- Italy targets climate activists in 'anti-Gandhi' demo clampdown
- South Korean cult-horror series 'Hellbound' returns at BIFF
- Nepalis fear more floods as climate change melts glaciers
- Honduras arrests environmentalist's alleged murderer
- Padres pitcher Musgrove needs elbow surgery
- Supreme Court lets stand rules to curb mercury, methane emissions
- Boston beat Denver in NBA exhibition season opener, but Jokic says omens are good
- Chagos diaspora angry at lack of input on islands' fate
- Biden says 'not confident' of peaceful US election
- US trade chief defends tariff hikes when paired with investment
- Lukaku stars as Napoli beat Como to hold Serie A top spot
- Ohtani set for MLB playoff debut as Dodgers face Padres
- Pogba's drug ban cut to 18 months from four years
- Devine leads New Zealand to big win over India in Women's T20 World Cup
- Bosnia floods kill 16 people
- EU court blocks French ban on vegetable 'steak' labelling
- Prosecutors seek dismissal of rape charges against French rugby players
- Meta AI turns pictures into videos with sound
- Bolivia's Morales says claims he raped a minor are a 'lie'
- MLB Reds hire two-time champion Francona as manager
- Daniel Maldini receives first Italy call-up for Nations League
- US dockworkers return to ports after three-day strike
- Ancelotti points finger at Madrid's 'lack of intensity'
- Haiti reeling after 70 killed in gang attack
- Five Czech kids in hospital over TikTok 'piercing challenge'
- What happens next in Iran-Israel conflict?
- Country star Garth Brooks denies rape accusations
- Stubbs hits maiden century as South Africa make 343-4 against Ireland
- DR Congo to begin mpox vaccination campaign Saturday in east
- Odegaard injury has forced Arsenal to be 'different', says Arteta
- Ratcliffe refuses to guarantee Ten Hag's Man Utd future
- Meta must limit data use for targeted ads: EU court
- Mauritius to hold legislative election on November 10
- Britain qualify for America's Cup final after 60-year wait
- IMF asks Sri Lanka to protect hard-won gains
- Morata returns to Spain Nations League squad after injury
- Irish regulator to probe Ryanair use of facial recognition
- Public allowed to see video evidence in France mass rape trial
- US hiring soars past expectations in sign of resilient market
- Under-fire Ten Hag 'together' with Man Utd hierarchy
- Guardiola talks of Man City love affair as financial hearing rumbles on
- De Bruyne out of Belgium Nations League squad
- Japanese trainer Yahagi hopes Shin Emperor achieves 50-year-old Arc dream
- UK's Starmer hails 'landmark' carbon capture funding
- As EU targets Chinese cars, European rivals sputter
- Bosnia floods kill 14 people
- Tennis world number one Swiatek splits with coach Wiktorowski
- Liverpool share responsibility for Nunez goal drought, says Slot
- Top EU court finds against FIFA in key transfer market ruling
- Top seed Sabalenka stunned by Muchova in Beijing last eight
Sony to buy 'Halo' creator Bungie as gaming fight heats up
PlayStation maker Sony announced a $3.6 billion agreement on Monday to buy US video game studio Bungie, creator of hits like "Halo" and "Destiny", as a gaming industry battle heats up with Microsoft.
Sony's deal comes weeks after Microsoft unveiled a landmark $69 billion pact to acquire "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard, which Microsoft says would make it the third-largest gaming company by revenue behind Tencent and Sony.
Bungie is based not far from Microsoft headquarters in the US state of Washington, and its "Halo" franchise is considered to be among the video games that contributed to the popularity of Xbox consoles.
"This is an important step in our strategy to expand the reach of PlayStation to a much wider audience," Sony Interactive Entertainment chief Jim Ryan said of the Bungie buy.
Since it was founded in early 1991, Bungie has created games for play on rival PlayStation and Xbox consoles as well as on computers powered by Microsoft Windows software.
Bungie is to remain an independent studio, making games for play on competing devices, according to Sony.
"We will continue pursuing our vision of one, unified Bungie community, building games that value our community and meet them wherever and however they choose to play," studio chief Pete Parsons said in a release.
Video games that let players roam virtual worlds as avatars are seen as natural predecessors to the metaverse.
The metaverse is a vision for the future of the internet, a virtual world where people will be able to interact using sensors, lenses and other gadgets.
Along with PlayStation video game consoles, Sony sells virtual reality headgear.
- 'Destiny' -
Bungie said that it is focusing on "Destiny", an online first-person shooter franchise set in a science fiction world shared online with other players.
"Our original universes have immense potential and, with SIE's support, we will propel Bungie into becoming a global multi-media entertainment company dedicated to delivering on our creative vision," Parsons said.
The metaverse does not yet exist, even though Microsoft used the term to explain its buy of Activision Blizzard.
Some analysts viewed it as Microsoft hedging its bets with a deal that would be profitable with or without the metaverse.
Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter was among those who believe that Sony's buy of Bungie is a response to Microsoft's move.
"Seems like a very high price to me, but Sony has few games that monetize after the initial sale, and Bungie is really good at live operations," Pachter told AFP.
The strategies of long-time console rivals Sony and Microsoft appear to be growing more aligned, analyst Piers Harding-Rolls of Ampere Analysis said in a tweet.
Sony and Microsoft each have stables of game studios, along with subscription services for players.
Facebook has portrayed the metaverse as the inevitable evolution of internet lifestyles, investing in the technology and restructuring to make the social media company's parent name "Meta".
The video game sector is booming with publisher Take-Two announcing a deal in January to acquire "Farmville" creator Zynga for $12.7 billion, in a major mobile gaming push by the maker of "Grand Theft Auto."
Analysts believe more acquisitions are on the horizon.
"I do see a lot of companies scrambling to lock up IP (intellectual property)," said DFC Intelligence analyst David Cole.
"The challenge is that it there are not many buyers out there who can afford companies like that," Cole added.
F.Santana--PC