News Mash-Up - Week # 36

• • The UK's CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has been conducting an investigation into Microsoft's $68.7 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard. After phase one of the investigation, it concluded that this deal may have the potential to significantly impact competition in the UK. Following this, the investigation is expected to undergo a second phase unless the two companies offer sufficient evidence to address these concerns.
    
    
  • On the 6th of September, Tencent announced that it would be pursuing a partnership with Guillemot Brothers Limited, a holding company controlled by the Guillemot family (including the two brothers who founded Ubisoft.), investing €300 million into the company to obtain an overall 49.9% stake. As a result of this deal, Tencent has increased its direct stake in Ubisoft to 9.99% (up from 4.5%). It will not be able to increase its stake above 9.99% for at least eight years, nor sell its shares for at least five years. It will also not have any positions on the board of directors of Guillemot Brothers nor consent or veto rights concerning the business’s operation.
  •  
  • GameStop recently released its earnings for the quarter ended on July 30, 2022. Net sales for the company were down by 4% to $1.14 billion, and net losses were $109 million (as opposed to $62 million during the same quarter in 2021). GameStop CEO Matt Furlong said that this is a result of a transitional period for the company as they compensate for “years of under-investment and modernizing the business.”

•   
  • Microsoft has released a shared friends and family plan for Xbox Game Pass to players in Ireland and Colombia following a trial run. The new feature allows up to five different players to share a subscription. This may be expanded to more countries in upcoming months.
    
    
  • According to a Hardware and Software Survey by Steam, as of August 2022, nearly a quarter of PC gamers on Steam (24.71%) use Windows 11, marking an important milestone. This comes nearly at the one-year anniversary of Windows 11.
    
    
  • PS5’s new system software update has been released globally. The update, which was previously in beta, includes “gamelists” which allow users to organize their game collections, 1440p HDMI video output on compatible monitors and TVs, as well as other features.
    
    
  • A PC version of developer Housemarque’s sci-fi shooter Returnal could be in the works. Recently during a GDC talk about its VFX between Risto Jankkila and Sharman Jagadeesan of Housemarque & PlayStation Studios, Alex Battaglia of Digital Foundry noticed that the game seemed to be running on a PC dev kit. However, as of now, nothing has been confirmed.

Week commencing Monday 5 September 2022