Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard for almost US$70B

Source: Microsoft

Microsoft's newest acquisition is bound to shake things up in the gaming industry. The company will purchase Activision Blizzard for US$68.7 billion in an all-cash transaction. This acquisition makes Microsoft the world's third-largest gaming company by revenue (behind Tencent and Sony).

The company will own every studio and game under Activision Blizzard, including popular franchises like World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, Diablo, Overwatch, Crash Bandicoot, and more.

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Tencent purchases 'Back 4 Blood' developer Turtle Rock Studios

Turtle Rock Studios

Tencent is acquiring another video game studio to add to its impressive roster. The company acquired Slamfire, the parent company of Back 4 Blood developer Turtle Rock Studios. The studio will be "retaining its independent operations" in California, with its existing leadership team staying on to run the studio.

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Spotify acquires audio platform to help turn radio shows into podcasts

Photo by Haithem Ferdi on Unsplash

Spotify's latest acquisition will help the company lure radio broadcasters to turn their shows into podcasts. The company bought Whooshkaa, an Australia-based firm that provides radio broadcasters tools to convert their shows into podcasts. Spotify plans to integrate its technology into its Megaphone suite for podcasters. The goal is to offer stations a way to profit from shows by offering ad-supported podcast episodes.

Whooshkaa can also help with Spotify's other audio efforts. Founder Rob Loewenthal mentioned that his company offered speech-to-text and text-to-speech tech, smart home integration, and "enterprise grade" podcasting tools. But those have not been clearly noted as part of their goals. We wouldn't be surprised if these help Spotify develop its podcasting features in the future.

Source: Engadget

Spotify buys audiobook platform Findaway

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Spotify's newest acquisition suggests it wants to develop its library of audiobook titles. The company bought the audiobook platform Findaway, an Ohio, US-based company with a catalog of over 325,000 titles. It has partnerships with companies like Apple, Amazon, and other retail giants. The service also makes tools for audiobook creators. 

The streaming service hasn't released the acquisition details, and it wouldn't go into the specifics about what it plans. But the company has said in a statement that this deal can help it "quickly scale its audiobook catalog" and create new opportunities for authors and publishers.

Source: Engadget