Microsoft All Articles - Page 2

Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Cleared by New Zealand's Regulator
News

Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Approved by New Zealand's Regulator

Today the Commerce Commission of New Zealand cleared the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft.  The antitrust regulator of the island country was one of the few remaining agencies that…

August 7, 2023 | 09:45 EDT

Xbox Stormcloud Vapor Special Edition Controller
News

Stormcloud Vapor Special Edition Xbox Controller Revealed by Microsoft

Today Microsoft revealed a brand new special edition Xbox Wireless Controller, named "Stormcloud Vapor." According to the announcement, the effect decorating on the controller is described as a "…

August 1, 2023 | 11:04 EDT

Xbox Microsoft Logo
News

Microsoft Boasts Record Q4 Gaming MAU & Game Pass Engagement; Expects Xbox Revenue Growth in Q1

During Microsoft's financial conference call for investors and analysts, chief executive officer Satya Nadella and chief financial officer Amy Hood provided more insight into the performance of the…

July 25, 2023 | 06:13 EDT

Xbox Logo
News

Microsoft Gaming Revenue Grows 1% Year-on-Year: Content & Services Are Up 5%, Xbox Hardware Down 13%

Microsoft announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2023, including details about the performance of its Xbox business.  The related press release and presentation…

July 25, 2023 | 04:12 EDT

Microsoft and CMA face each other in Ace Attorney
News

CMA Expects to Reach Provisional Decision on Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision by Mid-August

The British antitrust regulator CMA has provided more clarity about its plans for issuing a new decision on Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In a witness statement requested by the…

July 22, 2023 | 01:52 EDT

Microsoft Celebrates Probable Acquisition of Activision Blizzard as FTC looks (visualized by Ace Attorney)
News

FTC Withdraws Case Against Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard from Adjudication

Today the FTC paused its administrative proceeding against the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft.  The order published today by the regulator follows a joint motion by Microsoft and…

July 20, 2023 | 06:18 EDT

Microsoft and the FTC as Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth
News

Microsoft & Activision Ask FTC To Pause Case Against Acquisition & Consider Dropping It

The Federal Trade Commission has published a motion by Microsoft and Activision Blizzard asking the regulator to put its administrative proceeding against the acquisition on hold. The motion,…

July 19, 2023 | 06:14 EDT

Activision Blizzard's raft of characters, including a Call of Duty soldier, Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, and more
News

Microsoft And Activision Blizzard Extend Merger Deadline To Fall

Microsoft and Activision Blizzard have announced that their merger deadline has been extended until the fall. Speaking via Twitter, Microsoft vice chair Brad Smith revealed the extension earlier…

July 19, 2023 | 09:19 EDT

Microsoft CMA Activision Blizzard Case - The Judge from Ace Attorney
News

Microsoft & CMA's Joint Request to Delay Appeal in UK Conditionally Granted

Following a long case management conference before the British Competition Appeals Tribunal, the CAT conditionally granted the adjournment of the hearing of the appeal hearing jointly requested by…

July 17, 2023 | 02:42 EDT

Microsoft CMA Activision Blizzard Ace Attorney
News

CMA Says Discussion With Microsoft About Activision Blizzard Acquisition Has Been Productive

Today, during the case management conference of Microsoft's appeal against the CMA's prohibition of the merger with Activision Blizzard, the parties provided more information about what happened. …

July 17, 2023 | 11:45 EDT

Xbox and PlayStation Strike Deal for Call of Duty
News

Microsoft & Sony Sign Deal to Keep Call of Duty on PlayStation After FTC Falis to Block Activision Merger

Today Microsoft announced that it has signed a binding agreement to keep the Call of Duty franchise on PlayStation consoles after the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The deal was announced via…

July 16, 2023 | 10:32 EDT

Miles Edgeworth from Ace Attorney as the FTC defeated by Microsoft and Activision
News

