Sony has sent in an offer to acquire Kadokawa Group, a massive Japanese conglomerate with its hand in publishing, anime, manga and game development.
Read More »Ubisoft responds to buyout reports
Ubisoft has responded to recent reports that the company is in talks to sell. Ubisoft does not deny the report, but also stops shy of confirming.
Read More »Warner Bros. acquires MultiVersus studio ‘First Player Games’
The relaunch of MultiVersus earlier this year has not gone the way Warner Bros. were likely hoping, with general sentiment surrounding the game being that it is inferior to the pre-release beta version from prior years. Despite this, it seems the publisher has a great deal of faith in developer …
Read More »Microsoft says FTC’s letter on Game Pass price increase is ‘misleading’
Last week, the FTC filed a letter with the court, claiming that Microsoft had begun abusing its market power by changing the way Game Pass works. Now, Microsoft has officially responded, stating that the FTC's argument is “misleading”. As spotted by The Verge, Microsoft's response has now been filed with …
Read More »PC retailer BOX enters administration following lawsuit
Box.co.uk is one of the better known UK-based PC retailers, having been bought out for an impressive £100 million last year. Unfortunately, it seems as though the company has run into legal troubles, forcing them to go into administration. As reported by eTeknix, in the wake of the £100 million …
Read More »SEGA refutes Microsoft acquisition rumours
Earlier this year, it was reported that Microsoft was considering an acquisition of the Japanese entertainment giant SEGA – among other potential purchases. Now, SEGA’s COO has spoken out on these rumours, claiming that “I don't think that kind of transaction is going to happen.” During this year’s Web Summit …
Read More »Sony acquires iSIZE to boost its Cloud capabilities
Following Microsoft’s push into cloud gaming, Sony has started to offer its own streaming solutions – recently enabling PS+ Premium subscribers to stream PlayStation 5 games. In order to help bolster their streaming efforts, Sony has now acquired video specialist iSIZE.
Read More »Microsoft now officially owns Activision Blizzard
The largest deal in gaming history has now completed after 20 months of battling regulatory hurdles. Microsoft now owns Activision Blizzard King and most importantly, employees at those studios are looking forward to the change.
Read More »The EU reportedly won’t reinvestigate Microsoft’s ActiBlizz deal following restructure
Earlier this month, reports claimed that Microsoft would obtain UK approval for its Activision Blizzard deal this week, with plans to close as soon as this coming Friday. However, given that the deal was tweaked after obtaining EU approval for the old deal, there have been questions as to whether …
Read More »Disney might acquire EA to become the next gaming giant
For as long as there have been video games, there have been titles released based on Disney’s many iconic properties. That said, the media giant has historically shied away from going all-in on game development, instead preferring to partner with other developers and publishers. According to one report however, Disney is looking to become the next gaming giant – perhaps even by acquiring EA.
Read More »It’ll “take time” to bring Activision titles to Game Pass says Phil Spencer
Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard to the tune of $68.7 Billion has not been a simple process. While it seems as though the deal will eventually go through fully, head of Xbox Phil Spencer has now spoken on the matter, claiming that even upon the deal’s completion, fans will be …
Read More »PlayStation acquires headphone company Audeze
With the PlayStation 5 generation, we have seen Sony expand its output beyond console gaming, both in terms of hardware and software. Following the release of PC-centric monitors and the announcement of new gaming earbuds, the console manufacturer has now acquired the award-winning audio company Audeze. Making the announcement via …
Read More »Logitech acquires custom consoles creator Loupedeck
Logitech has purchased Loupedeck, maker of the popular editing consoles used by streamers and creative professionals. The acquisition is the latest effort from Logitech to enter the streaming market, which started with the acquisition of Mevo, a livestreaming camera hardware and software business, in 2021. The partnership between Logitech and …
Read More »FTC plans to appeal court ruling in favour of Microsoft Activision acquisition
Earlier this week, a US judge ruled against the FTC's request for a preliminary injunction to stop Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In the ruling, the judge stated that the FTC simply did not provide enough evidence to prove a theory of harm. Now, the FTC has announced plans to …
Read More »CD Projekt Red says it is not in talks to be acquired by PlayStation
Over the weekend, a wild rumour emerged, claiming Sony is in talks to acquire CD Projekt Red. This rumour didn't hold much substance on the surface, but it made enough noise that people within the studio had to speak out to squash the rumour. The claimed ‘leak‘ comes from Liz, …
Read More »Microsoft appeals CMA ruling on Activision Blizzard acquisition
Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is in an interesting position right now. The company was able win over competing cloud companies and the European Commission with its commitments to bring Activision Blizzard and Xbox first-party PC games to rival cloud gaming services. However, in the UK, the CMA has …
Read More »Sega officially acquires Angry Birds studio Rovio
