GM. This is Take Off, the playlist of tech news. We curate the greatest hits, chart-toppers, and hidden gems of the tech world to keep you grooving all day long.

Here's what we're serving up today:

• Microsoft’s $69B (InActiv)ision Deal 🎮🕹️

• Vice Media: From Unicorn to Unicorpse 🦄⚰️

• Asteroids ☄️

• ToolBox Tuesdays ⚒️

Microsoft’s $69B (InActiv)ision Deal 🎮🕹️

Last year, Microsoft decided to go on a gaming shopping spree. Their target? Activision Blizzard, the masterminds behind gaming legends like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft.

The price tag? A hefty $69 Billion. Yes, you read that right, billion with a 'B'. This isn't just any deal, it's set to be the biggest in gaming history!

But, like any good drama, there's a twist. This mega-deal needs the green light from regulatory bodies in the UK, EU, and the US.

• The UK, playing hard to get, blocked the deal over concerns it would hurt competition in the emerging cloud gaming business.

• The US Federal Trade Commission also joined the party, filing a lawsuit to block the deal.

• However, EU regulators played the role of the cool aunt yesterday and gave the deal a thumbs up.

Alright, let's talk about the promises Microsoft made to the EU to win over their hearts. Here's what they promised:

1. Open Streaming: Microsoft vowed to allow users to stream Activision games they purchase on any cloud streaming platform.

2. Royalty-Free Licenses: Microsoft also promised to offer royalty-free licenses to cloud gaming platforms to stream Activision games, if a consumer has purchased them.

3. Long-Term Commitment: These promises aren't just for a short time. Microsoft has committed to these conditions for 10 years.

They’ve made the same promises to the UK regulatory board as well but it seems like UK has made up its mind.

It’s like they’re ready to break-up before even getting in a relationship.

The player taking the biggest beating in this battle is Activision whose stock took a huge 11.45% dip when the UK denounced this relationship and has yet to bounce back since.

The EU siding with them yesterday was big win for them but do ya’ think that MSFT can bring the whole trophy home?

Vice Media: From Unicorn to Unicorpse 🦄⚰️

Once upon a time, Vice Media was the cool kid on the block. With its edgy content and hipster vibe, it was valued at a whopping $5.7 billion.

But like a hipster's love for mainstream music, that love affair didn't last. Vice has been losing money faster than a kid loses interest in a fidget spinner, and now it's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

This filing is part of a plan to sell the company to a consortium of lenders, including Fortress Investment, Soros Fund Management, and Monroe Capital.

• They're offering $225 million in a credit bid for most of Vice's assets, along with significant liabilities.

• Despite the bankruptcy filing, Vice's various media brands, including Vice News, Vice TV, Pulse Films, Virtue, Refinery29, and i-D, will continue to operate.

So, what led to Vice's downfall? Let's break it down:

1. Big Spender: Vice was known for its lavish spending habits. They threw extravagant parties and hired expensive talent. In 2017, they even dropped $20 million on a Super Bowl ad.

2. Ad Revenue Blues: Vice's main source of income was advertising, but ad spending has been dropping faster than a lead balloon. In 2022, Vice's ad revenue fell by 20%.

3. Management Mayhem: Vice has had its fair share of management issues. Co-founder Shane Smith stepped down as CEO in 2017, and the company has been rocked by sexual harassment allegations.

Here’s a very good breakdown of all the other major problems that were going down at Vice.

Vice's downfall is also a reflection of the challenges facing digital media companies in a world where tech giants like Google and Meta are vacuuming up ad spend faster than a Roomba on steroids.

What’s your take on the whole turn-around of digital media, with the landscape being increasingly dominated by tech companies and old media companies being pushed out?

☄️ Asteroids ☄️

OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman is scoring $100M for his mysterious Worldcoin project. It scans eyeballs and gives crypto. Still, amidst a crypto winter, Altman's money magnetism doesn’t surprise us. 🤑🌐

Samsung is cooking up its own AI chatbot to rival OpenAI's ChatGPT, teaming up with Naver for a Korean language special! It's their secret recipe to prevent data leaks, starting with the semiconductor biz. 📊💼

Amazon is going on a quest to create a Lord of the Rings MMO game (again!), after their first attempt got orc-wardly shelved. Does Amazon Games finally have a hit on their hands? 🎮⚔️

Google's stocks are partying after the I/O event. Turns out, they credit hard-working engineers, not execs, for the success. The secret sauce, you may ask? Just keep saying "AI"! 🤖😂

⚒️ ToolBox Tuesdays ⚒️

YOYA - Build Your Own Personalized Generative AI Apps Without Code

Gistvid - Transform video into blog posts

Toolbuilder - Create customized AI tools and chatbots

Personal AI - Supercharge your memory with your own AI messenger.

Slait - Real-time sign language translator with AI

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