Microsoft and the Metaverse

The Daily

The New York Times

News, Daily News

4.5 • 97.8K Ratings

🗓️ 20 January 2022

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Microsoft announced this week that it was acquiring Activision Blizzard, the maker of video games such as Call of Duty and Candy Crush, in a deal valued at nearly $70 billion. Microsoft, the owner of Xbox, said the acquisition was a step toward gaining a foothold in the metaverse. But what exactly is the metaverse? And why are some of the biggest companies in the world spending billions of dollars to get involved?

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0:00.0	From New York Times, I'm Michael Bavaro. This is a daily.
0:11.0	Today, why so many major companies are now investing in the metaverse and whether that
0:20.0	means those companies will control what the metaverse becomes.
0:26.7	I spoke with my colleague, Technology columnist Kevin Rousse.
0:36.7	It's Thursday, January 20th.
0:43.7	Michael, hello.
0:44.7	Hello, Mr. Rousse.
0:46.7	Happy New Year. Is it too late to say that?
0:48.7	I mean, if you didn't say it in a card that came into my mailbox 10 days ago, I think so.
0:55.7	Sorry. I meant to put you on the card list this year, but you know, things happen.
1:00.7	Well, I left you off my card list, too.
1:02.7	I forgive you.
1:06.7	It's good that we're still talking.
1:09.7	Kevin, as you know, we turned you when we need to translate the digital universe,
1:15.7	whether that's cryptocurrency or social media platforms.
1:18.7	Today, it's a mega merger in the gaming world.
1:23.7	Tell us about this deal that was just made public.
1:27.7	Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that it was acquiring the gaming studio Activision
1:33.7	Blizzard, maker of such hits as Call of Duty, Candy Crush, World of Warcraft,
1:39.7	lots of games like that, in a deal that was valued at nearly $70 billion.
1:45.7	And this was a monumental deal in the world of gaming.
1:48.7	It's the biggest acquisition ever in the gaming industry.
	...

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