La vendita allo scoperto per Sega Sammy Holdings dà agli investitori un'idea del grado in cui gli investitori stanno scommettendo sul declino delle azioni di Sega Sammy Holdings. I dati relativi alle vendite allo scoperto vengono aggiornati ogni due settimane.

Sega Sammy Holdings (OTC:SGAMY) Azioni, Report sulle vendite allo scoperto

Sega Sammy Holdings

Sega Sammy Holdings was established as a holding company in 2004, when video game developer Sega and pachislot and pachinko vendor Sammy merged. The company currently derives majority of its sales revenue from entertainment content and its pachislot and pachinko machine business, which contributed 68% and 24% of total revenue in fiscal 2023, respectively.

SEGA SAMMY HLDGS S/ADR by Sega Sammy Holdings, Inc.

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc

Video game retailer GameStop Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) faced concerns over the growth of digital games taking away from physical games and the company's business model. 
The company may have a new strategy by offering a place to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">buy retro video games.</a>
What Happened: Best known <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40589742/gamestops-second-meme-surge-fails-to-draw-2021s-retail-investor-crowd-sec-data-shows">as a meme stock</a> these days, GameStop could have a new method to help boost sales in the current and future quarters.
The physical video game retailer announced it is converting several locations into retro gaming retailers to put an emphasis on older video game consoles, games and accessories, tapping into the growing nostalgia of gamers with finding and playing old video games.
&#8220;The classics are back. New retro GameStops are now spawning near you," GameStop <a href="https://x.com/gamestop/status/1828560010160546142">tweeted</a>.
A picture shared by the retailer highlighted consoles from Nintendo Co (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>), Sony Group Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NYSE">SONY</a>), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Sega (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>).
The consoles highlighted are:
<ul>
<li>Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)</li>
<li>Super Nintendo (SNES)</li>
<li>Game Boy</li>
<li>Game Boy Advance</li>
<li>Nintendo 64</li>
<li>Nintendo GameCube</li>
<li>Nintendo DS</li>
<li>Nintendo Wii</li>
<li>Nintendo Wii U</li>
<li>PlayStation</li>
<li>PS2</li>
<li>PS3</li>
<li>PS Vita</li>
<li>Sega Dreamcast</li>
<li>Sega Genesis</li>
<li>Sega Saturn</li>
<li>Xbox</li>
<li>Xbox 360</li>
</ul>
The consoles were released between 1985 and 2012 and are among the most well-known gaming consoles of the past few decades with some portable and others meant for use with televisions.
The GameStop <a href="https://www.gamestop.com/retro-store-locator">website </a>has a tracker to see the nearest Retro Store to a customer&#8217;s location.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/exclusives/24/07/39603613/exclusive-top-10-most-searched-tickers-on-benzinga-pro-in-first-half-2024-where-do-nvidia-tesla-pala">EXCLUSIVE: Top 10 Most Searched Tickers On Benzinga Pro In First Half 2024 – Where Do Nvidia, Tesla, Palantir, GameStop Rank?</a>
 Why It's Important: While gamers can buy retro video games on Amazon or auction websites like eBay, there may be something about going to a physical store and purchasing the items. There is also the feeling of getting your hands on a physical game and being able to go home and play it instead of waiting days for the mail to arrive.
The GameStop website shows old classics like Super Mario Bros available for sale. Older games in franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokemon and Zelda are shown on the website.
GameStop recently announced it <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40157546/gamestop-shuts-down-game-informer-magazine-lays-off-entire-staff-report">was shutting down</a> Game Informer magazine and laying off the staff, a move that didn't sit well for the gaming community.
The hope for GameStop here could be to get more older video game fans into stores as it struggles with new consoles switching to digital-only models and gamers downloading digital games.
GameStop will report second-quarter financial results after market close on Sept. 10 with the potential for investors and gamers to hear more details on the new move. 
GME Price Action: GameStop stock is up 7.89% to $21.46 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $9.95 to $64.83. GameStop stock is up 27% year-to-date in 2024.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/08/40225079/roaring-kitty-loses-thousands-of-x-followers-after-going-silent-on-gamestop-chewy">Roaring Kitty Loses Thousands Of X Followers After Going Silent On GameStop, Chewy</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Courtesy 1take1shot via Shutterstock

Gaming

News

MSFT

NTDOY

SGAMY

Sony Group Corporation American Depositary Shares

SONY

GameStop Converts Stores To Retro Retailers To Help Gamers Find Old Nintendo, Sega, Game Boy, PlayStation, Xbox Consoles

Raven Software, known for its contributions to the Call of Duty franchise, is making headlines again—this time, not for its gaming achievements, but for a legal battle with its parent companies, Activision Blizzard and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>).
Employees at Raven Software, who established the first union within Activision Blizzard in 2022, have lodged a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Game File <a href="https://www.gamefile.news/p/nintendo-partner-showcase-raven-activision-union?open=false#%C2%A7item-call-of-duty-union-say-activision-is-dragging-its-feet-on-contract-talks">reported.</a>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/03/37603491/600-activision-qa-workers-vote-to-form-largest-us-video-game-worker-union-yet">600 Activision QA Workers Vote To Form Largest US Video Game Worker Union Yet</a>
The complaint alleges refusal to bargain, bad faith bargaining, changes in terms and conditions of employment, and retaliation against concerted activities.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">A Promising Start Turns Sour</h3>
Claude Cummings Jr., president of the Communications Workers of America (CWA), said: "After Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, our members were optimistic that they would progress quickly to a first contract at Raven Software. Unfortunately, that has not happened."
The CWA, under which Raven Software&#8217;s employees organized their union, initially supported Microsoft&#8217;s acquisition, hoping it would usher in a &#8220;new day for workers at Activision Blizzard.&#8221; 
However, the union&#8217;s recent complaint suggests that the honeymoon period is over, with the workers now facing significant challenges in securing the labor rights they fought for.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Microsoft's Response And Ongoing Negotiations</h3>
In response to the complaint, a Microsoft spokesperson stated: &#8220;We are committed to negotiating in good faith,&#8221; but details on the specific grievances remain scarce, as the CWA has declined to elaborate on the allegations. The NLRB&#8217;s decision on the case could take time, prolonging the uncertainty surrounding the negotiations.
This dispute is part of a broader trend of labor activism within the video game industry. The past year has seen a surge in unionization efforts and labor actions across several studios. 
For instance, Bethesda Game Studios, another Microsoft-owned company, recently became the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/07/39895529/bethesda-game-studios-unionizes-under-communication-workers-of-america">first within the corporation</a> to form a union, covering a wide range of roles from artists to programmers. 
Similarly, Sega of America&#8217;s union, part of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>), successfully ratified a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/07/33191001/sega-of-america-workers-officially-unionize-following-successful-vote">contract earlier this year.</a>
And, in related news, Paris-based Spiders studio announced plans on Wednesday to strike just weeks before the release of its upcoming game, Greedfall 2.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/07/40035765/sag-aftra-calls-video-game-strike-over-ai-concerns">SAG-AFTRA Calls Video Game Strike Over AI Concerns</a></li>
</ul>
Cover image made with AI using Dall-E.

General

Raven Software Files Labor Complaint Against Activision Blizzard, Microsoft; Alleges Bad Faith Bargaining

