PlayStation Network

• Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) today announced the PlayStation 5 console (PS5) has surpassed 50 million units1 sold through to consumers, three years since its Nov. 2020 launch.
• “Achieving this PS5 sales milestone is a testament to the unwavering support of the global PlayStation community and their passion for the incredible experiences created by the talented developers from PlayStation Studios and our partners,” said Jim Ryan, President and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment.
• The PS5 games lineup is stacked with highly acclaimed hits and fan favorites that have defined the generation.
• Player excitement for PS5 is higher than ever making this the biggest November for PlayStation consoles sold through to consumers.

• Microsoft’s proposed US$68 billion (£52 billion) acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard should be allowed to go ahead, according to a US federal judge.
• Yet US competition authority the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken the rare step of appealing the decision.

Cloud gaming

• Microsoft owns the Xbox gaming console and makes games like Minecraft and Age of Empires.
• Cloud streaming is viewed by many as the future of gaming.
• So far, however, cloud gaming has struggled to take hold with consumers.
• Yet as a whole, the segment is expected to keep grinding upwards, capturing 6.2% of gaming in 2027 compared to 3.8% today, with revenues rising from US$4.3 billion to US$18.7 billion.

Regulatory differences

• The European Commission (EC) was among those that cleared the deal with conditions.
• These related to ensuring Activision games wouldn’t be restricted to Microsoft’s cloud gaming services but could be played on any platform.
• The UK and US competition authorities both view cloud gaming as a “distinct market” that needs to be protected from a large technology incumbent.
• Earlier this year I submitted a report to the CMA titled Cloud Gaming Is Not A Distinct Market.

What next

• The terms of the deal stipulate that Microsoft must consummate the merger by July 18, or pay Activision US$3 billion in termination fees.
• Yet blocking the way are the FTC appeal and the CMA in the UK.
• The CMA signalled it was willing to negotiate with Microsoft after the US ruling, but has since tempered any expectations of a quick resolution.

• NEW YORK, Dec. 8, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Corporation of America (SCA) is proud to announce that it has received the Global Business Alliance's 2022 Corporate Social Responsibility Award.
• "We are honored to be recognized for our work in social responsibility by the Global Business Alliance.
• "This year, we are proud to spotlight Sony Corporation of America for its extraordinary commitment to advancing social justice in communities across America."
• Sony Corporation of America, located in New York, NY, is the U.S. headquarters of Sony Group Corporation, based in Tokyo, Japan.

• NEW YORK, Aug. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Corporation of America, on behalf of Sony Group Corporation ("Sony") and its affiliates in the Americas, announced today a $1 million donation to support UNICEF's Learning Passport, helping millions of children and their families affected by the crisis in Ukraine and neighboring countries access education.
• "More countries are gripped by conflict today than at any time in the past thirty years," said Karen Kelso, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility and Social Impact, Sony Corporation of America.
• The crisis in Ukraine is having a dramatic impact on the lives and futures of Ukraine's 5.7 million school-aged children.
• Sony Corporation of America, located in New York, NY, is the U.S. headquarters of Sony Group Corporation, based in Tokyo, Japan.