Over the weekend, it was claimed that Sega was in the midst of acquiring Rovio, the company best known for producing the Angry Birds games. Now, Sega has officially confirmed the deal, marking a rare major acquisition for the publisher. Sega has acquired several studios in the past, but these …
Read More »Atari has acquired Nightdive Studios
Nightdive Studios has amassed a reputation over many years for their work on bringing older video games to modern systems, being updated through remasters and even remakes (in the case of the upcoming System Shock). In a surprise announcement, the classic video game publisher Atari has now revealed that they …
Read More »EU pushes back deadline for final decision on Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard merger
Both the European Commission and the UK's CMA have extended deadlines to reach a decision on Microsoft's planned Activision Blizzard acquisition. Now, the EU is pushing the deadline further, moving from late April to late May. While Microsoft initially planned to have this deal closed by mid 2023, that timeline …
Read More »Microsoft to make ‘last-ditch’ effort to gain EU approval of Activision Blizzard deal
It is no secret that Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard is on shaky ground, with regulators seemingly wholeheartedly buying into Sony's objections to the deal, while also having concerns about the future of the cloud gaming market. According to a report this week, Microsoft is now preparing its ‘last-ditch' …
Read More »Ubisoft reportedly “got laughed at” while trying to propose mergers/acquisitions
In recent years we have seen a renewed focus by major gaming companies to merge with or acquire smaller developers and publishers. Ubisoft has supposedly been proposing a number of potential acquisitions and mergers with various parties, however they reportedly “mostly got laughed at.” In a Tweet released by Jeff …
Read More »NetEase acquires SkyBox Labs, co-developers of Halo and Minecraft
SkyBox Labs isn't necessarily known for the specific games developed by the studio. However, it has helped develop world-renowned franchises such as Halo, Age of Empires and Minecraft. NetEase has now acquired SkyBox Labs, hoping to bring some of that expertise into its ranks. SkyBox Labs is a Canadian game …
Read More »Report claims FTC may sue to block Xbox/Activision-Blizzard merger
Politico previously reported that the EU would enter a phase 2 investigation into the Xbox Activision-Blizzard merger. Now, the site is reporting that the FTC is planning on filing a lawsuit against Microsoft to block the merger. The FTC has been stricter on anti-trust cases recently. The commission previously filed …
Read More »EU Commission initiates Phase 2 investigation into Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition
Here in the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority has entered a Phase 2 investigation of Microsoft's planned Activision Blizzard acquisition. Soon, the deal will undergo more scrutiny, this time from the EU, which also plans to enter a phase 2 investigation. Similarly to the CMA, one of the EU's …
Read More »Kojima rejected “ridiculously high” acquisition offers
In recent years we have seen all manner of publishers engage in acquisition sprees, with companies small and large splashing their cash in order to absorb other developers and publishers. One company which seemingly cannot be bought is Kojima Productions, with the man himself revealing that he has turned down …
Read More »Call of Duty could be held off Xbox Game Pass for years
If Microsoft's Activision Blizzard deal does go through in 2023, many of us were expecting to see Call of Duty heading straight to Xbox Game Pass. However, it may take a little longer for the flagship franchise to hit Microsoft's gaming subscription service. Microsoft is facing an unexpected level of …
Read More »Riot Games acquires Wargaming Sydney to boost development on live games
Riot Games has just made its latest studio acquisition – but not the kind you might be expecting. Rather than going out and picking up a new studio and IPs, Riot has simply bought out Wargaming's Sydney-based studio. That office will now become part of the Riot family and aid …
Read More »Take-Two CEO speaks out in support of Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition
We've seen a number of companies comment on Microsoft's pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard in recent months. The loudest voice in the room has been Sony, but we've also seen quotes from companies like Ubisoft, WB, Riot and others. Recently in an interview, Take-Two CEO, Stauss Zelnick, added his take …
Read More »Brazil’s competition regulator approves Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard acquisition
The Brazilian government has been pretty open with its investigation into Microsoft's planned Activision Blizzard acquisition. Many of the documents filed have been made publicly available, including one that detailed how other companies, like Sony, feel about the acquisition. Now, Brazil's investigation is complete, and its regulator board is happy …
Read More »Microsoft have reportedly “talked with major Japanese publishers about acquisitions”
While the legalities surrounding Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard continues to be figured out, the console manufacturer has not been keeping its eggs in one singular basket, with Microsoft reportedly looking to the East for potential studio acquisitions. As part of the latest episode of the Giant Bombcast podcast, industry …
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