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>) reported its financial results for the first quarter of the 2024 fiscal year, revealing a mixed performance with notable strengths in its video game segment, despite an overall decline in<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37045228/sega-issues-financial-warning-over-sluggish-holiday-sales"> net sales. </a>
The results for the three months ended June 30, 2024, indicate a company navigating challenges but finding success in its core entertainment offerings, GamesIndustry.biz <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/segas-1025m-full-game-sales-help-offset-overall-decline">reported.</a>
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/07/39582716/sega-announces-open-world-crazy-taxi-a-next-gen-multiplayer-experience"> Sega Announces Open-World Crazy Taxi: A Next-Gen Multiplayer Experience</a>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Video Game Sales Shine Amidst Decline</h1>
Sega&#8217;s Entertainment Contents division, which encompasses video games, toys and animation, emerged as a bright spot in the company&#8217;s financials.
This segment reported net sales of 72.7 billion yen ($493.3 million), marking a significant 34% increase compared to the same period last year. 
Within this division, full-game sales saw an impressive growth of nearly 40%, generating 15.1 billion yen ($102.5 million). This growth is a testament to the sustained demand for Sega's gaming products, particularly as the company managed to sell 5.9 million units, albeit slightly below expectations.
Key contributors to this performance included back catalogue titles, which brought in 11.2 billion yen ($76 million). Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance was highlighted as a standout performer, moving 500,000 units. 
Meanwhile, new releases, including the highly anticipated Unicorn Overlord and the remastered Persona 5 Royal, also made substantial contributions to the bottom line.
However, the company noted that while full-game sales were robust, they did not quite meet internal expectations. Sega pointed to the strong yen&#8217;s impact on foreign sales as one of the factors influencing these results.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Pachislot And Pachinko: A Struggling Segment</h1>
In contrast, Sega's pachislot (Japanese slot machines) and pachinko (mechanical game that is used as an arcade game and for gambling) businesses struggled significantly during the quarter. Net sales in this segment plummeted by 43% year-on-year to 28.8 billion yen ($195.8 million).
The company attributed this decline to the comparison with the previous year, which saw the release of the highly successful Smart Pachislot Hokuto No Ken.
Despite the downturn in this traditional segment, Sega's leadership remains optimistic about the future, particularly in light of its growing focus on the digital and interactive entertainment space.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Sega&#8217;s Strategic Moves And Future Prospects</h1>
Sega's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/04/31821155/angry-birds-maker-confirms-talks-with-sega-over-tender-offer">acquisition of </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/04/31821155/angry-birds-maker-confirms-talks-with-sega-over-tender-offer">Rovio</a>, the Finnish developer behind the globally successful Angry Birds franchise, has begun to pay dividends, contributing positively to the company's video game segment. The 706 million euro acquisition, completed in August 2023, is part of Sega&#8217;s broader strategy to strengthen its mobile gaming presence, particularly in Western markets.
Looking ahead, Sega is banking on a robust lineup of releases to sustain its momentum in the Entertainment Contents division. Upcoming titles include Sonic X Shadow Generations and the free-to-play spin-off Sonic Rumble, both expected to capitalize on the enduring popularity of the Sonic franchise. 
Additionally, the company is set to launch a new IP from Atlus, Metaphor: ReFantazio, which is generating considerable anticipation.
The holiday season is also poised to boost Sega&#8217;s fortunes with the release of the third Sonic The Hedgehog movie on Dec. 20, 2024. The previous films have been commercial successes, and the company expects this installment to drive further interest in the Sonic brand across multiple platforms.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36874052/sega-workforce-shake-up-61-employees-face-layoffs-while-there-is-union-opposition">SEGA Workforce Shake-Up: 61 Employees Face Layoffs While There Is Union Opposition</a></li>
</ul>

Asia

Earnings

Markets

Sega's Q1 2024: $102.5M In Video Game Sales Stand Out, Despite Revenue Drop

Bethesda Game Studios has become the first Microsoft-owned game developer to fully unionize under the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/06/39298491/cwa-charges-microsoft-supplier-lionbridge-with-unfair-layoffs-of-unionizing-qa-testers">Communication Workers of America (CWA). </a>
The union, consisting of 241 developers, includes artists, engineers, programmers and designers, marking a significant shift in the industry's labor dynamics, IGN <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/bethesda-game-studios-microsoft-game-studios">reported.</a>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/05/38678051/microsofts-xbox-closes-4-video-game-studios-in-bethesda-restructure">Microsoft&#8217;s Xbox Closes 4 Video Game Studios In Bethesda Restructure</a>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">A Unified Voice</h1>
The union was officially confirmed after 241 developers either signed a union authorization card or expressed their desire for unionization through an online portal. 
This milestone follows the unionization of Bethesda Game Studios Montreal in late June and approximately 300 quality assurance workers within Zenimax, Bethesda's parent company.
&#8220;We, a majority of developers at Bethesda Game Studios Dallas, Rockville, and Austin, are ecstatic to announce the formation of our union with @CWAUnion,&#8221; the group announced on X (formerly Twitter). &#8220;Together as #OneBGSUSA, we advocate for the betterment of every developer at BGS, setting the new standard for our industry.&#8221;
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Negotiations Ahead</h1>
With Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) recognizing the union, the next step involves negotiating a contract.
Senior system designer Mandi Parker highlighted the significance of this development in a press release: &#8220;It is clear that every worker can benefit from bringing democracy into the workplace and securing a protected voice on the job. We're thrilled to get down to brass tacks and win a fair contract, proving that our unity is a source of real power to positively shape our working conditions, our lives, and the company as a whole.&#8221;
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Industry-Wide Implications</h1>
Unionization is increasingly becoming a trend in the gaming industry as workers seek protections against issues like mass layoffs. Earlier this year, Sega Sammy Holdings Inc. &#8211; ADR&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>) union ratified a contract, and Activision&#8217;s quality assurance workers also formed a union.
Microsoft has previously indicated it would not obstruct a potential union at Activision Blizzard, a stance that evidently extends to Bethesda Game Studios as well.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/05/38791690/xbox-exec-sarah-bond-addresses-microsofts-studio-closures-its-always-extraordinarily-hard-to-make-">Xbox Exec Sarah Bond Addresses Microsoft&#8217;s Studio Closures: &#8216;It&#8217;s Always Extraordinarily Hard To Make Decisions Like That&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image created using photos from Shutterstock.

Bethesda Game Studios Unionizes Under Communication Workers Of America

Steve-O, the daring stunt performer and star of &#8220;Jackass,&#8221; shared that he was compensated $100,000 for his role in Sega Sammy Holdings Inc's (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">NFL 2K5. </a>
<a href="https://www.gamespot.com/videos/steve-o-has-never-played-the-jackass-game-star-players/2300-6464586/">Speaking</a> with GameSpot, Steve-O disclosed the exact figure for his involvement in the game, where he was featured as a celebrity coach alongside other personalities like Carmen Electra, David Arquette, Funkmaster Flex and Jamie Kennedy. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/07/39779849/gaming-industry-revenues-to-hit-307-billion-by-2027-analysis">Gaming Industry Revenues To Hit $307 Billion By 2027: Analysis</a>
NFL 2K5, featuring Terrell Owens as its cover athlete, marked the final installment in Sega&#8217;s football series, which had been a formidable competitor to EA&#8217;s Madden NFL franchise in the early 2000s. 
Launched at a competitive price of $20, significantly lower than the standard $50 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox games at the time, NFL 2K5 received critical acclaim.
Reflecting on his involvement, Steve-O recounted: &#8220;For sure they reached out to me. It&#8217;s so funny that I went to promote this video game on the Howard Stern show. They paid me very well to do that. In 2004, I think it was exactly $100,000 they paid me to do that.&#8221; 
Interestingly, Steve-O&#8217;s foray into video games wasn&#8217;t limited to NFL 2K5. He also appeared in Tony Hawk's Underground 2, where he rode a mechanical bull instead of a skateboard. Despite the elaborate nature of this cameo, it earned him a comparatively modest $5,000. &#8220;I think this one was wildly more popular, but who&#8217;s gonna not do that, you know?&#8221; Steve-O said.
&#8220;Jackass was really good at not paying us that much,&#8221; he added, referencing the Jackass: The Game, which, despite its association with the popular TV show and film series, did not bring substantial earnings for its stars.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/07/39579853/george-r-r-martin-fuels-rumors-about-elden-ring-movie-or-tv-show">George R. R. Martin Fuels Rumors About Elden Ring Movie Or TV Show</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Joe Seer via Shutterstock

