Mergers and Acquisitions
Ongoing coverage on Mergers and Acquisitions.
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MMO Business Roundup: Xbox’s resolutions, Microsoft’s employee buyouts, and Meta’s mass layoffs
This industry roundup covers several key business developments, including Xbox's strategic resolutions to expand its reach and Microsoft's offering of voluntary buyouts to a portion of its US workforce. Additionally, Behaviour Interactive has conducted layoffs affecting external development partnerships, and Meta has laid off 8,000 employees while closing 6,000 job postings.
Xbox will reevaluate exclusivity and target daily active players under new leadership
Xbox's new leadership, including president Asha Sharma and chief content officer Matt Booty, are set to reevaluate the company's approach to platform exclusivity, windowing, and AI. The division aims to increase its PC presence, improve console performance, and focus on daily active players as its new north star. Xbox also plans to fortify Xbox Game Pass and pursue strategic mergers and acquisitions to accelerate growth.
Warner Bros. shareholders "overwhelmingly" back Paramount's $111bn acquisition
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have overwhelmingly approved Paramount's $111 billion acquisition, a deal that also involves Skydance. The transaction still requires clearance from the US Department of Justice and European regulators, with an anticipated closing in the third quarter of September 2026. This approval follows a period of negotiations and a withdrawn bid from Netflix.
Business and Finance
Warner Bros. Discovery faces protests ahead of a shareholder vote concerning a potential merger with Paramount Global. Separately, Take-Two Interactive Software announced it will report its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026 financial results on Thursday, May 21, 2026.
Mortal Kombat, Batman, And Harry Potter Games Are One Step Closer To Being Owned By Paramount
Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders have voted to approve Paramount's $111 billion deal to acquire the company, which would bring franchises like Mortal Kombat, Batman, and Harry Potter under Paramount's ownership. While the acquisition is moving forward, investors rejected compensation packages for executives like CEO David Zaslav. The deal still faces regulatory hurdles.
More companies, fewer employees: Germany’s games industry is recovering only slowly
Germany's games industry is showing slow signs of recovery, with a modest 4% increase in the number of companies to 956. However, employee numbers have fallen by 3% to 12,235. The industry association 'game' attributes the resilience to expanded federal funding programs and start-up scholarships, despite a global wave of consolidation.
Games Inbox: Did you know GTA 6 was made in the UK?
This article discusses the UK's role in game development, highlighting that Grand Theft Auto 6 is being made in Scotland by Rockstar Games. It also touches on reader opinions regarding Nintendo's lack of Star Fox announcements, the potential for a Starwing remake, and the perceived decline of UK-based game developers. Other topics include the leak status of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, the technical capabilities of the PS5 Pro, and the development of games like Pragmata and Fallout: New Vegas.
SpaceX and Cursor strike partnership that might end in a $60 billion acquisition
SpaceX and AI company Cursor have announced a partnership that could lead to a $60 billion acquisition of Cursor by SpaceX later this year. The collaboration aims to leverage Cursor's AI coding tools and SpaceX's supercomputing infrastructure to advance AI model training. This potential deal follows SpaceX's earlier acquisition of Elon Musk's AI company, xAI.
Bos Netflix Beber Hikmah Batal Beli Warner Bros Selain Dapat Rp47 T
Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos acknowledged disappointment in failing to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery but highlighted the experience as a test of investment discipline and a builder of M&A capabilities. The company ultimately withdrew its $83 billion bid, with Paramount eventually acquiring WBD and paying Netflix $2.8 billion for interfering in the process.
XOCIETY Ends Live Service and Web3 Operations Amid NDUS Acquisition Considerations
XOCIETY has temporarily suspended its live service, game access, and web3 operations as its developer, NDUS Interactive, explores strategic alternatives including potential acquisitions. While NFTs can be managed freely and the $XO token remains active, its expansion is paused. The decision stems from sustainability concerns and broader challenges within the web3 gaming sector.
A $3 billion infringement suit against Intel has opened up once more due to a US appeals court decision
A US appeals court has reopened a $3 billion patent infringement lawsuit filed by VLSI against Intel. The case, which has spanned nearly a decade, concerns patent 8,566,836 related to multicore processor task execution. This decision does not prove wrongdoing but allows VLSI to pursue its case against Intel again.
Riot is "more committed to" the League of Legends MMO "than ever," co-founder says, but it did consider buying the now-dead Ashes of Creation
Riot Games co-founder Marc Merill confirmed the company considered acquiring Intrepid Studios, the developer of Ashes of Creation, but ultimately decided against it. Merill stated Riot remains committed to developing its own League of Legends MMO, despite past considerations of investing in or buying Intrepid Studios.
Gaming Needs More Ads, Expert Says, And A $6 Game Pass Tier
Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma is reportedly exploring ways to make Xbox Game Pass more affordable, potentially through a lower-priced, ad-supported tier. Industry expert Joost van Dreunen suggests embracing advertising, citing its prevalence in other media, and notes that subscriptions excel at retention but not market growth. Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden expressed skepticism about Game Pass's current trajectory, while Netflix CEO Greg Peters indicated openness to potential bundle collaborations with Xbox.
US representative Maxwell Frost protests Saudi buyout of EA
US Representative Maxwell Frost voiced concerns on a Twitch livestream regarding a potential buyout of Electronic Arts by an investor consortium including Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. Frost fears the buyout, valued at $55 billion, could lead to significant job losses through the use of AI for cost-cutting measures and increased monetization of players. Electronic Arts has previously stated there would be no immediate changes to employees' jobs as a result of the transaction.
Still struggling with its League of Legends MMO, Riot Games was reportedly willing to spend $250 million on acquiring…
Riot Games reportedly offered between $250 million and $500 million to acquire Intrepid Studios and its MMORPG, Ashes of Creation. The offer was revealed in court documents related to litigation involving Intrepid Studios CEO Steven Sharif. Ultimately, the acquisition did not go through, despite Riot's long-term plans for the game.
Evening Legal Briefs
Senator Cory Booker is set to hold a hearing concerning the potential merger between Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery. The hearing will likely address regulatory and industry implications of such a significant consolidation.
OpenAI buys its second startup in a month
OpenAI has acquired Hiro Finance, a startup specializing in AI-powered financial planning tools. This marks OpenAI's second startup acquisition in two weeks, following the purchase of Technology Business Programming Network. While financial terms were not disclosed, the move suggests OpenAI is integrating AI expertise into its services, potentially enhancing its chatbot capabilities.
Nvidia denies report that it is in talks to acquire a major PC company but Dell, HP, Lenovo and Asus share prices jumped…
Nvidia has denied reports that it is in talks to acquire a major PC company, refuting claims made by SemiAccurate. Despite the denial, share prices for HP, Dell, Asus, and Lenovo saw a notable increase following the initial report. Nvidia has recently focused on its datacenter and client computing divisions, developing new chips and collaborating with Intel.
Ex-Bethesda Exec Pete Hines Explains Why He Left, And He Didn't Mince Words
Former Bethesda executive Pete Hines explained his decision to retire after over 24 years, citing a realization that he could no longer effectively lead the studio or protect its culture. He expressed disappointment in how Bethesda was "damaged and broken apart" and "mistreated," particularly after Microsoft's acquisition of ZeniMax Media. Hines also mentioned that delays to Starfield, which he wanted to see released before departing, extended his tenure.
Gaming Community Divided Over Xbox and Activision Job Cuts
The gaming community is divided over recent layoffs at Xbox and Activision, sparking debates about industry awareness versus personal engagement with games. This discourse highlights a growing tension between viewing games as corporate products and appreciating the human effort behind them, especially in the context of industry consolidation.
