Q&A with Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer on running the division, how decisions are made, delaying big games, Xbox, Keystone, exclusives, rivals, and more (Nilay Patel/The Verge)

Jordan Middler / Video Games Chronicle:
Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer says Sony opposes the Activision Blizzard acquisition to “protect its dominance” and grows by “making Xbox smaller”  —  In the latest war of words over its proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Microsoft’s Gaming CEO has claimed …

Tom Warren / The Verge:
In filings with UK’s CMA as part of its Activision Blizzard acquisition, Microsoft says it plans to build a new Xbox Mobile Platform and a store to sell games  —  Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal is key to the company’s mobile gaming efforts.  Microsoft is quietly building a mobile Xbox store …

Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft says Xbox Game Pass is profitable and accounts for ~15% of Xbox content and services revenue, after revealing PC Game Pass subscriptions rose 159% YoY  —  Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has revealed that the company’s Xbox Game Pass subscription service is already profitable.

Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft reports Q1 Windows OEM revenue down 15% YoY, devices revenue up 2% YoY, Xbox hardware revenue up 13%, and Xbox content and services revenue down 3%  —  It’s a new financial year for Microsoft, and the Windows and Xbox maker has just posted the first quarter of its 2023 financial results today.

Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
EU regulators sent game developers ~100 questions on the Microsoft-Activision deal, including whether Microsoft will block rivals’ access to Activision’s games  —  EU antitrust regulators are asking games developers whether Microsoft (MSFT.O) will be incentivised to block rivals’ access to …

Shannon Liao / Washington Post:
The NLRB says Activision Blizzard withheld raises from QA testers over their union activity; Activision is negotiating with Raven testers who voted to unionize  —  The National Labor Relations Board has investigated and found that video game titan Activision Blizzard withheld raises …