FTC's Motion for Emergency Injunction Against Microsoft & Activision Denied by US Court of Appeals

The endless saga of the litigation between the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) versus Microsoft and Activision Blizzard has taken a dramatic turn today.  The US Court of Appeals denied the regulator'…

July 14, 2023 | 09:06 EDT

Crash and various other characters leap towards a Wumpa fruit in a sort of visual representation of the UK CMA's "battle" with Microsoft over its Activision merger
News

UK CMA Extends Microsoft Activision Blizzard Acquisition Investigation By Six Weeks

The UK CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has granted itself an extra six weeks to consider Microsoft's arguments regarding the proposed Activision-Blizzard merger. In a new notice of extension…

July 14, 2023 | 09:00 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition Art
News

FTC Is Appealing After Defeat in Court Against Microsoft and Activision

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is not giving up following yesterday's defeat in a federal court of its demand of a preliminary injunction to hinder Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard…

July 12, 2023 | 07:42 EDT

Xbox Activision Microsoft Acquisition Logos
News

Microsoft & CMA Agree to Negotiate on Activision Blizzard Deal Following FTC's Defeat in Court

Microsoft has announced that alongside Activision, it has reached an agreement with the UK antitrust regulator CMA to sit back at the negotiation table about the proposed acquisition. The…

July 11, 2023 | 01:41 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

Microsoft & Activision Defeat FTC as Judge Denies Preliminary Injunction in Acquisition Case

After a few days that have left gamers waiting with bated breath for a ruling, a federal court has ruled against the preliminary injunction demanded by the FTC in its attempt to stop Microsoft's…

July 11, 2023 | 11:23 EDT

Microsoft Activision Blizzard Acquisition Art
News

Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Approved by South Africa Without Conditions

While the legal battle between the FTC and Microsoft about the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is about to see its climax with a verdict coming soon, on the other side of the ocean…

July 3, 2023 | 11:35 EDT

Art representing the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft
News

British Appeal Tribunal Rejects CMA's Motion to Stall Microsoft & Activision Deal Hearing

While the legal battle between Microsoft and the FTC about the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard is going on in the United States, the British antitrust regulator CMA isn't sitting idle.…

June 29, 2023 | 02:56 EDT

Satya Nadella CEO of Microsoft
News

Microsoft CEO Would Love to Get Rid of Console Exclusives Entirely if He Could

The third day of the hearing pitching Microsoft and Activision against the FTC in the case about the pending acquisition is now ongoing, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella presented his testimony.…

June 28, 2023 | 05:17 EDT

Xbox Acvision Microsoft Acquisition Art
News

Phil Spencer Pledges Under Oath to Release Call of Duty Games on PlayStation in Intense Hearing Against FTC

The second day has just concluded of the evidentiary hearing that sees Microsoft and Activision fight in court against the FTC's demand for a preliminary injunction that would severely hinder the…

June 23, 2023 | 08:20 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition Art
News

Microsoft Accuses Sony of Lobbying To Protect Its Dominant Position Following Hearing Against FTC

Today marked the first day of the evidentiary hearing that sees Microsoft and Activision fight in court against the FTC's demand for a preliminary injunction that would severely hinder the proposed…

June 22, 2023 | 08:34 EDT

Microsoft Activision Blizzard King Acquisition Art
News

Phil Spencer, Jim Ryan, Bobby Kotick & More Will Testify at FTC vs Microsoft & Activision Hearing

Today the United States District Court Northern District of California has published a joint statement listing the industry professionals and consultant called to testify by both the FTC and the…

June 20, 2023 | 04:20 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

UK Tribunal Sets Dates for Microsoft Vs CMA Appeal in Activision Blizzard Acquisition Case

Today the British Competitions Appeal Tribunal has officially set the dates for the hearing of Microsoft's appeal against the CMA's decision to block the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. …

