more than 26% upside. Other oversold stocks include utility company NextEra Energy , hospitality and entertainment company MGM Resorts International and financial services firm State Street . Here are the 10 most overbought stocks in the S & P 500: Activision Blizzard made the list, with an RSI of 74.15. Pharmaceutical company McKesson and risk management software provider Assurant are also among the most overbought companies in the S & P 500.

Persons: Christopher Horvers, Activision Blizzard, UnitedHealth, it's Organizations: Group, PepsiCo, Dow Jones, CNBC Pro, Wall Street, Gatorade, Barclays, JPMorgan, HSBC, NextEra Energy, MGM Resorts International, Activision, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard, . Pharmaceutical, Seagate Technology Locations: overbought

Ofcom said it had identified features that made it more difficult for UK businesses to use multiple cloud suppliers. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft had a combined 70-80% share of Britain's public cloud infrastructure services market in 2022, Ofcom said. Microsoft said it was committed to ensuring the UK cloud industry remained innovative and highly competitive. The CMA welcomed the move, saying effective competition in the 7.5 billion pound ($9.1 billion) UK market was essential. Google Vice President Amit Zavery said Ofcom's referral demonstrated the need to create an open cloud market with no vendor lock-in.

Persons: Dan Ridsdale, Edison, Dado Ruvic, Fergal Farragher, Amit Zavery, Yadarisa, Paul Sandle, Foo Yun Chee, Mark Potter, Jan Harvey, Jacqueline Wong, Jane Merriman Organizations: CMA, Microsoft, Ofcom, Amazon Web Services, Google, U.S . Federal Trade Commission, Markets, REUTERS, Cloud Infrastructure Services, Amazon, MICROSOFT, Activision Blizzard, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Britain, France, Japan, The Netherlands, South Korea, China, EU, Europe, Bengaluru, London, Brussels

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