Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal faces deeper competition probe September 15, 2022 The competition regulator has referred Microsoft’s $68.7bn snap up of Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard for an in-depth investigation, spelling danger for the gaming sector's monster deal.
Game on: Why Big Tech is betting big on gaming September 14, 2022 When Bill Gates said “content is king” back in 1996, he opened a can of worms that has become increasingly hard to contain. This content obsession has evolved in different ways in the last two decades, with the latest bet from Big Tech being on gaming. While the evolution of video games has been progressing [...]
Sony faces £5bn lawsuit over claims it ‘ripped off’ millions through PlayStation store August 22, 2022 Sony is set to face a £5bn class-action lawsuit, brought forward on behalf of 8.9m people, over claims it breached competition law by overcharging for digital PlayStation games and in-game purchases. The Japanese video game console maker is being sued by consumer rights campaigner Alex Neill, on behalf of millions of gamers, over its practice [...]
Gaming giant Embracer snaps up Lord of the Rings rights in bargain deal August 18, 2022 In a clear defiance to the slowing M&A landscape, Embracer Group has snapped up the intellectual property rights to The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit literary works, as well as five other firms in a £645.7m deal.
Playtech reports promising quarter but remains ‘cautious’ of uncertain macro backdrop May 5, 2022 Gaming software Playtech posted a promising start to the year this morning, with with Adjusted EBITDA for the first three months of more than €100m.
Call of Duty maker Activision Blizzard fights off shareholder lawsuit following alleged sexual harassment April 21, 2022 US judges have dismissed a lawsuit from Activision Blizzard shareholders alleging the Call of Duty maker had lied to them by minimising the impact of allegedly widespread sexual harassment and discrimination against female employees.
My Little Pony turned Dungeons & Dragons: Hasbro snaps up D&D Beyond for £111m April 13, 2022 Play-Doh and My Little Pony maker Hasbro has snapped up fan favourite Dungeons & Dragons creator D&D Beyond for $146.3m (£111.7m).
UK techies splash out record £7.16bn on consoles and games March 31, 2022 UK's gamers spent a record amount on video games in 2021, beating the previous high set in the peak of the pandemic.
Streamer turned gamer: Netflix snaps up Walking Dead publisher Next Games in £54m deal March 2, 2022 Netflix becomes the latest tech firm to pivot into the world of gaming, with the streaming giant announcing its acquisition of Finnish firm Next Games in a €65m (£54m) deal.
Gaming titans call on greater gaming UK investment amid foreign takeovers February 28, 2022 Gaming veterans Sir Ian Livingstone and David Braben have called on the UK to ramp up its investment in the gaming industry following a sweep of foreign snap-ups. Livingstone, who was behind Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft, told the Financial Times in an interview: “You’ve seen how many companies have just sold out earlier than they [...]