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Microsoft ’s proposed $69B acquisition of Activision could bring harm to the UK’s 45M-strong gaming community, the nation’s competition body has ruled. In a provisional finding delivered in the past hour, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that Microsoft “buying one of the world’s most important game publishers would reinforce [its] strong position and substantially reduce the competition that Microsoft would otherwise face in the cloud gaming market in the UK.” Both companies can respond to the ruling, which will conclude in April. Microsoft already accounts for an estimated 60% to 70% of global cloud gaming services, said the ruling, and corners the market in other ways via its ownership of Xbox, Windows and Azure. A small number of Activision’s flagship games such as Call of Duty play an important role in driving competition between consoles, added the CMA, which said Xbox and Playstation’s competition would “weaken competition” and “in turn … [Read more...] about Microsoft Activision Deal Could Bring Harm To UK Gaming Community, Rules Regulator

The first full blown House Oversight Committee hearing of the new GOP majority was focused on Hunter Biden , and the role that Twitter played in suppressing a bombshell New York Post story about the contents of a laptop purportedly owned by the president’s son. Weeks before the presidential election, Twitter restricted the Post account in an effort to curb the spread of the article, declaring it potentially “harmful material” and in violation of a hacked materials policy. After an outcry, particularly on the right, the accounts were restored, and Twitter executives later admitted that the company’s actions were wrong . The premise of Wednesday’s hearing was that Twitter colluded with the FBI to suppress the story and tip the scales for Joe Biden in the presidential election. The hearing included testimony from four former Twitter executives, who said that they were not engaged in a conspiracy to sideline the story. “I am aware of no unlawful collusion with or … [Read more...] about Former Twitter Executives Push Back On GOP Claims Of Collusion With FBI In Handling Of Hunter Biden Laptop Story

EXCLUSIVE: United Talent Agency is trimming its personnel with cuts in several departments. According to sources, mostly admin/support staff are impacted, with the total number of layoffs in the low single-digits as a percentage of the company’s overall workforce. “We’ve grown a great deal over the last several years, and as a result decided to make some adjustments,” a spokesperson for the agency said in a statement to Deadline. “We’re unfortunately parting ways with a small number of colleagues and are grateful for everything they’ve contributed.” UTA has been on an acquisition spree over the past two years, buying such companies as UK agency Curtis Brown , publishing agency Fletcher & Company and MediaLink , a media and marketing advisory firm. Facing a possible economic downturn, many entertainment and tech companies have undergone layoffs in the past several months, with more cuts expected this year. Talent agencies previously reduced staffs during the … [Read more...] about UTA Undergoes Layoffs In Multiple Departments