Entertainment

Guess How Much Steve-O From 'Jackass' Made From His NFL 2K5 Cameo

The Biden administration has unveiled a $504 million funding package aimed at bolstering 12 regional technology hubs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/07/39592660/biden-administration-pumps-504m-to-boost-ai-chip-innovation-in-tech-hubs" rel="noreferrer noopener">across the United States</a>.
California lawmakers are set to vote on a bill that would impose stringent&nbsp;safety regulations on artificial intelligence companies. The bill is being fiercely opposed by tech giants, including&nbsp;Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39589481/meta-google-slam-californias-ai-safety-bill-say-it-will-make-the-ecosystem-less-safe-mark-zuckerberg" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39589481/meta-google-slam-californias-ai-safety-bill-say-it-will-make-the-ecosystem-less-safe-mark-zuckerberg" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alphabet Inc </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39589481/meta-google-slam-californias-ai-safety-bill-say-it-will-make-the-ecosystem-less-safe-mark-zuckerberg" rel="noreferrer noopener">(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>)</a>.
Gaming
Epic Games is advancing its plans to relaunch &#8220;Fortnite&#8221; on its own iPhone app store for EU users by submitting the Epic Games Store and the updated Fortnite app <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39567248/fortnite-could-return-back-to-apple-iphone-as-epic-moves-to-reintroduce-game-via-eu-alternative-app" rel="noreferrer noopener">to Apple for notarization</a>.
Sega Sammy Holdings Inc (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>), renowned for its iconic gaming franchises, recently unveiled groundbreaking plans for the future of Crazy Taxi <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/07/39582716/sega-announces-open-world-crazy-taxi-a-next-gen-multiplayer-experience" rel="noreferrer noopener">and other beloved series</a>.
Capcom ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCOEY#OTC">CCOEY</a>) officially confirmed the development of &#8220;Resident Evil 9&#8221; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/07/39602070/capcom-confirms-development-of-resident-evil-9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">was underway</a>.
Microsoft Corp.&#8217;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) Xbox Game Pass&nbsp;subscribers have an exciting lineup to look forward to, with Wave 1 offerings spanning various <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/07/39604435/get-ready-for-xbox-game-pass-july-2024-journey-to-the-savage-planet-tchia-more" rel="noreferrer noopener">genres and&nbsp;platforms</a>.
Xbox Game Pass&nbsp;subscribers have an exciting lineup to look forward to, with Wave 1 offerings spanning various genres and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/xbox" rel="noreferrer noopener">platforms.</a>
Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/07/39603546/why-some-games-run-better-on-ps5-despite-xbox-series-xs-power-advantage-according-to-experts" rel="noreferrer noopener">Why Some Games Run Better On PS5 Despite Xbox Series X&#8217;s Power Advantage, According To Experts</a>
Smartphones
The deadline for&nbsp;Apple Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users to claim a&nbsp;portion of the $35 million settlement fund established after a class-action lawsuit regarding audio issues <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39568912/apple-iphone-settlement-deadline-extended-users-get-extra-time-to-file-claims-to-get-up-to-349" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">has been extended</a>.
Despite initial discussions in March, Apple has reportedly declined&nbsp;Meta Platforms&#8217; proposal to incorporate its AI chatbot, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39564817/apple-rejects-metas-ai-integration-proposal-ex-employee-accuses-iphone-maker-of-chemical-exposure-an" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Llama, into the iPhone</a>.
Related: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39564985/apples-ai-initiatives-impress-analysts-meta-eyes-apple-intelligence-arm-holdings-ceo-on-rapid-growth" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s AI Initiatives Impress Analysts, Meta Eyes Apple Intelligence, Arm Holdings CEO On Rapid Growth Of AI And More: This Week In AI</a>
Apple&#8217;s&nbsp;closest rival in the smartwatch space,&nbsp;Samsung Electronics, has introduced its new Exynos W1000 chipset that can help the next generation Galaxy Watch last twice as long as the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/apple-watch-series-9" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Watch Series 9</a>.
Apple&nbsp;is reportedly set to secure an observer role on the board of&nbsp;ChatGPT-parent&nbsp;OpenAI,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/07/39611089/top-apple-executive-phil-schiller-to-join-openai-board-as-observer-giving-iphone-maker-equal-status" rel="noreferrer noopener">matching the position of&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/07/39611089/top-apple-executive-phil-schiller-to-join-openai-board-as-observer-giving-iphone-maker-equal-status" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft</a>.
Technology
The European Union (EU) is reportedly gearing up to charge&nbsp;Meta Platforms with a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39569000/metas-pay-or-consent-model-to-draw-charges-from-eu-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">breach of its digital regulations</a>.
South Korea&#8217;s&nbsp;SK Group, the parent company of&nbsp;Nvidia Corporations&#8217;&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) chip supplier&nbsp;SK Hynix, has announced plans to amass 80 trillion won ($56 billion) by 2026. The funds will be primarily directed towards investments in artificial <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39575498/nvidia-suppliers-parent-company-pledges-56b-investment-in-ai-chip-tech-by-2026-as-competition-from-s" rel="noreferrer noopener">intelligence (AI) and semiconductors</a>.
Elon Musk
Tesla, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)&nbsp;and&nbsp;SpaceX&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;reacted to an old video of AI &#8220;Godfather&#8221;&nbsp;Geoffrey Hinton&nbsp;that artificial intelligence <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39590277/elon-musk-reacts-to-an-old-video-of-ai-godfather-geoffrey-hinton-saying-that-artificial-intelligence" rel="noreferrer noopener">has passed the Turing Test</a>.
Elon Musk&nbsp;has shared a glimpse of the resources invested in the development of&nbsp;his AI chatbot,&nbsp;Grok. Musk recently disclosed that the upcoming version of his AI chatbot, Grok 3, will be trained on a massive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39594885/elon-musk-reveals-the-staggering-amount-of-nvidia-h100-gpus-that-will-be-used-to-train-xai-chatbot-g" rel="noreferrer noopener">100,000&nbsp;Nvidia H100&nbsp;chips</a>.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39569675/palantirs-peter-thiel-says-its-very-strange-that-most-money-in-ai-is-being-made-by-only-one-company" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palantir&#8217;s Peter Thiel Says It&#8217;s &#8216;Very Strange&#8217; That Most Money In AI Is Being Made By Only One Company: &#8216;…Which Silicon Valley Doesn&#8217;t Even Know Much About Anymore&#8217;</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

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What's New In the Consumer Tech World Last Week? News That You Should Know (June 30 - July 5, 2024)

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>), renowned for its iconic gaming franchises, recently unveiled groundbreaking plans for the future of Crazy Taxi and other beloved series. 
In a developer-focused interview<a href="https://automaton-media.com/en/news/new-crazy-taxi-title-will-be-an-open-world-massively-multiplayer-aaa-game-according-to-sega/"> translated</a> by Automaton, Sega&#8217;s producer Kenji Kanno dropped exciting details about Crazy Taxi&#8217;s anticipated reboot.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36874052/sega-workforce-shake-up-61-employees-face-layoffs-while-there-is-union-opposition">SEGA Workforce Shake-Up &#8211; 61 Employees Face Layoffs While There Is Union Opposition</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Crazy Taxi&#8217;s Leap Into An Open-World Future</h3>
Kenji Kanno described the upcoming Crazy Taxi as a &#8220;large-scale, open-world, massively multiplayer driving game,&#8221; leveraging the cutting-edge Unreal Engine. 
Kanno stressed Sega&#8217;s commitment to preserving Crazy Taxi&#8217;s signature thrill while integrating groundbreaking multiplayer dynamics and expansive open-world exploration. 
&#8220;The new Crazy Taxi retains the essence of the original while introducing exciting new elements,&#8221; Kanno affirmed. Reports hint at a sprawling theme park-inspired map and nods to the U.S. West Coast, promising a fresh yet familiar experience for fans, according to Automaton.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Game Awards 2023: A Platform For Rebirth</h3>
Sega made headlines at The Game Awards 2023 with its ambitious lineup of nostalgic comebacks. Alongside returning classics like Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe, and Streets of Rage, the announcement of Crazy Taxi&#8217;s reboot stood out, setting the stage for a thrilling revival.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/11/35600654/i-want-sonic-to-surpass-mario-says-sega-executive">&#8216;I Want Sonic To Surpass Mario,&#8221; Says SEGA Executive</a></li>
</ul>
Image courtesy of Sega <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/71230/Crazy_Taxi/">via</a> Steam.

Sega Announces Open-World Crazy Taxi: A Next-Gen Multiplayer Experience

Production has begun on &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/angry-birds">The Angry Birds Movie 3</a>.&#8221; 
Rovio Entertainment Corporation, SEGA Sammy Holdings (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>), and Prime Focus Studios <a href="https://www.rovio.com/articles/the-angry-birds-movie-3-is-in-production/">broke</a> the news; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming"> </a>DNEG Animation will handle the animation for the film, which also involves One Cool Group, Flywheel Media, and Dentsu.
The new movie continues the adventures of Red and Chuck, with actors Jason Sudeikis and Josh Gad returning to voice the characters, respectively.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/06/32767414/amazon-expands-angry-birds-franchise-with-angry-birds-mystery-island-series-on-prime-video-">Amazon Expands Angry Birds Franchise With &#8216;Angry Birds Mystery Island&#8217; Series On Prime Video And Amazon Kids+</a>
The first two films in the franchise grossed over $500 million worldwide and performed well on streaming platforms, setting high expectations for this installment.
John Rice, known for &#8220;Angry Birds&#8221; and &#8220;Beavis and Butt-Head Do The Universe,&#8221; will direct the film. 
Thurop Van Orman, who wrote &#8220;Angry Birds 2&#8221; and &#8220;Adventure Time,&#8221; will write the screenplay and serve as an executive producer alongside Toru Nakahara. The production team also includes producers John Cohen, Dan Chuba, and Carla Connor.
"The Angry Birds brand knows no bounds," said Alexandre Pelletier-Normand, CEO of Rovio Entertainment. "An all-new Angry Birds adventure shows how the stories we create in our games can seamlessly transition to film. We're excited to dive back into the vibrant Angry Birds world with our new partners."
Meanwhile, Shuji Utsumi, President and COO at SEGA, noted the company's transmedia strategy. "The upcoming Angry Birds Movie 3 perfectly aligns with our strategy and offers a great opportunity to bring the charm of the Angry Birds brand to fans globally."
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/12/36246558/this-acclaimed-video-game-is-getting-an-a24-live-action-film-adaptation">This Acclaimed Video Game Is Getting An A24 Live-Action Film Adaptation</a>
Image courtesy of Rovio Entertainment.

Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad Return For 'The Angry Birds Movie 3' As Production Kicks Off

Music has always been a crucial part of video games, enhancing immersion and adding <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/03/37428368/universal-music-pulls-4-million-songs-from-tiktok-tells-artists-they-simply-do-not-value-yo">depth to virtual worlds. </a>
Think about it: from the catchy Super Mario Bros. theme to the unforgettable Tetris melody, some video game tunes are as iconic as the games themselves. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/05/39008146/gamers-ditch-strategy-too-worn-out-by-social-media-to-think-deeply-study-shows">Gamers Ditch Strategy: &#8216;Too Worn Out By Social Media To Think Deeply,&#8217; Study Shows</a>
Over the years, game music has evolved to include full orchestral scores and cinematic compositions. But there&#8217;s another powerful type of video game music that's been making waves since the &#8217;90s: the licensed soundtrack.
The idea of using popular songs in video games took off in 1982 with Journey&#8217;s chiptune version of "Don't Stop Believin'" for the Atari 2600 game.
By the early &#8217;90s, with home consoles like Sega Sammy Holdings Inc&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>) CD and Sony Group Corp.&#8216;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NYSE">SONY</a>) PlayStation, games began incorporating high-quality audio tracks.
Titles like &#8220;Twisted Metal: Black&#8221; (2001) with The Rolling Stones&#8217; "Paint It Black," and &#8220;Red Dead Redemption 2&#8221; featuring D'Angelo's "Unshaken," exemplify how licensed music can elevate a game&#8217;s impact.
Curious about which games nailed it with their soundtracks? Rolling Stone <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-gaming-lists/best-video-game-soundtracks-1235005941/lollipop-chainsaw-2012-1235012615/">recently ranked </a>the 25 best licensed gaming soundtracks of all time. Let's dive in and see if your favorites made the list.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Rolling Stone's Top 25 Licensed Gaming Soundtracks:</h1>
25. Lollipop Chainsaw (2012)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Cherry Bomb," Joan Jett &amp; The Blackhearts</li>
</ul>
24. Crazy Taxi (1999)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: Arcade, Dreamcast</li>
<li>Song to stream: "All I Want," The Offspring</li>
</ul>
23. Bioshock Infinite (2013)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows, OS X</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Fortunate Son," by Jessy Carolina (covering Creedence Clearwater Revival)</li>
</ul>
22. Forza Horizon 5 (2021)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: Xbox Series X&#x7C;S, Xbox One, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Heat Waves (Shakur Ahmad Remix)," Glass Animals, Shakur Ahmad</li>
</ul>
21. Midnight Club: Los Angeles (2008)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Kicking and Screaming," The Presets</li>
</ul>
20. Watch Dogs 2 (2016)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Blockbuster Night Part 1," Run the Jewels</li>
</ul>
19. The Last of Us Part II (2020)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 4</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Take On Me," Ashley Johnson (Covering a-ha)</li>
</ul>
18. Michael Jackson's Moonwalker (1990)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: Arcade, Sega Genesis, Master System</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Smooth Criminal" (Sega Genesis version; Michael Jackson)</li>
</ul>
17. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Gloria," Laura Branigan</li>
</ul>
16. Fallout: New Vegas (2010)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Johnny Guitar," Peggy Lee</li>
</ul>
15. Def Jam Vendetta (2003)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: GameCube, PlayStation 2</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Party Up," DMX</li>
</ul>
14. SSX on Tour (2005)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox, PlayStation Portable</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Daft Punk Is Playing at My House," LCD Soundsystem</li>
</ul>
13. Saints Row 2 (2008)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Street Justice," MSTRKRFT</li>
</ul>
12. Rock n' Roll Racing (1993)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Sega Genesis</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Paranoid" (Instrumental, originally by Black Sabbath)</li>
</ul>
11. Need for Speed Unbound (2022)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X&#x7C;S, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Shittin Me," A$AP Rocky</li>
</ul>
10. Burnout 3: Takedown (2004)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox</li>
<li>Song to stream: "My Favorite Accident," Motion City Soundtrack</li>
</ul>
9. Gran Turismo 2 (1999)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Now Is the Time (Millenium Mix)," The Crystal Method</li>
</ul>
8. Brütal Legend (2009)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Goliaths Disarm Their Davids," In Flames</li>
</ul>
7. Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360</li>
<li>Song to stream: "A.D.H.D," Kendrick Lamar</li>
</ul>
6. Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy (2021)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X&#x7C;S, Nintendo Switch, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "The Final Countdown," EUROPE</li>
</ul>
5. Hotline Miami (2012)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Vengeance (The Return of the Night Driving Avenger)," Perturbator</li>
</ul>
4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "B.Y.S.," Gang Starr</li>
</ul>
3. Life Is Strange (2015)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Mt. Washington," Local Natives</li>
</ul>
2. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (1999)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Superman," Goldfinger</li>
</ul>
1. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002)
<ul>
<li>Platforms: PlayStation 2, Xbox, Windows</li>
<li>Song to stream: "Working for the Weekend," Loverboy</li>
</ul>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/05/38900608/gta-5-surpasses-200-million-copies-sold-only-two-games-have-outsold-it">GTA 5 Surpasses 200 Million Copies Sold: Only Two Games Have Outsold It</a>
Photo: Shutterstock.

You Won't Believe The Best Gaming Soundtrack Ever: Rolling Stone's Top 25 Revealed

Lara Croft, the iconic heroine of the Embracer Group ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EBCRY#OTC">EBCRY</a>) Tomb Raider series, has been hailed as the most legendary character in gaming by the BAFTA Gaming Awards, edging out beloved icons like <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">Mario and Sonic. </a>
In a recent <a href="https://www.bafta.org/games/most-iconic-game-character-of-all-time">poll</a> by BAFTA, where over 4,000 votes were cast, Croft emerged as the clear favorite.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/08/34031282/from-tombs-to-warfare-lara-croft-debuts-in-call-of-duty-crossover">From Tombs To Warfare: Lara Croft Debuts In Call Of Duty Crossover</a>
Since her debut in 1996&#8217;s Tomb Raider for the Sega Saturn, Croft captivated audiences across various mediums, from video games to film adaptations and even live immersive experiences in London.
In the rankings, Nintendo ADR&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) Mario ranked second, Hitman&#8217;s Agent 47 in third, Sega Sammy Holdings Inc &#8211; ADR&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>) Sonic the Hedgehog secured fourth place, followed by LittleBigPlanet&#8217;s Sackboy in fifth, and Pac-Man in sixth. 
Link from The Legend of Zelda claimed the seventh spot, while Master Chief and Kratos battled it out for eighth and ninth place, respectively. 
A surprise contender, Baldur&#8217;s Gate 3&#8217;s Shadowheart, clinched the 10th spot despite the game&#8217;s recent release.
The remaining entries on the list include some expected names, such as Sony Group Corp.&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NYSE">SONY</a>) The Last of Us&#8217; Ellie and Crash Bandicoot, alongside others that raised eyebrows. 
However, one thing remains clear: Lara Croft&#8217;s top position is universally acknowledged as well-deserved.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/22/03/26051368/10-best-selling-video-game-franchises-of-all-time-tetris-call-of-duty-super-mario-and-more">10 Best-Selling Video Game Franchises Of All Time: Tetris, Call Of Duty, Super Mario And More</a>
Image created with photos from Unsplash.

EBCRY

This Is The Most Iconic Character In Gaming, Surpassing Mario, Hitman, Sonic, Says BAFTA Gaming Awards

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc - ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>) issued a financial warning due to disappointing sales during the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">crucial holiday season of 2023.</a>
The company attributed the downward revision of its sales and profit forecast to &quot;weak sales&quot; of new games released in the third quarter of the financial year, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/sega-issues-financial-warning-after-sluggish-sales-of-sonic-superstars-endless-dungeon-and-total-war-pharaoh">reported</a>&nbsp;IGN.&nbsp;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/01/36874052/sega-workforce-shake-up-61-employees-face-layoffs-while-there-is-union-opposition" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">SEGA Workforce Shake-Up: 61 Employees Face Layoffs While There Is Union Opposition</a>
Sega highlighted &quot;sluggish&quot; sales of titles like &quot;Sonic Superstars,&quot; &quot;Endless Dungeon,&quot; and &quot;Total War: Pharaoh&quot; during the holiday season.
The company also incurred losses linked to an inventory write-down, which were&nbsp;&quot;in response to these sales conditions.&quot;
&quot;As a result of these factors, etc., both sales and ordinary income are expected to be lower than previous forecast,&quot; the company said in a statement.&nbsp;
Sales struggles were particularly notable in Europe and the United States, where Sega cited a plateau in market expansion due to economic challenges like inflation.
Despite the success of recently released games like &quot;Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth&quot; and &quot;Persona 3 Reload,&quot; Sega doesn&#39;t anticipate these titles, nor the upcoming &quot;Unicorn Overlord,&quot; to offset the overall lower sales and profits for the financial year.
The company acknowledged the impact of competitive titles, notably &quot;Super Mario Bros. Wonder,&quot; which launched shortly after &quot;Sonic Superstars.&quot;
Sega announced ongoing structural reforms in its European game development business, including the cancellation of projects like &quot;Hyenas&quot; and a review of the medium-term lineup. This restructuring also involves management changes.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/11/35600654/i-want-sonic-to-surpass-mario-says-sega-executive" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&#39;I Want Sonic To Surpass Mario,&quot; Says SEGA Executive</a>
Image credits:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/inbj">IB Photography</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock.

