MICROSOFT BUYS GAME MAKER ACTIVISION BLIZZARD FOR ABOUT $70B
AppleMagazine|AppleMagazine #534
Microsoft is paying nearly $70 billion for Activision Blizzard, the maker of Candy Crush and Call of Duty, to boost its competitiveness in mobile gaming and virtual-reality technology.
MICROSOFT BUYS GAME MAKER ACTIVISION BLIZZARD FOR ABOUT $70B
The all-cash $68.7 billion deal will turn Microsoft, maker of the Xbox gaming system, into one of the world’s largest video game companies. It will also help it compete with tech rivals such as Meta, formerly Facebook, in creating immersive virtual worlds for both work and play.

If the deal survives scrutiny from U.S. and European regulators in the coming months, it could be one of the biggest tech acquisitions in history. Dell bought data-storage company EMC in 2016 for around $60 billion.

Activision has been buffeted for months by allegations of misconduct and unequal pay.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella addressed the issue Tuesday in a conference call with investors.

“The culture of our organization is my No. 1 priority,” Nadella said, adding that ”it’s critical for Activision Blizzard to drive forward” on its commitments to improve its workplace culture.

This story is from the AppleMagazine #534 edition of AppleMagazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the AppleMagazine #534 edition of AppleMagazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM APPLEMAGAZINEView All
UN SAYS E-WASTE FROM TRASHED ELECTRIC DEVICES IS PILING UP AND RECYCLING ISN'T KEEPING PACE
AppleMagazine

UN SAYS E-WASTE FROM TRASHED ELECTRIC DEVICES IS PILING UP AND RECYCLING ISN'T KEEPING PACE

U.N. agencies have warned that electrical and electronic waste is piling up worldwide while recycling rates remain low and are likely to fall even further.

time-read
3 mins  |
AppleMagazine #647
FRENCH REGULATORS FINE GOOGLE $272 MILLION IN DISPUTE WITH NEWS PUBLISHERS
AppleMagazine

FRENCH REGULATORS FINE GOOGLE $272 MILLION IN DISPUTE WITH NEWS PUBLISHERS

France's competition watchdog hit Google on Wednesday with another big fine tied to a long-running dispute over payments to French publishers for their news.

time-read
1 min  |
AppleMagazine #647
SPACEX COMES CLOSE TO COMPLETING TEST FLIGHT OF MEGA ROCKET BUT LOSES SPACECRAFT NEAR END
AppleMagazine

SPACEX COMES CLOSE TO COMPLETING TEST FLIGHT OF MEGA ROCKET BUT LOSES SPACECRAFT NEAR END

SpaceX came close to completing an hourlong test flight of its mega rocket on its third try Thursday (14), but the spacecraft was lost as it descended back to Earth.

time-read
3 mins  |
AppleMagazine #647
TEXAS APPROVES LAND-SWAPPING DEAL WITH SPACEX AS COMPANY HOPES TO EXPAND ROCKET-LAUNCH OPERATIONS
AppleMagazine

TEXAS APPROVES LAND-SWAPPING DEAL WITH SPACEX AS COMPANY HOPES TO EXPAND ROCKET-LAUNCH OPERATIONS

SpaceX would acquire public land in Texas to expand its rocket-launch facilities under a tentative deal that is moving forward after months of opposition from nearby residents and officials near the U.S.-Mexico border.

time-read
2 mins  |
AppleMagazine #647
APPLE TO PAY $490 MILLION TO SETTLE ALLEGATIONS THAT IT MISLED INVESTORS ABOUT IPHONE SALES IN CHINA
AppleMagazine

APPLE TO PAY $490 MILLION TO SETTLE ALLEGATIONS THAT IT MISLED INVESTORS ABOUT IPHONE SALES IN CHINA

Apple has agreed to pay $490 million to settle a class-action lawsuit alleging CEO Tim Cook misled investors about a steep downturn in iPhone's sales in China that culminated in a jarring revision to the company's revenue forecast.

time-read
1 min  |
AppleMagazine #647
SPOTIFY PAID $9 BILLION IN ROYALTIES IN 2023. HERE'S WHAT FUELED THE GROWTH
AppleMagazine

SPOTIFY PAID $9 BILLION IN ROYALTIES IN 2023. HERE'S WHAT FUELED THE GROWTH

Spotify paid out $9 billion in streaming royalties last year, the streaming giant said this week in its latest \"Loud and Clear\" report.

time-read
2 mins  |
AppleMagazine #647
AN AI ROBOT IS SPOTTING SICK TULIPS TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF DISEASE THROUGH DUTCH BULB FIELDS
AppleMagazine

AN AI ROBOT IS SPOTTING SICK TULIPS TO SLOW THE SPREAD OF DISEASE THROUGH DUTCH BULB FIELDS

Theo works weekdays, weekends and nights and never complains about a sore spine despite performing hour upon hour of what, for a regular farm hand, would be backbreaking labor checking Dutch tulip fields for sick flowers.

time-read
2 mins  |
AppleMagazine #647
ELECTION MISINFORMATION IS A PROBLEM IN ANY LANGUAGE.BUT SOME GETS MORE ATTENTION THAN OTHERS
AppleMagazine

ELECTION MISINFORMATION IS A PROBLEM IN ANY LANGUAGE.BUT SOME GETS MORE ATTENTION THAN OTHERS

Warnings about deepfakes and disinformation fueled by artificial intelligence. Concerns about campaigns and candidates using social media to spread lies about elections. Fears that tech companies will fail to address these issues as their platforms are used to undermine democracy ahead of pivotal elections.

time-read
4 mins  |
AppleMagazine #647
AS ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES SLOW, US RELAXES PLANS FOR STRICTER AUTO EMISSIONS STANDARDS FOR A WHILE
AppleMagazine

AS ELECTRIC VEHICLE SALES SLOW, US RELAXES PLANS FOR STRICTER AUTO EMISSIONS STANDARDS FOR A WHILE

The Biden administration this week is expected to announce new automobile emissions standards that relax proposed limits for three years but eventually reach the same strict standards proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

time-read
4 mins  |
AppleMagazine #647
PAIR ACCUSED OF STEALING BATTERY MANUFACTURING SECRETS FROM TESLA AND STARTING THEIR OWN COMPANY
AppleMagazine

PAIR ACCUSED OF STEALING BATTERY MANUFACTURING SECRETS FROM TESLA AND STARTING THEIR OWN COMPANY

Two men are accused of starting a business in China using battery manufacturing technology pilfered from Tesla and trying to sell the proprietary information, federal prosecutors in New York said.

time-read
1 min  |
AppleMagazine #647