Microsoft Gaming to Layoff Nearly 650 Employees
The unfortunate move follows a previous wave of staff cuts earlier this year, after the newly acquired Activision Blizzard division sought to reduce “areas of overlap.”
Tagged With: Microsoft
Bizarre Teaser Trailer Drops for ‘A Minecraft Movie’
Reaction is mixed for the big-screen adaptation of Mojang’s best-selling video game, directed by Jared Hess and starring Jack Black, Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Eugene Hansen, and Jason Momoa; film hits theaters April 4, 2025.
Sony’s Bungie Game Studio to Cut 17% of Workforce
Like most recent layoffs, the restructuring has been blamed on the current economic downturn; 12% of employees will be integrated into Sony Interactive to spare additional talent from the axe.
In Business, Games, Jobs & Recruiting, People | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News | Geographic Region: All
RADiCAL Adds Habib Zargarpour, Joe Marks and Dane Allen Smith to Advisory Board
The three industry leaders bring decades of shared experience to the AI mocap and real-time 3D creation tools developer as it ramps up its product expansion.
Evercoast Acquires DepthKit Volumetric Capture Company
The end-to-end 3D spatial video software provider announces deal that expands its efforts in race to capture and generate 3D digital humans and spatial video while marking an evolution of generative AI from 2D to 3D creation.
In 3D, Business, CG, People, Technology, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
Pro Gamers Sue Activision for $100M Over ‘Call of Duty’ Tournament Monopoly Claims
Pro esports players Hector ‘H3cz’ Rodriguez and Seth ‘Scump’ Abner allege the company violated federal antitrust laws by coercing players and team owners to compete under ‘extortionate financial terms’ at the threat of exclusion from the Activision CoD league.
Microsoft to Layoff 1,900 Activision Blizzard, Xbox Employees
The tech giant has begun to cull workers from the newly acquired division to reduce ‘areas of overlap’ during the integration effort, with Blizzard Entertainment president Mike Ybarra also exiting the company.
Jennifer Coolidge Boards ‘Minecraft’ Live-Action Feature
‘The White Lotus’ star joins Warner Bros., Vertigo, and Legendary’s adaptation of Mojang’s best-selling video game, which has yet to secure a title, but is set to hit theaters April 4, 2025.
In Acting, Business, CG, Films, Games, People, Visual Effects | Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
Jack Black Boards ‘Minecraft’ Live-Action Feature
The famed actor, comedian, and musician boards the upcoming adaptation of Mojang’s best-selling video game, which has yet to secure a title, but is set to hit theaters April 4, 2025; production began in New Zealand late last year.
In Acting, Business, CG, Films, Games, People, Visual Effects | Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
Danielle Brooks, Sebastian Eugene Hansen Board ‘Minecraft’
The upcoming live-action adaptation of Mojang’s best-selling video game has yet to secure a title but is set to hit theaters on April 4, 2025; production slated to begin in New Zealand by the end of December.
In 3D, Acting, CG, Films, Games, People, Visual Effects | Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
It’s a Done Deal - Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Purchase Approved
Two years after it was first announced, the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) finally approves the nearly $70 billion acquisition, the largest ever in the gaming industry.
Arcturus Names Steve Sullivan CPO
The Microsoft and Lucasfilm veteran will oversee company offerings, including its HoloSuite tools and new Mixed Reality Capture System.
In 3D, AI, Business, CG, People, Technology, Virtual Production, AR/VR/XR, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
Is the CMA Set to Approve Microsoft’s Acquisition of Activision Blizzard?
The U.K. authority acknowledged that the restructured deal ‘makes important changes that substantially address concerns,’ in a statement last Friday, and will announce a final decision by October 6.
Natasha Anne Francis Joins BOT VFX as Executive Producer
The industry veteran brings 30+ years of experience across television and film with credits on projects including ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,’ ‘Tron: Legacy,’ ‘Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey’ and ‘The Orville.’
In Business, CG, Films, Jobs & Recruiting, People, Television, Visual Effects | Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
New Microsoft Activision Deal May Finally Mean CMA Approval
The new deal divests cloud rights for existing Activision PC and console games to rival Ubisoft instead of Microsoft; the U.K. regulator has until October 18 to decide.
Arcturus Named Go-To-Market Partner for Microsoft’s Mixed Reality Capture Studios
The volumetric video tech leader’s new pipeline offers complete, photorealistic end-to-end solutions, from capture to distribution, for content creators on any size project.
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U.S. Court Overrules FTC’s Block of Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard Takeover
After winning the European Commission’s approval and triumphing over the FTC, the hard-fought acquisition may close by July 18 if the U.K.’s CMA block is rejected.
DIGIC and Axis Studios Partner on ‘Words Apart’ Animated Fantasy Adventure
The studios’ co-development projects kick off with the 4-quadrant film set in a world split by two powerful feuding brothers with clashing convictions.
Xbox Acquisition of Activision Blizzard Approved by European Commission
The approval brings the Microsoft-owned gaming behemoth one step closer to closing its nearly $70 billion purchase, but there is more work to be done before the deal is finalized.
Warner Bros. Announces Jason Momoa-Led ‘Minecraft’ Feature Release Date
The upcoming adaptation of Mojang’s best-selling video game of all time has yet to secure a title but will hit theaters in 2025; Momoa’s new ‘Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom’ now hits theaters December 20, 2023.
DreamWorks Animation Releases Open Source ‘MoonRay’
Previously announced at SIGGRAPH 2022, the production renderer is now available, in an industry standard CMake environment, complete with a new documentation website, restructured libraries, reduced dependencies, and referenced open source packages.
In 3D, CG, Films, People, Technology, Visual Effects | ANIMATIONWorld, Headline News, VFXWorld | Geographic Region: All
Playtika Extends Bid to Acquire ‘Angry Birds’ Developer Rovio
The Israeli social gaming company’s $735 million bid for the Finland developer follows its company-wide consolidation and restructuring effort, which included a recent layoff of 600 employees.
We Need to Chat
ChatGPT will be for creators what plastic surgery is for actors: everyone will use it, but few will admit it.
In AI, Business, Digital Media, Technology, Writing | ANIMATIONWorld | Blogs: Reality Bites | Geographic Region: All
Epic Games to Pay Record $520 Million to Settle FTC Charges Over Child Privacy and Player Manipulation
The Federal Trade Commission has accused the leading video game developer of manipulating young players into unintentional purchases, illegally collecting personal information of kids under the age of 13, and endangering children by connecting them with strangers in its hugely successful ‘Fortnight’ game.
Jens Andersson Boards Upcoming ‘Indiana Jones’ Game as Design Director
Bethesda’s MachineGames has hired the ‘Chronicles of Riddick’ director to handle design for the project, which touts an original storyline and will be the first game title for the franchise since 2003.
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