Microsoft buys Activision, maker of Diablo, Warcraft, and Call of Duty, for $69 billion

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 ]
News tagged with: #foreseeable future #video games #publishing giant

Other Publishing stories related to: 'Microsoft buys Activision, maker of Diablo, Warcraft, and Call of Duty, for $69 billion'


Apple Is Buying Texture, the So-Called 'Netflix for Magazines,' in Subscription Push

Apple is acquiring Texture, a digital magazine servicedubbed by media industry observers as "Netflix for magazines"that lets users subscribe to more than 200 titles for $9.99 a month.Texture, offered via the app stores of Apple, Google and Amazon.com Inc., bolsters Apple's efforts in online... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2018-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Meredith to buy Time Inc. for about $1.8 billion

Magazine and broadcasting company Meredith is buying magazine publisher Time for about $1.8 billion to bulk up on readers as the publishing industry navigates the difficult transition to digital from... To view the full story, click the title link. Continue reading at Crains New York

[ Crains New York | 2017-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #buy time


Meredith to buy Time Inc. for upward of $2.8 billion in deal backed by Koch brothers

Time Inc., the steward of some of the country's most circulated and storied magazine brands, will be sold to the lifestyle-magazine publisher Meredith Corp., the companies announced Sunday. Meredith will pay $18.50 per share in the all-cash deal for a company that counts such titles as Time,... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2017-11-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #buy time #koch brothers #pay $18


Microsoft will pay you $5 to buy an ebook -- even if your selection costs less than that

As the owner of a Kindle, I normally get all my ebooks from Amazon. It is a great experience, as not only can I read the book on my e-reader, but thanks to the Kindle app, my smartphone and tablet too. Quite frankly, I never considered getting an electronic book anywhere else. If you are a... Continue reading at Betanews

[ Betanews | 2017-06-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #kindle app #electronic book #buy books #great experience


U.K.'s Informa Agrees to Buy Aviation Week Publisher Penton for $1.6 Billion

Informa, the U.K.-based business information provider, has agreed to buy Penton Information Services for 1.18 billion pounds ($1.6 billion) to add exhibitions and professional services in the U.S.The company will fund the purchase through new debt and equity, according to a statement Thursday.... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2016-09-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Call of Duty' publisher brings esports to Facebook Live

Activision Blizzard is set to conquer a new frontier: Facebook's live video feature. The world's largest video game publisher announced improvements it plans to implement to its various esports platforms, most notably a push to broadcast esports to t... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2016-05-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The stunning Surface Book may reignite PC maker hostility towards Microsoft

Microsoft’s foray into notebooks with the Surface Book is certain to tick off its computer-making partners, but there’s little recourse for the latter except to grin and bear it, analysts said today.“If I’m an OEM, I’m not happy,” said Jan Dawson, chief analyst at Jackdaw Research. “The big... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2015-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer rides his replacement's success to $3 billion windfall

Microsoft's history books will undoubtedly remember 2014 as the year of Satya Nadella. But Steve Ballmer, his predecessor, is the one reaping the majority of the benefits of the new CEO's popularity. Sure, Nadella hit a $90 million jackpot when we took the top job at the world's second most... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal

[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2015-01-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gannett Buys Cars.com for $1.8 Billion, Splits Publishing

Gannett Co. (GCI) plans to split into two publicly traded companies by spinning off its publishing business, including USA Today, and also said it has agreed to buy full ownership of Cars.com. Gannett will separate the publishing business through a ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2014-08-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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3 ways agency calls for viewability will change ad buying

Agencies are pushing for transparency from publishers on all fronts, but viewability has by far become their most pressing priority. GroupM, the biggest digital media buyer in the U.S., announced it would shift its buying from open exchanges to private ones, in a push for greater transparency.... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2014-07-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Fox tried to buy Time Warner -- and HBO -- for $80 billion

Could Fox News and CNN have the same owner? No, but close. 21 Century Fox has confirmed reports (first published by the New York Times) that it made an $80 billion bid for fellow media conglomerate Time Warner -- and was turned down, for now.... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2014-07-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gannett Buying Belo in $2.2 Billion Deal

Gannett, best known as the newspaper publisher behind USA Today, is making a big bet on TV: It is paying $1.5 billion, and taking on $715 million in debt, to acquire local station owner Belo Corp. If the deal gets regulatory approval, Gannett will nearly double its portfolio of TV stations from... Continue reading at AllThingsD

[ AllThingsD | 2013-06-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #tv stations #usa today #big bet #paying $1 #regulatory approval


What would Microsoft buying Barnes & Noble's Nook business mean?

According to documents found by website TechCrunch, Microsoft is offering $1 billion to buy the digital assets of Nook Media. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-05-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Microsoft 'offers' to buy Nook Media

Microsoft has offered to buy Nook Media for $1bn, according to reports. TechCrunch cites... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2013-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Microsoft Mulling Nook Media LLC Purchase For $1 Billion

Microsoft is offering to pay $1 billion to buy the digital assets of Nook Media LLC, the digital book and college book joint venture with Barnes & Noble and other investors, according to internal documents we’ve obtained. In this plan, ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher

[ Editor & Publisher | 2013-05-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #$1 billion #digital assets #digital book #barnes noble


Microsoft buys Nook stake; Barnes & Noble shares soar

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp will invest $300 million in Barnes & Noble Inc's Nook e-reader, gaining a foothold in the fast-growing ebooks market as the bookseller gets more firepower to compete against Amazon.com's Kindle and Apple Inc's iPad. Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2012-04-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon Turns $2.7 Billion Loss in 2022 to a Profit of $30 Billion in 2023

A strong holiday shopping season, an improved fulfillment operation, and cost cuts including an estimated 27,000 layoffs resulted in a $30 billion profit for Amazon in 2023 following a loss of $2.7 billion in 2022. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-02-02 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Buying Briefing: As the auto industry shifts its priorities, digital media buying slides into the driver’s seat

Due to a convergence of supply-chain issues, shifting consumer preferences, auto advertising continues to shift from traditional to digital media channels, even as total spending is expected to drop. The post Media Buying Briefing: As the auto industry shifts its priorities, digital media... Continue reading at Digiday

[ Digiday | 2021-09-13 04:05:00 UTC ]
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Facebook anticipates federal privacy fine of up to $5 billion, sets aside $3 billion for payment

Facebook said it expects a fine of up to $5 billion from the Federal Trade Commission, which is investigating whether the social network violated its users' privacy. The company set aside $3 billion in its quarterly earnings reportWednesday as a contingency against the possible penalty but... Continue reading at Baltimore Sun

[ Baltimore Sun | 2019-04-25 02:15:00 UTC ]
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BookExpo 2018: ABA Calls for Invoicing Overhaul; Bookseller Calls for 'Action' Against Spicer

ABA CEO Oren Teicher announced the organization's investment in Batch and called for bookseller support. Booksellers pushed for a boycott of Sean Spicer at BookExpo and increased awareness of gentrification in bookselling. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sean spicer #invoicing overhaul #bookseller calls