On paper, Microsoft did what it needed to do in 2023 to improve on a quiet, somewhat empty 2022. But it also enacted layoffs and took some public beatings in court as it tried to become even bigger.
Activision Blizzard to pay more than $54 million in gender discrimination settlement
Activision Blizzard has a greed to a more than $58 million settlement in a gender discrimination lawsuit brought by the state of California.
Activision To Pay $50 Million To Settle Discrimination Suit
Activision Blizzard has been the subject of scrutiny for several years now, due to its widely criticized “Boys’ Club” corporate culture of sleazy shenanigans. And now, late on a Friday evening just before the holiday season begins in earnest, The Wall Street Journal reports the embattled gaming company announced on…
Baldur’s Gate 3 Won’t Come To Xbox Game Pass: Here’s Why
Baldur’s Gate 3 director Swen Vincke believes the Dungeons & Dragons-based RPG is a big game worth paying for. I have to agree. The Larian Studios founder says that’s why the game isn’t coming to Xbox Game Pass.
Phil Spencer Spent Nearly 23 Work Weeks Playing Xbox This Year
Running the gaming division at the second-most valuable company in the world sounds like a very demanding job. Tons of decisions to make, lots of details to stress over, and accountability to thousands of employees and millions of customers for every little misstep. Not much time to play video games, probably. Unless…
Fortnite Scores Epic Upset In Google Monopoly Trial
Epic Games sued Google over anti-competitive practices and won. A jury in the in the Epic v. Google case delivered a swift verdict, concluding that the giant tech firm was operating an illegal monopoly on Android devices in the form of the Google Play storefront.
TikTok becomes first non-game app to reach $10B in consumer spending
TikTok’s short-form video app is hitting a new milestone. The app, which reached 1 billion monthly active users in 2021, has now become the first non-game mobile app […]
FTC Is Still Trying To Block The Xbox And Activision Merger
Just when we thought Microsoft’s Activision acquisition was finally set in stone two months ago, it looks like the Federal Trade Commission has made another appeal to block Master Chief and John Call of Duty’s marriage.
Morale At Bungie In The Dumps As Sony Takeover Looms
While Sony acquired Destiny 2 maker Bungie for $3.6 billion in 2022, it repeatedly claimed the creator of Halo and other hits would remain an “independent subsidiary.” Now IGN reports that if Bungie’s sci-fi MMO keeps failing revenue targets, Sony could dissolve its existing board of directors and take full control of…
Nothing Xbox Does Matters If The Games Aren’t Good
“As world builders, our greatest responsibility is to inspire and invite joy,” Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said at the New York Game Awards in January. “It feels like today, seeking joy is an act of defiance.” In February, Microsoft lived up to that ideal with the stealth release of Hi-Fi Rush, a beautiful…