June 14, 2023 | 10:20 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

FTC’s Motion for Injunction Against Microsoft Assigned to Judge Who Denied It in “Gamers’ Lawsuit”

Yesterday, the FTC filed a motion to obtain a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction in its continued effort to hinder Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, and today a…

June 13, 2023 | 05:56 EDT

Xbox Acvision Microsoft Acquisition
News

FTC Seeks Restraining Order & Preliminary Injunction to Hinder Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Today the FTC has filed a motion requesting a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction in its continued effort to hinder Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. As reported…

June 12, 2023 | 05:58 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

UK Appeal Tribunal Conditionally Admits Microsoft's Expert Evidence in Activision Blizzard Acquisition

Today the British Competitions Appeal Tribunal hosted the second case management conference about Microsoft's appeal against the CMA's decision to block the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. …

June 12, 2023 | 12:13 EDT

The Xbox Series S and Series X consoles against a backdrop of some of the consoles' most popular games
News

Xbox Updating Parental Controls As Part Of $20 Million FTC Settlement

Xbox has revealed upcoming changes to its parental controls amid a $20 million settlement with the FTC. The settlement comes after charges were leveled against Microsoft for illegally collecting…

June 6, 2023 | 10:16 EDT

Xbox Showcase Starfield Direct
News

Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg Shares Details on What You Can Expect from Xbox Game Showcase

The Xbox Game Showcase is coming in a week, followed by its Starfield Direct attachment, and Microsoft VP of Xbox Games Marketing Aaron Greenberg took to Twitter to share some information on what you…

June 4, 2023 | 10:36 EDT

Microsoft Activision Blizzard Acquisition
News

Xbox Executive Sarah Bond Thanks Fans for "Epic" Support During Activision Blizzard Acquisition Ordeal

Today Xbox Corporate Vice President of Game Creator Experience & Ecosystem Sarah Bond commented on the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. Bond took to Twitter to thank the…

June 1, 2023 | 03:53 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

Activision CEO: Acquisition by Microsoft "The Right Thing for Our Industry;" Can be Successful Alone if it Fails

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick commented on the proposed acquisition by Microsoft. In an interview on Variety, Kotick explained why being acquired by the console manufacturer made sense for…

May 31, 2023 | 01:35 EDT

Xbox Acvision Microsoft Acquisition
News

Microsoft & CMA Argue on Appeal Hearing Date for Activision Blizzard Acquisition; Provisional Dates Set

Today the British Competitions Appeal Tribunal hosted a case management conference to indicate the calendar of Microsoft's appeal against the CMA's decision to block the acquisition of Activision…

May 30, 2023 | 12:46 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Cleared by South Korea

Today South Korea's Fair Trade Commission has announced that it has cleared Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. According to the official announcement, the approval was decided…

May 30, 2023 | 12:36 EDT

Art representing Microsoft's acquisition of Activision, Blizzard, and King
News

Microsoft's Arguments Published for Appeal Against UK's CMA in Activision Blizzard Acquisition Case

Today the British Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) published the application by Microsoft to appeal against the local Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) following its decision to block the…

May 26, 2023 | 12:13 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

Preliminary Injunction Denied in "Gamers' Lawsuit" Against Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard

Yesterday, a judge of the United States District Court Northern District of California denied the preliminary injunction requested against Microsoft in the so-called "gamers' lawsuit" aiming to…

May 20, 2023 | 10:39 EDT

Xbox Acvision Microsoft Acquisition
News

British Regulator CMA Reacts to EU Clearing Microsoft's Activision Blizzard Acquisition

British Antitrust regulator CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has issued a response to the decision by the European Union to clear Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In a frankly…

May 15, 2023 | 12:45 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

Microsoft's Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Cleared by the European Commission

Today the European Commission announced that it has cleared the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft. The announcement comes after a lengthy investigation that lasted several months, and…

May 15, 2023 | 11:58 EDT

Xbox Logo
News

Phil Spencer Explains Why Xbox Can't Just "Outconsole" Sony & Nintendo, and Needs to Do Its Own Thing