Penny Stocks

Sega Issues Financial Warning Over 'Sluggish' Holiday Sales

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) has responded directly to the&nbsp;Federal Trade Commission&#39;s (FTC) claims regarding layoffs following the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/activision-blizzard">acquisition of Activision.</a>
The FTC blasted Microsoft&#39;s 1,900 layoffs, saying they contradicted earlier assurances made <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/cases-proceedings/2210077-microsoftactivision-blizzard-matter">during the antitrust trial</a>.
However, Microsoft rebutted, stating that Activision had already planned significant job cuts before the merger, and criticized the FTC&#39;s assertions as &quot;incomplete and misleading,&quot; The Verge <a href="https://www.theverge.com/23768244/ftc-microsoft-activision-blizzard-case-news-announcements">reported</a>.
Microsoft clarified: &quot;Activision was already planning on eliminating a significant number of jobs while still operating as an independent company.&quot;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37016355/gaming-industry-layoffs-crash-bandicoot-studio-toys-for-bob-grapples-with-office-closure" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gaming Industry Layoffs - Crash Bandicoot Studio, Toys For Bob, Grapples With Office Closure</a>
The filing also noted that Activision&#39;s pre-existing layoff plans aligned with industry trends impacting the gaming sector. This aligns with layoffs announced by other gaming companies like Sega Sammy Holdings Inc (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>) and CI Games, reflecting wider industry challenges.
Microsoft had previously stated that the layoffs were due to identifying overlaps and the need for a sustainable cost structure. This was reiterated in Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer&#39;s memo accompanying the initial announcement of the company&#39;s 1,900 layoffs within its gaming department last month.
Furthermore, the tech giant asserted in the court filing its readiness to reverse the acquisition. <a href="https://gamerant.com/microsoft-activision-layoffs-ftc-complaint-official-response/">As per</a> Game Rant, a company representative clarified that the deal allows for divestment from Activision if necessary, although such a scenario is deemed unlikely.
The FTC&#39;s objections primarily concern antitrust matters rather than workforce protections, making it questionable whether recent layoffs across Activision subsidiaries would affect court approval of the acquisition.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37013590/gamestops-tweet-adds-fuel-to-panic-over-xboxs-future-whats-next-for-the-brand" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">GameStop&#39;s Tweet Adds Fuel To Panic Over Xbox&#39;s Future: What&#39;s Next For The Brand?</a>
Image credits:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/DailyFX">CryptoFX</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock.

Microsoft Claps Back At FTC, Insists Activision Was 'Already Planning Significant' Layoffs

SEGA of America, part of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc - ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>) is set to lay off 61 employees on March 8, as revealed by an automated X&nbsp;bot sharing Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/07/33191001/sega-of-america-workers-officially-unionize-following-successful-vote">notices.</a>
<a href="https://insider-gaming.com/sega-to-layoff-61-employees/">According</a> to Insider Gaming, the Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega (AEGIS-CWA) union, actively opposing SEGA&#39;s plan to outsource QA and part of localization, expressed discontent on X.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/11/35835878/union-accusations-against-sega-alleged-threat-of-mass-layoffs-uncovered" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Union Accusations Against Sega: Alleged Threat Of Mass Layoffs Uncovered</a>
The union stated: &quot;Sega management announced their plan to outsource QA and part of localization in a move that would significantly impact our workforce. Today the layoff that will result in the loss of 61 jobs across these two departments was made public.&quot;
Despite the union&#39;s efforts, the layoffs are expected to negatively impact working conditions and game quality. It&nbsp;asserted: &quot;We believe will have a negative impact on the working conditions of those who remain with the company, and in the quality of our future games.&quot;
Furthermore, the union clarified&nbsp;through collective efforts it managed to save more than double the initially at-risk jobs and secured severance for temporary workers.
The union also highlighted the broader issue of mass layoffs in the gaming industry, stating, &quot;In the face of mass layoffs that continue to happen across gaming companies, we stand united and in solidarity with those affected.&quot;
SEGA of America has not responded to requests for comment, leaving uncertainty about whether the layoffs are connected to the company&#39;s earlier plan to phase out temporary employees by February, a move the union opposed.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/11/35600654/i-want-sonic-to-surpass-mario-says-sega-executive" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">&#39;I Want Sonic To Surpass Mario,&quot; Says SEGA Executive</a>
Photo:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/inbj">IB Photography</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock

SEGA Workforce Shake-Up: 61 Employees Face Layoffs While There Is Union Opposition

Sega of America, part of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc - ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>), faced&nbsp;accusations of attempting mass layoffs in retaliation for employees&#39; unionization efforts, as detailed in an unfair labor practice complaint filed by the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/23/04/31626539/activision-blizzard-faces-privacy-invasion-allegations-from-workers">Communications Workers of America.</a>
<a href="https://kotaku.com/sega-sonic-union-layoffs-persona-yakuza-1851026309">According </a>to Kotaku, the complaint alleged&nbsp;Sega forced employees into a meeting where they were informed of impending job offshoring to Japan and Europe, impacting about 40% of unionized staff, primarily in quality assurance and localization roles.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/07/33191001/sega-of-america-workers-officially-unionize-following-successful-vote">Sega Of America Workers Officially Unionize Following Successful Vote</a>
The Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega (AEGIS-CWA), formed earlier in the year and representing more than&nbsp;200 employees, received a proposal from Sega to phase out temporary workers by February 2024, breaching standard negotiation procedures with the union.
Instead of engaging in negotiations with the union, Sega directly informed employees of the layoffs in a mandatory meeting, potentially violating rules against bypassing union involvement. The downsizing would affect around 80 employees, which accounted&nbsp;for 40% of the entire group.
Despite the filing with the National Labor Relations Board, the resolution might not prevent imminent layoffs.
The situation happened&nbsp;amidst industry-wide cost-cutting measures, with gaming companies aiming to reduce expenses and downsize.
Meanwhile, the union demanded&nbsp;Sega to convert temporary positions to permanent ones and return to negotiations transparently and fairly.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/01/30470978/gaming-industry-workers-unite-a-look-at-unionizations-efforts-at-activision-blizzard-and-ot">Gaming Industry Workers Unite: A Look At Unionizations Efforts At Activision Blizzard And Other Publishers</a>
Photo:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/inbj">IB Photography</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock.

