United Kingdom regulators were effectively the last hurdle stopping Microsoft from purchasing Activision Blizzard, in the biggest merger the video game industry has ever seen. That hurdle was cleared this morning as the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority relented to adjusted terms. With the nearly $70 billion purchase now officially complete, Microsoft unveiled a victory blog post, complete with an extended showcase of its now-combined intellectual property with Activision, Blizzard, and King. The CMA’s sticking points included Microsoft’s prospective dominance in the unfolding game streaming market, and Microsoft’s concessions were deep. When it initially blocked the merger early this year, regulators said that the combined publishing giant could effectively monopolize games streamed to consumers without the need for local PCs or consoles, as is already the case with Xbox Game Stream and the all-you-can-eat Game Pass subscription. Microsoft’s concessions to the UK include a block on exclusivity for cloud streaming for all existing Activision games, crucially including the massive Call of Duty shooter franchise. The block will continue for 15 years, with streaming rights sold (or surrendered, depending on your point of view) to French mega-publisher Ubisoft. Significantly, this will allow Call of Duty to be streamed to players on the PlayStation for the foreseeable future. With the UK and EU obstacles out of the way, the United States Federal... Continue reading at 'PC World'
[ PC World | 2023-10-13 14:10:14 UTC ]
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Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 11/02/2011 - 08:28 An open letter to culture secretary Jeremy Hunt and culture minister Ed Vaizey calling for a halt to library closures after the success of last weekend's protests has been signed by high-profile authors including Sarah... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Easy downloads and convenient storage are the chief lures of a virtual library, but ownership has some irritating downsides that require your attention before you hit the ebook purchase button. Continue reading at PC World
[ PC World | 2011-02-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 07/02/2011 - 12:37 Octopus has signed up a bakery book from new Soho cupcake shop, Cox Cookies & Cake. Group publisher Denise Bates acquired world rights to Sexy Desire through Anne Kibel at AK Artist Management. Bates said: "Baking is... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Graeme Neill Publication Date: Fri, 04/02/2011 - 08:57 HarperSport has bought a book by former Arsenal footballer Paul Merson. The publisher bought world rights directly from the author to How Not to be a Professional Footballer. The title will be published on 31st March. Merson... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Benedicte Page Publication Date: Fri, 04/02/2011 - 17:00 Remember everyone: Saturday 5th February is Save Our Libraries day. Four hundred of our libraries up and down the UK are currently threatened with closure. Show your support for our treasured service: go to your local... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Random House Books has acquired one of the first books on the Gulf of Mexico oil leak, Spills and Spin: The Inside Story of BP by Reuters oil-industry reporter Tom Bergin. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#inside story
Written By: Charlotte Williams Granta magazine's deputy editor Ellah Allfrey has made two acquisitions for Granta Books: a book on the Rwanda genocide and a collection of American short stories. Of Martin Kimani's The Work of War, for which Allfrey bought world rights excluding north America... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-02-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Sphere has acquired the tie-in title to comedian Billy Connolly's forthcoming "Route 66" ITV show. Non-fiction publishing director Adam Strange bought world rights from Maverick Television to Billy Connolly's Route 66, winning a four-way auction. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst Corp. announced today that it has made an offer of 651 million euros (or about $889 million) for Lagardere's international press and magazine business, including 102 titles in 15 countries, and 50 related Web sites. The deal includes publishing rights to Elle in 15 countries as well as 10... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams John Blake has acquired world rights in the "candid, harrowing and often hilarious" autobiography of "Benidorm" actress Crissy Rock. Editor-in-chief Michelle Signore bought the rights through Ken Douglas at MCLA, with John Blake to publish on 12th March. This... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mobile app downloads will increase 117 percent to 17.7 billion worldwide while mobile application store revenue will grow to more than $15.1 billion in 2011, a 190 percent increase, according to Gartner Inc. In 2010, app stores generated an estimated $5.2 billion from both download sales and... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2011-01-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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#advertising revenue
Written By: Charlotte Williams Hodder & Stoughton has acquired the account of the life of "real life Charlotte Gray". Pearl Witherington was the only female agent in the Special Operations Executive to run her own network in France during the second world war. Hodder non-fiction publisher... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Sphere has acquired the autobiography of US comedy star Tina Fey, with editor-in-chief Antonia Hodgson acquiring British Commonwealth (incl. Australia and New Zealand) rights. Hodgson bought the rights to the title, Bossypants, from Hachette US, where it will be... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Written By: Charlotte Williams Orbit has acquired three new books in the Dresden Files series by author Jim Butcher, following Chicago private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2011-01-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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That might be the best news yet, as long as publishers remember why they went into bankruptcy in the first place. Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2011-01-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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