During the latest episode of the Kinda Funny Xcast, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer talked about the upcoming Xbox Game Showcase in June and the way forward for the brand.  Spencer mentioned that…

May 4, 2023 | 07:36 EDT

Game Pass Referral System
News

Microsoft Announces PC Game Pass Refer a Friend Program

Today Microsoft announced a referral program for its PC Game Pass service.  If you're an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass user, you can now send trials for PC Game Pass to up to five friends…

May 2, 2023 | 01:57 EDT

Stadia Cloud Xbox Gaming and Phil Harrison
Podcast

How Google Stadia Ruined the Xbox-Activision Deal | TechRaptor Podcast 83

Microsoft suffers a big loss this week after their acquisition of Activision Blizzard gets shot down by the CMA, what’s next for Xbox’s purchase journey and how petty will they become? The podcast…

May 1, 2023 | 07:15 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

Microsoft Strikes Another Deal with Cloud Provider as Ukraine Approves Activision Acquisition

While the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft has received a significant blow due to the denial by the British CMA, the house of Xbox appears to be undeterred and is continuing…

April 28, 2023 | 03:00 EDT

Xbox Logo
News

Microsoft Has Made Nearly $1 Billion From Subscriptions in Q3; Expects Gaming Revenue Growth in Q4

Microsoft is hosting its financial conference call for investors and analysts, and during the initial remarks, chief executive officer Satya Nadella and chief financial officer Amy Hood provided more…

April 25, 2023 | 06:13 EDT

Xbox Logo
News

Microsoft Gaming Revenue Drops 4% Year-on-Year, While Xbox Hardware Revenue Declined 30%

Microsoft announced its financial results for the third quarter of the fiscal year 2023, including details on the performance of its Xbox business.  The related press release and presentation…

April 25, 2023 | 04:13 EDT

Hi-Fi Rush
News

Hi-Fi Rush Was a "Break Out Hit" for Microsoft According to Aaron Greenberg

Today Xbox Games Marketing VP at Microsoft Aaron Greenberg commented on the performance of Tango Gameworks' rhythm action game Hi-Fi Rush.  Greenberg took to Twitter to explain that the game was a "…

April 21, 2023 | 11:56 EDT

PC Game Pass
News

Microsoft Releases PC Game Pass in 40 New Countries

Today Microsoft made the PC version of its popular Xbox Game Pass service available in 40 new countries around the world. According to the announcement, the service is officially launching today (…

April 11, 2023 | 10:59 EDT

Hi-Fi Rush
News

Hi-Fi Rush Gets New Update & DLC

Today Tango Gameworks released a new update for its rhythm-based action game Hi-Fi Rush.  The update comes with assists that provide you with an easier time with the rhythm gameplay and automatic…

April 10, 2023 | 12:20 EDT

Xbox Game Pass Friend & Family
News

Xbox Game Pass for Friends & Family May Be Rolling Out in US for $39.95 per Month [UPDATED]

UPDATE: Unfortunately, this turned out to be a mistake by the user who posted the image. As revealed on Resetera, they accidentally left their account set to New Zealand after shifting it to play…

March 30, 2023 | 10:02 EDT

Microsoft Activision Acquisition
News

Japanese Regulator Rules in Favor of Microsoft's Activision Blizzard Acquisition

Today the Japan Fair Trade Commission (JFTC) published the results of its investigation on the proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft.  According to the announcement, the antitrust…

March 28, 2023 | 11:48 EDT

Microsoft Ubitus
News

Microsoft Announces Another 10-year Deal to Bring its Games to Cloud Gaming Platform Ubitus

Today Microsoft announced another 10-year partnership to bring its games and Activision Blizzard's to another cloud gaming platform, Ubitus.  Of course, the Activision Blizzard part is still pending…

March 15, 2023 | 11:28 EDT