Union Accusations Against Sega: Alleged Threat Of Mass Layoffs Uncovered

Each week, Benzinga&#8217;s Stock Whisper Index uses a combination of proprietary data and pattern recognition to showcase five stocks that are just under the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/stock-whisper-index">surface and warrant attention</a>.
Investors are constantly on the hunt for undervalued, under-followed and emerging stocks. With countless methods available to retail traders, the challenge often lies in sifting through the abundance to uncover new information.
This index layers editorial commentary to help make sense of why these stocks should be of interest and whether investors or casual readers should watch them. Here is a look at the Benzinga Stock Whisper Index for the week of Nov. 10:
Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/23/11/35705775/lillys-strategic-branding-move-for-weight-loss-drug-sets-stage-for-long-term-success-analyst">Lilly's Strategic Branding Move For Weight Loss Drug Sets Stage For Long Term Success: Analyst</a>
<ol>
<li>GAN Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GAN#NASDAQ">GAN</a>): The casino and sports betting technology company saw increased interest from investors after an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/23/11/35667472/why-online-gaming-platform-gan-shares-are-skyrocketing-today">acquisition of the company was announced.</a> Sega Sammy Creation, a unit of Sega Sammy Holdings, Inc. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SGAMY#OTC">SGAMY</a>), announced it will acquire the company for $1.97 per share in cash. The deal will go before shareholders at a special meeting to be held on March 31, 2024, with an expected close in the fourth quarter of 2024 if approved. Given the three months between now and the vote, the company could see interest from other parties. The acquisition of GAN could also lead to more M&amp;A in the online gaming space.</li>
<li>Marathon Digital Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>): The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) mining company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/11/35701484/bitcoin-miner-marathon-digital-is-surging-thursday-whats-going-on">saw shares trade higher</a> after reporting third-quarter results. The company reported revenue of $97.8 million, which was up year-over-year, but missed a Street consensus estimate of $99.70 million. Marathon saw revenue shoot higher with a 467% increase in Bitcoin production and the price of Bitcoin 32% higher in the quarter. The company produced 37.9 Bitcoin per day in the third quarter and sold 66% of the Bitcoin it produced in the quarter. Aside from earnings, Marathon shares have been volatile given the recent rise in the price of Bitcoin.</li>
<li>Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>): The pharmaceutical company saw increased investor interest after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/23/11/35680340/weight-loss-drug-competition-fda-approves-expanded-use-of-eli-lillys-blockbuster-tirzepatide-for-">announcing FDA approval</a> for expanded use of its Tirzepatide weight-loss drug. The drug is expected to be available in the U.S. by the end of the year and will come with a lower price point than other weight loss drugs from Novo Nordisk (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVO#NYSE">NVO</a>).</li>
<li>Astra Space (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASTR#NASDAQ">ASTR</a>): The space company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/11/35702227/astra-space-stock-is-blasting-off-thursday-whats-going-on">saw shares trade higher</a> after founders Chris Kemp and Adam London announced a non-binding proposal to acquire the portion of the company they did not already own. The proposal price was $1.50 per share. The announcement comes after the company's board announced it was considering financing and strategic transaction proposals. Shares of Astra were up over 50% on the announcement, but still trade below the $1.50 offer price. Shares of the space company have traded between $0.62 and $11.10 over the last 52 weeks.</li>
<li>Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>): The cryptocurrency exchange platform saw increased interest from investors over the week. The company reported third-quarter<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/11/35579604/coinbase-q3-earnings-cryptocurrency-exchange-posts-revenue-beat-latest-bitcoin-ethereum-vo"> financial results</a>, with revenue beating analysts' estimates. Interest in Coinbase is likely due to the rise in the price of Bitcoin and increased optimism that Bitcoin ETFs will be approved in the coming months.</li>
</ol>
Check out the most recent Stock Whisper reports here:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/penny-stocks/23/10/35350340/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet">Oct. 20</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/23/10/35465096/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-abo">Oct. 27</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/23/11/35592717/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet">Nov. 3</a></li>
</ul>
Stay tuned for next week&#8217;s report, and follow Benzinga Pro for all the latest headlines and<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/feature/newsfeed/?gspk=bHVrZWphY29iaTUzNDg&amp;gsxid=tdEE0VrK8Jeg&amp;ref=lukejacobi5348" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;top market-moving stories here.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/23/11/35628289/biggest-short-squeeze-stocks-of-the-week-biotech-stocks-dominate-a-bitcoin-related-stock-moves-up">Biggest Short Squeeze Stocks Of The Week</a>

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GAN Limited&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gan#NASDAQ">GAN</a>) shares are trading higher after the company agreed to be acquired by Sega Sammy Creation Inc.&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/23/11/b35664224/gan-announces-definitive-agreement-to-be-acquired-by-sega-sammy-creation" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">for $1.97 per share.</a>
The value represents a premium of 121% over the closing price of GAN&#39;s ordinary shares on November 7, 2023, the<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/m-a" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">&nbsp;last trading day before the date of this announcement.</a>
Sega Sammy Creation is a subsidiary of&nbsp;Sega Sammy Holdings, Inc.(OTC:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamf#OTC" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">SGAMF</a>) (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>), an international conglomerate operating in the entertainment, gaming, and resort businesses.
GAN said it will ask its shareholders to consider and vote to approve the merger agreement at a special meeting of shareholders to be held by March 31, 2024.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/11/35600654/i-want-sonic-to-surpass-mario-says-sega-executive" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">&#39;I Want Sonic To Surpass Mario,&quot; Says SEGA Executive</a>
&quot;Market share concentration in the U.S. B2C space, a slower than expected adoption of regulated online gaming in the U.S., along with changes to key customer contracts make the near-term operating environment challenging without ample capital resources,&quot; said Seamus McGill, Chairman and Interim Chief Executive Officer of GAN.&nbsp;
Sega Sammy has those resources, and GAN is a strategic complement to their existing gaming portfolio, according to the Interim CEO.&nbsp;
GAN expects the merger to close during the&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">fourth quarter of 2024.</a>
Upon completion of the merger, GAN will become a&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/acquisitions" style="background-image:initial; background-position:initial; background-size:initial; background-repeat:initial; background-attachment:initial; background-origin:initial; background-clip:initial; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; color:#4a6ee0" target="_blank">wholly-owned subsidiary of SSC.</a>
&quot;We believe this all-cash offer, at a substantial premium to recent trading prices, is the value-maximizing path for our shareholders,&quot; McGill added.
Price Action:&nbsp;GAN shares are trading higher by 96.2% to $1.75 premarket on the last check Wednesday.

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Why Online Gaming Platform GAN Shares Are Skyrocketing Today

Sega Sammy Holdings Inc - ADR&nbsp;(OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>)&nbsp;executive Osamu Ohasi has set his sights high, expressing his desire to see<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/22/04/26644524/sonic-the-metaverse-how-sega-plans-to-launch-nfts"> Sonic the Hedgehog</a> surpass Mario <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/04/31844499/super-mario-bros-movie-reigns-supreme-in-2023-box-office-with-over-500m-in-sales">in terms of popularity.</a>
Ohasi, who currently manages SEGA&#39;s 2nd Business Department, responsible for the Sonic franchise, shared his ambitious vision in a recent <a href="https://www.sega.co.jp/recruit/episode/episode09/">interview</a> conducted by sega.co.jp and translated by NoisyPixel.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/06/33033155/microsofts-acquisition-ambitions-exposed-why-did-xbox-want-to-buy-sega" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Microsoft&#39;s Acquisition Ambitions Exposed: Why Did Xbox Want To Buy SEGA?</a>
&quot;Simply put, I want to surpass Mario. Sonic was a game originally developed to compete with Mario, and we have yet to achieve that. Because we respect Mario, my goal is to catch up to and surpass him,&quot; Ohasi said.
He continued: &quot;We want Sonic to be played all over the world, including Japan, just like Mario, and we want the movie to be a bigger hit than Mario. We also want to build a Sonic attraction in Universal Studios Japan. That is my goal as a Sonic lover.&quot;
Ohasi&#39;s enthusiasm and ambitions are undeniable, but achieving these objectives will be a formidable challenge. For instance, a basic comparison shows that the recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/08/33970399/barbie-vs-super-mario-bros-movie-which-one-will-claim-2023s-box-office-throne">Super Mario Bros. movie</a> grossed $1.36 billion at the box office, while the two <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/22/04/26559842/sonic-the-hedgehog-2-conquers-weekend-box-office-with-71m-ambulance-brings-in-8-5m">Sonic the Hedgehog movies</a> combined generated a total of $725 million.
In the realm of video game sales, Mario currently holds the title of the best-selling video game franchise of all time, with over 830 million copies of games sold globally.
Sonic Superstars, the latest Sonic game, is now available on various gaming platforms.
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/03/31302637/its-a-me-why-is-march-10-celebrated-as-mario-day">&nbsp;It&#39;s-A Me! Why Is March 10 Celebrated As Mario Day?</a>
Image credits:&nbsp;<a href="https://unsplash.com/es/@helloimnik?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash">Nik</a>&nbsp;on <a href="https://unsplash.com/es/fotos/juguete-super-sonico-sYVY_ZKwaxU?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>

'I Want Sonic To Surpass Mario," Says SEGA Executive

Capcom Co., Ltd&nbsp;(OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ccoef#OTC">CCOEF</a>) COO&nbsp;Haruhiro Tsujimoto&nbsp;stated in an interview at Tokyo Game Show 2023 that the company would &quot;gracefully decline&quot; any potential <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/09/34874529/aaa-publishers-are-stuck-milking-franchises-created-over-decade-ago-phil-spencers-leaked-email">buyout offer from Microsoft Corp&nbsp;(NASDAQ: </a><a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>).
During Microsoft&#39;s recent efforts to acquire Activision Blizzard Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/atvi#NASDAQ">ATVI</a>) for $69 billion, leaked documents&nbsp;showed a list of potential acquisition targets for the company, including Square Enix Holdings Co Ltd (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sqnxf#OTC">SQNXF</a>), Sega&nbsp;Sammy Holdings Inc - ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>), Nintendo ADR (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ntdoy#OTC">NTDOY</a>)&nbsp;and Capcom.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/08/33579855/capcoms-resident-evil-2-remake-becomes-franchises-best-selling-game-ever">Capcom&#39;s &#39;Resident Evil 2&#39; Remake Becomes Franchise&#39;s Best-Selling Game Ever</a>
When asked how Capcom would respond to an offer from the American gaming giant, Tsujimoto replied: &quot;I would gracefully decline the offer because I believe it would be better if we were equal partners.
&quot;I think there have been many [merger and acquisition] talks in the game industry. There was once a time we were a target, but rather than acquiring an outside company, we prefer organic growth,&quot; Tsujimoto said, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/capcom-boss-would-gracefully-decline-any-microsoft-buyout-offer">according</a> to IGN.
He also emphasized Capcom&#39;s preference for developing talent in-house&nbsp;and revealed&nbsp;the Japanese company had&nbsp;&quot;no intention of acquiring companies.&quot;
During its presentation at the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/09/34800393/xboxs-tokyo-game-show-2023-recap-from-horror-to-rpgs-all-you-need-to-know">Tokyo Game Show,</a> Capcom provided enthusiasts with updates on various upcoming titles in its portfolio. These included announcements regarding games such as Dragon&rsquo;s Dogma 2, Exoprimal, Street Fighter 6&nbsp;and the forthcoming release of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/09/34872236/xbox-game-pass-price-hike-microsofts-phil-spencer-reveals-inevitable-increase">Xbox Game Pass Price Hike: Microsoft&#39;s Phil Spencer Reveals &#39;Inevitable&#39; Increase</a>
Photo:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/rafapress">rafapress</a>&nbsp;on Shutterstock.

