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Trump confirms he brought Jensen Huang on his expedition to convince China to 'open up'
Donald Trump confirmed that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was on Air Force One with him to discuss opening up trade with China regarding AI hardware. Huang has previously advocated for exporting AI technology to China, despite concerns about military use and US bans. The article notes Nvidia's significant growth and its desire to supply goods globally.
Protesters 'raid' EA to oppose Saudi Arabia acquisition
Protesters gathered at Electronic Arts headquarters to oppose the acquisition of the company by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The group attempted to deliver a petition signed by over 70,000 people but was denied direct access by security. Concerns were raised about potential layoffs, studio closures, and content restrictions due to the leveraged buyout and foreign influence.
Report: Microsoft Israel's general manager leaves amid alleged unethical use of Azure
Alon Haimovich, the general manager of Microsoft Israel, has reportedly left the company following an investigation into the alleged unethical use of Microsoft Azure services by the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The investigation, conducted by Microsoft's global management team, raised concerns about potential violations of the company's code of ethics and terms of use. Several other managers in Microsoft Israel's governance department have also departed, and the company has stated it ceased and disabled some Azure services for the Ministry of Defense in September.
Amidst Xbox boycotts and media pressure, Microsoft reportedly restructures Israeli office after internal investigation into ethical violations
Microsoft has reportedly restructured its Israeli office following an internal investigation into ethical violations concerning its work with the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the use of its cloud services. The investigation, prompted by reports of military use of Microsoft's AI and cloud technology in Gaza, has led to the departure of the general manager and several other managers. Despite ongoing protests and calls for boycotts of Microsoft and Xbox, the company and the Ministry of Defense are reportedly interested in renewing their contract on a smaller scale.
Mixtape is at the center of another tedious culture war discourse, and I think I know why
The game Mixtape has become a focal point for online discourse and culture war debates, despite receiving widespread critical acclaim. The author argues that the game's focus on nostalgia and its publisher's ties to tech billionaire Larry Ellison have fueled these discussions, rather than any perceived insincerity in reviews or developer intent. The article suggests that the varied reception of Mixtape is a natural consequence of its nostalgic themes, which can resonate differently with players based on their own experiences.
Issues and Activism
Electronic Arts' headquarters in Redwood was reportedly 'raided' as a protest against a potential takeover by Saudi Arabia. Separately, Microsoft fired the head of its Israeli subsidiary and other managers due to allegations of surveillance on Palestinians.
World of Warcraft 'Classic Plus', a version of the old MMO with modern updates, might actually be real as Blizzard hosts secret event with popular streamers
Blizzard Entertainment may be developing a "World of Warcraft Classic Plus" based on recent secretive events with popular streamers. While not officially confirmed, hints include a special event for content creators, a "long-term future" tease for WoW Classic, and a remixed version available in China. This potential new version would diverge from the original timeline, offering modern updates to the classic MMO experience.
Microsoft fires head of Israeli subsidiary and other managers over surveillance of Palestinians
Microsoft has dismissed the general manager of its Israeli subsidiary, Alon Haimovich, and other managers following an internal investigation. This action is a consequence of a report detailing Israel's use of Microsoft Azure cloud services for surveillance in the occupied West Bank, raising concerns about legal liability in Europe and human rights issues.
Double Fine petitions to unionize
Double Fine Productions, a Microsoft-owned studio, has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with the Communication Workers of America. Approximately 42 employees are included in the union effort, which aims to preserve the studio's commitments to creative excellence and worker quality of life. Microsoft has stated a neutral approach to the organizing efforts.
Double Fine Productions is the latest Microsoft subsidiary to unionise
Double Fine Productions, the developer of Psychonauts, has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with the support of the Communications Workers of America. This move follows a trend of unionization among Microsoft subsidiaries, with the company agreeing to a neutral approach. The proposed union includes 42 employees who aim to preserve the studio's commitments to creative excellence and worker quality of life.
Double Fine is the latest team at Microsoft to unionize
Double Fine, the studio behind Psychonauts, has filed a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board, with all 42 employees participating. The studio is organizing with the Communications Workers of America, a union that has previously supported labor efforts at other Microsoft-owned studios like Activision and ZeniMax.
Double Fine is unionising at Xbox Game Studios
Double Fine, the developer of Psychonauts, has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to unionize with the Communications Workers of America. This move involves 42 employees and follows similar unionization efforts within Microsoft's gaming divisions, including Activision Blizzard and Zenimax. While Microsoft has historically taken a neutral stance on unionization, the company has faced delays in collective bargaining with previously formed unions.
Is Bungie Sony's Worst Ever Acquisition After $765 Million Write-Down?
Sony has reported a $765 million impairment loss on its acquisition of Bungie, significantly devaluing the developer since its $3.6 billion purchase in 2022. This write-down, partly due to the underperformance of games like Marathon and Destiny 2's declining player base, raises questions about whether Bungie is Sony's worst acquisition. The article also touches on Sony's broader struggles with live service games and other studio acquisitions.
Bungie’s value keeps on dropping in latest Sony financials
Sony reported significant impairment losses of approximately $565 million USD in the last quarter related to its acquisition of Bungie, bringing the total annual loss to around $765 million USD. This financial downturn coincides with declining player counts for Destiny 2 and underperformance of the newly released Marathon, as well as substantial layoffs at Bungie since its acquisition.
ESA Says Bill Pushing For Offline Versions Of Live-Service Games Would Hurt Developers
The Entertainment Software Association is opposing California Assembly Bill 1921, which would require developers of live-service games to provide advance notice of server shutdowns, offer refunds, and potentially make games playable offline. The ESA argues this legislation would divert resources from creating new content and doesn't reflect the realities of modern game development.
Xbox scraps Microsoft Copilot in yet another win for new CEO Asha Sharma
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has announced the discontinuation of Microsoft Copilot development for consoles and mobile, prioritizing community connection and addressing player and developer friction. This decision marks a significant shift away from AI integration for Xbox, contrasting with Microsoft's broader AI initiatives and the continued embrace of the technology by other industry figures and companies.
Microsoft ends Copilot AI on Xbox to help 'get the business back on track,' as new CEO simultaneously welcomes…
Microsoft's Xbox division is shifting its strategy away from AI features, with CEO Asha Sharma announcing the discontinuation of Copilot on mobile and console. This move coincides with Sharma bringing in several former colleagues from Microsoft's CoreAI division to leadership roles within Xbox. The company aims to focus on deepening community connections and addressing player and developer friction to improve business performance.
The next Call of Duty is not coming to PS4 (or presumably Xbox One)
Activision Blizzard is focusing on next-generation platforms for the upcoming Call of Duty title, indicating it will not be released on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. This suggests a move towards prioritizing current-gen consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
2026’s Call of Duty is not coming to PS4
Activision has confirmed that the next Call of Duty title, and subsequent releases, will not be available on PlayStation 4 or Xbox One. This marks the end of last-generation support for the franchise, which has spanned multiple console generations since Call of Duty: Ghosts in 2013. The decision is expected to allow developers to focus resources on current-generation platforms like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Bungie Under Fire: Are Marathon Player Numbers Being Hidden After Launch? | Invision Game Community
Bungie is facing community backlash regarding the launch of its multiplayer extraction shooter, Marathon, with accusations of hiding player numbers. The article clarifies that discussions about player counts are being moderated on Reddit and that player data remains publicly accessible via platforms like SteamDB. A separate incident involving a chat filter censoring a competing game's name was also addressed.
