Episode 152: Sega’s Angry Birds Acquisition and Life After Microsoft/Activision (News Show)

After years of stumbling in the mobile space, Sega decided to throw $775M at the problem with the acquisition of Rovio. Also: Lots of layoffs, some acquisitions, a bunch of earnings, and the March Circana report on U.S. video game spending.

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TIME STAMPS

• [00:01:06] - Epic v Apple… The End
• [00:04:03] - Microsoft Earnings for Q3 FY23
• [00:14:21] - Sony Earnings for FY23
• [00:18:13] - Remedy Earnings for Q1 FY23
• [00:21:02] - Paradox Earnings for Q1 FY23
• [00:23:14] - Sega Earnings for FY23
• [00:26:32] - Investment Interlude
• [00:42:23] - Quick Hits
• [00:55:35] - Labor Report
• [01:03:59] - Circana U.S. Video Game Spending report for March 2023
• [01:15:57] - FAFO

SOURCES

• UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT | Court Listener
• Microsoft - Earnings Release FY23 Q3 | Microsoft
• Sony - FY2022 Earnings Announcement | Sony
• REMEDY ENTERTAINMENT PLC'S BUSINESS REVIEW JANUARY-MARCH 2023 | Remedy
• Paradox Interim report January – March 2023 | Paradox
• Sega Consolidated Financial Results for the Year Ending March 31 | Sega
• SEGA to Acquire Rovio Entertainment Oyj | Business Newswire
• Paradox closing Umea and Malmo studios to veer away from decentralized development | Game Developer
• Amazon Lays Off About 100 Employees in Its Gaming Divisions | Bloomberg (Paywall)
• InnoGames lays off 75 staff | GamesIndustry
• Ready at Dawn and Downpour Interactive impacted by Meta layoffs | Game Developer
• Sega of America is the latest video game studio to organize | The Verge
• Sega of America president reacts to unionization | Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) on Twitter
• Phoenix Labs cuts staff | GamesIndustry
• Documents in Activision Blizzard, Case No. 31-CA-316279 | NLRB

INVESTMENT INTERLUDE

• Devolver Purchased Doinksoft | Devolver Digital (@devolverdigital) on Twitter
• Savvy Games Group To Acquire Leading Games Company Scopely | Savvy Games
• Focus Entertainment acquires the acclaimed UK-based Dovetail Games Group | Dovetail Games
• Sony is Fueling the Gamer Lawsuit Against the Microsoft / Activision Acquisition | Stephen Totilo (@stephentotilo) on Twitter
• Welcoming Firewalk Studios to the PlayStation Studios family | PlayStation Blog
• AQUIRIS is Joining Epic and Becoming Epic Games Brasil | Epic Games
• Atari Announces Acquisition of More than 100 PC and Console Titles from the 80s and 90s | GlobeNewswire