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Why Capcom COO Says He Would 'Gracefully Decline' Potential Acquisition From Microsoft

Sega of America (a subsidiary of Sega Sammy Holdings Inc - ADR&nbsp;(OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>) officially unionized following a successful vote by more than 200 workers stationed at the company&#39;s Irvine and Burbank, California&nbsp;offices.
The worker&#39;s demands centered around higher base pay, improved benefits&nbsp;and enhanced career advancement prospect, <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/its-official-sega-of-america-has-unionized">as per</a> IGN.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/01/30470978/gaming-industry-workers-unite-a-look-at-unionizations-efforts-at-activision-blizzard-and-ot">Gaming Industry Workers Unite: A Look At Unionizations Efforts At Activision Blizzard And Other Publishers</a>
The election&nbsp;held on July 10&nbsp;had 91 workers in favor and 26 workers against unionization under the Allied Employees Guild Improving Sega (AEGIS), represented by the Communications Workers of America. There were also 19 challenged ballots and three void ballots recorded during the election process.
The election involved employees from various departments such as Brand Marketing, Games as a Service, Localization, Marketing, Product Development Ops, Sales, Quality Assurance&nbsp;and others.
A press release issued by the union declared&nbsp;that its&nbsp;victory positioned&nbsp;the AEGIS&nbsp;as the largest multi-department union representing organized workers in the game industry.
This achievement aligned&nbsp;with the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/22/12/29968939/microsoft-to-willfully-recognize-its-first-unionization-of-videogame-testers">recognition granted to the ZeniMax QA </a>workers guild by Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)&nbsp;earlier in January. Notably, employees at Activision Blizzard Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/atvi#NASDAQ">ATVI</a>) have been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/22/12/30205222/another-activision-blizzard-studio-files-for-unionization">actively pursuing unionization efforts.</a>
With the unionization process now complete, the next step for Sega of America&#39;s workers is to engage in negotiations with the Japanese publishing giant in order to establish a mutually agreeable contract.
&quot;Throughout this process, we have maintained a high level of respect for our employees&rsquo; rights. We have provided factual information and answered your questions regarding what changes with a union. Our employees are a critical component of our success,&quot; Sega of America said in a letter to employees obtained by IGN.
&quot;While we believe that a direct relationship promotes a supportive environment, responsiveness&nbsp;and a shared commitment, we respect our employees&rsquo; rights and maintain our legal commitment to the National Labor Relations Board process,&quot; the company added.
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/06/32800316/league-of-legends-strike-resolved-tencents-riot-games-and-players-union-reach-agreement">&nbsp;&#39;League Of Legends&#39; Strike Resolved: Tencent&#39;s Riot Games And Players Union Reach Agreement</a>
Photo by&nbsp;<a href="https://unsplash.com/@jezar?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Jezael Melgoza</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/es/fotos/FOx3_4_2O1E?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a>

Sega Of America Workers Officially Unionize Following Successful Vote

Sega Corp.&nbsp;(OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sgamy#OTC">SGAMY</a>) the Japanese video game company behind &quot;Sonic The Hedgehog,&quot; is re-evaluating its position in the blockchain gaming sector following the recent downturn in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto">global cryptocurrency market.</a>
In an<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-06/sega-joins-blockchain-games-pullback-as-crypto-winter-persists"> interview </a>with Bloomberg, Shuji Utsumi, the co-chief operating officer of Sega, revealed that the company will no longer allow its flagship franchises to be used in third-party blockchain gaming projects in order to &quot;avoid devaluing its content.&quot;
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/05/32453033/sega-contemplates-70-game-prices-whats-driving-video-game-cost-increases">&nbsp;SEGA Contemplates $70 Game Prices: What&#39;s Driving Video Game Cost Increases?</a>
&quot;The action in play-to-earn games is boring,&rdquo; Utsumi told Bloomberg. &quot;What&rsquo;s the point if games are no fun?&quot;
Sega, along with other gaming companies like Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sqnxf#OTC">SQNXF</a>) and Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc (OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ncbdf#OTC">NCBDF</a>), had previously embraced blockchain technology to enhance their games&#39; appeal.
While Sega will allow the use of its lesser-known characters from &quot;Three Kingdoms&quot; and &quot;Virtua Fighter&quot; for non-fungible tokens (NFTs), the company&#39;s initial plan to join the NFT community faced backlash from environmentally conscious gamers.
Utsumi also remained uncertain about incorporating <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/02/30691988/web3-goes-mainstream-an-exclusive-interview-on-the-future-of-consumer-experiences-and-soci">Web 3.0 </a>technology into Sega&#39;s upcoming &quot;super game&quot; initiative, a series of high-budget online multiplayer games scheduled for release starting in 2026.
&quot;We&rsquo;re looking into whether this technology is really going to take off in this industry, after all,&quot;&nbsp;Utsumi said.
Nevertheless, the company will offer its lesser-known franchise to upcoming blockchain games and will continue to invest &quot;hundreds of millions of yen&quot; in related ventures. 
Utsumi expressed the company&#39;s willingness to embrace blockchain technology if it proves to be successful in the future.
&quot;For the majority of people in the video game industry, what blockchain advocates say may sound a bit extreme, but that&rsquo;s how the first penguin has always been. We should never underestimate them,&quot; he added.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/04/31821155/angry-birds-maker-confirms-talks-with-sega-over-tender-offer">Angry Birds Maker Confirms Talks With Sega Over Tender Offer</a>
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Sega Reevaluates Blockchain Strategy: COO Calls 'Play-To-Earn Games Are Boring'

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Biodexa Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/bdrx-stock-quote/">BDRX</a>) stock is rising higher on Thursday after the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/biodexas-mtx110-shows-promise-extending-121500274.html">announced positive results</a> from one of its brain cancer treatments.



According to a press release from the company, early trials of MTX110 are showing promising results for patients suffering from brain cancer. Biodexa Pharmaceuticals says this includes extending the survival rates of those taking it.



Biodexa Pharmaceuticals notes that the median survival rate of individuals taking MTX110 in a Phase 1 trial was 26 months. To put that in perspective, the normal survival rate is only 10 months.



The company said the following about this news.




&ldquo;Biodexa is hopeful MTX110 could potentially help extend patient life, offering much-needed hope to patients and their families. The company&rsquo;s delivery method may also help prevent full-body exposure, which could minimize negative side effects. For cancers with such high mortality rates, any amount of extra time with a better quality of life is groundbreaking.&rdquo;




<h2>BDRX Stock Movement Today</h2>



Today&rsquo;s news has BDRX stock seeing heavy trading. That has more than 67 million shares changing hands as of this writing. This is well above its daily average trading volume of about 628,000 shares.



BDRX stock is up 106% as of Thursday morning.



Investors will find more of the most recent stock market stories ready to go below!



We have all of the hottest stock market news for Thursday! Among that is what&rsquo;s happening with shares of Xilio Therapeutics&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/xlo-stock-quote/">XLO</a>), Sega Sammy&nbsp;(OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sgamy-stock-quote/">SGAMY</a>) and AMC Entertainment&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/amc-stock-quote/">AMC</a>) today. All of that news is available at the following links!



<h2>More Stock Market News for Thursday</h2>



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</ul>On <a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-types/penny-stocks/">Penny Stocks</a> and Low-Volume Stocks:&#8239;With only the rarest exceptions, InvestorPlace does not publish commentary about companies that have a market cap of less than $100 million or trade less than 100,000 shares each day. That&rsquo;s because these &ldquo;penny stocks&rdquo; are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. If we ever do publish commentary on a low-volume stock that may be affected by our commentary, we demand that&#8239;InvestorPlace.com&rsquo;s writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risks.



Read More:&#8239;Penny Stocks &mdash;&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/2014/05/fraud-penny-stocks-scams/" target="_blank">How to Profit Without Getting Scammed</a>



On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the&nbsp;InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
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Unsurprisingly, Microsoft&rsquo;s (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/msft-stock-quote/">MSFT</a>) recent earnings report focused heavily on the Big Tech company&rsquo;s artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud segments. MSFT stock investors &mdash; and the tech world as a whole &mdash; simply cannot hear enough about AI right now. However, one beleaguered division of the company had its results banished to the <a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https://c.s-microsoft.com/en-us/CMSFiles/SlidesFY24Q2.pptx?version=54533b17-bad3-2205-929f-0e19422e921f">end of the presentation slides</a> almost as an afterthought: Gaming. Considering how much trouble Microsoft went through last year to close the Activision-Blizzard acquisition and how outsized of an impact the acquisition had on the company&rsquo;s revenue, this is quite surprising.



What&rsquo;s even more surprising is that Microsoft rewarded its Gaming division, which includes its Xbox and first-party developers Activision, Blizzard, ZeniMax and others, with <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/25/24049050/microsoft-activision-blizzard-layoffs">layoffs in January</a>. To be fair, layoffs after a merger or acquisition are, unfortunately, nothing new.



But these layoffs were, at least to some extent, different. They heralded a major shakeup in not just Microsoft&rsquo;s Gaming division, but the broader industry.



<h2>MSFT Stock: A Changing Industry, Changing Strategy</h2>



Turning back the clock a decade to 2014, the top three largest video game companies were <a href="https://www.alistdaily.com/strategy/top-25-public-companies-generated-54-1-billion-in-2014-game-revenues/#:~:text=The%2010%20percent%20annual%20growth,excellent%20growth%3A%20%2B37%20percent">almost precisely the same</a>: Tencent (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tcehy-stock-quote/">TCEHY</a>), Sony (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sony-stock-quote/">SONY</a>) and Microsoft. With last year&rsquo;s Activision-Blizzard merger, Microsoft leapfrogged itself to the top of the list. This merger also heralded a new strategy by Microsoft for dominating the gaming industry: Focus on the hits.



Hardware sales had already been slowly losing relevance for quite some time, and the heydays of the Xbox 360 were long over. In fact, Sony&rsquo;s PlayStation line has <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1101872/unit-sales-video-game-consoles/">outsold</a> every generation of Xbox to date. Microsoft&rsquo;s gaming division reported a measly 1% increase in hardware sales for the second quarter of 2024.



As many investors might recall, during the merger, there had been a fierce legal battle waged between Microsoft and Activision on one side and Sony and antitrust regulators on the other. One of the big sticking points was the concern that Activision&rsquo;s incredibly popular (and lucrative) Call of Duty franchise would become an Xbox exclusive. After legal back and forth and lots of corporate drama, Microsoft and Sony <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/16/23792215/sony-microsoft-call-of-duty-cod-deal-signed">came to an agreement</a> to keep Call of Duty on Sony&rsquo;s consoles.



The thing is, Microsoft <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/16/23792215/sony-microsoft-call-of-duty-cod-deal-signed">never really wanted</a> to make Call of Duty a console exclusive. That was never the goal. As The Verge put it: &ldquo;Microsoft has always maintained it would keep Call of Duty on PlayStation, arguing it doesn&rsquo;t make financial sense to pull the game from Sony&rsquo;s consoles.&rdquo;



<h2>Okay, Maybe Not That Big of a Strategy Shift</h2>



Microsoft&rsquo;s goal in acquiring Activision-Blizzard was to grow its collection of highly lucrative intellectual property. The plan was not to hoard AAA titles to sell Xboxes, but to expand and conquer. We&rsquo;d already seen the precursor to this shift in 2021 when Microsoft acquired ZeniMax (specifically for Bethesda Studios, the makers of the Fallout franchise). When it came to the next step, gaming division CEO Phil Spencer wanted a <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/19/23880146/phil-spencer-microsoft-xbox-acquiring-nintendo">&ldquo;career moment&rdquo;</a> and even considered a wide range of potential targets, including Nintendo (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ntdoy-stock-quote/">NTDOY</a>) and Sega (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sgamy-stock-quote/">SGAMY</a>).



Now, this shift isn&rsquo;t exactly a dramatic change in strategy. Console producers have always wanted to put out top-selling AAA titles. Yet, over the past 20 years, companies like Microsoft have bought up developer after developer to try and get the next big hit.



If anything, Microsoft was a little slow, or perhaps methodical, in its acquisitions of studios. Rare, which made Golden Eye 007 and Banjo-Kazooie, was <a href="https://news.microsoft.com/2002/09/24/microsoft-acquires-video-game-powerhouse-rare-ltd/">acquired in 2002</a>. Bungie, of Halo and now Destiny fame, was acquired in 2000 but split off in 2007. Mojang, creators of the legendary blocky hit Minecraft, was acquired in 2014. Lastly, the two other biggest acquisitions &mdash; ZeniMax and Activision-Blizzard &mdash; have occurred in the last three years.



Sony has followed a far messier mergers and acquisitions strategy on a much larger scale. It even acquired Bungie in 2022 after 15 years of independence from Microsoft. As of August 2023, Sony has <a href="https://gamerant.com/every-first-party-sony-studio-games-currently-in-development/">21 first-party studios</a> compared to Microsoft&rsquo;s 15 (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_Game_Studios">nine of which directly came from acquisitions</a>). And despite the almost unending news of layoffs in the industry, M&amp;A activity is expected to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/10/26/game-industry-deals-2024">pick up even more this year</a>.



Sony&rsquo;s experience should be a warning to Microsoft: Don&rsquo;t overdo it.



The international entertainment giant underwent its own round of layoffs in its gaming division at the beginning of March. It was quick to blame those laid off for mismanaging budgets, but Gamesindustry.biz&rsquo;s Brendan Sinclair puts the blame for the layoffs on senior leadership for <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/what-led-to-sony-laying-off-900-people-this-week-in-business">betting too hard</a> on expensive acquisitions and live-service and augmented reality R&amp;D.



Despite a contentious legal battle, the Activision-Blizzard merger seems to be working out well already for Microsoft and MSFT stock. Activision brought in $2.08 billion of revenue in Q2 2024, driving the majority of Microsoft&rsquo;s <a href="https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https://c.s-microsoft.com/en-us/CMSFiles/SlidesFY24Q2.pptx?version=54533b17-bad3-2205-929f-0e19422e921f">49% gaming revenue increase</a>. That&rsquo;s impressive. However, leadership needs to be careful not to let it go to their heads here. Simply put, they should stick to the plan and not get greedy and overextend like their competition.



<h2>Hardware Is Out. Software Is In.</h2>



Gone are the days when hardware sales were the goal. Also gone is the strategy of taking a loss on hardware and making it up with first-party console-exclusive games or subscriptions. Now, Microsoft&rsquo;s strategy is to simply be everywhere with the biggest titles. Console exclusivity is a relic of the past.



The industry is changing and very volatile. Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wbd-stock-quote/">WBD</a>) wants to focus on <a href="https://www.gamespot.com/articles/warner-bros-discusses-volatile-aaa-console-games-will-lean-into-free-to-play-and-mobile/1100-6521597/">&ldquo;free-to-play and mobile,&rdquo;</a> which might sound like d&eacute;j&agrave; vu to some, as that pretty much <a href="https://www.is.com/community/blog/the-history-of-mobile-gaming-monetization/">defined the industry</a> in the 2010s. Embracer Group (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/thqqf-stock-quote/">THQQF</a>) spent the last part of a decade gobbling up every studio it could find and is now <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/what-will-embracer-sell-next-this-week-in-business">paying the price</a> for its <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/take-two-to-acquire-gearbox-from-embracer-for-460-million">overextension</a>. Sega is spinning off Relic Entertainment, one of its few remaining crown jewels, and <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/sega-sells-relic-and-will-cut-240-jobs-across-uk-studios">undergoing layoffs</a>. Independent studios and developers have been struggling to get financing for their projects.



With the competition suffering almost across the board, there&rsquo;s some wisdom in picking up a big name right now. And Microsoft made a very good buy with Activision-Blizzard. 



Thus, the recent layoffs suggest Microsoft really is, per its press release, &ldquo;focused on the best opportunities for growth.&rdquo; Putting aside the corporate speak, the company&rsquo;s Gaming division appears to be operating with not only the &ldquo;fiscal discipline&rdquo; that investors are looking for in the tech world right now, but a longer-term &ldquo;strategic discipline&rdquo; as well. For MSFT stock investors hedging their bets on Microsoft&rsquo;s AI and cloud endeavors, its Gaming division should provide some long-term solace.



On the date of publication, Andrew Bush held a LONG position in MSFT, SONY and WBD stocks. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com <a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Andrew Bush is a financial news editor for InvestorPlace and holds two degrees in International Affairs. He has worked in education, the tech sector and as a research analyst for a DC-based national security-focused consulting firm.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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