The Italian Competition Authority (AGCM) launched two investigations into the Microsoft-owned gaming company Activision Blizzard, alleging that it engaged in “misleading and aggressive practices.”By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions .Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — ...

Core Viewpoint - Italy has initiated two investigations into Microsoft's Activision Blizzard, accusing the company of "misleading and aggressive" sales practices related to its mobile games Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile [1][2]. Group 1: Investigations and Allegations - The Autorita Garante della Concorrenza E Del Mercato (AGCM) is investigating the use of design elements in the games that may lead users, especially children, to engage in prolonged play and make in-game purchases [2][6]. - The AGCM's statement indicates that these practices could mislead players regarding the actual value of virtual currency and encourage excessive spending, sometimes beyond what is necessary for game progression [3][4]. Group 2: Game Features and Monetization - Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile are marketed as free-to-play but include in-game purchases, which is a common monetization strategy for such games [4]. - In-game purchases in Diablo Immortal can reach up to $200, allowing players to buy cosmetics and currency to enhance their gaming experience [4][5]. Group 3: Parental Controls and Privacy Concerns - The AGCM is also examining the parental control features of the games, noting that default settings permit minors to make in-game purchases and play for extended periods without restrictions [6]. - Privacy issues have been raised, as the games seem to encourage users to select all consent options during sign-up, prompting an investigation into the company's data consent processes [6][7].

如果你最近刷过游戏圈和创意产业的新闻，可能会产生一种错觉：只要不拥抱 AI，就等于跟时代作对。 EA CEO 说 AI 是他们的"业务核心"；Square Enix 刚完成一轮大规模裁员与重组，并明确表示要"激进地应用 AI"；《死亡空间》之父 Glen Schofield 希望 用生成式 AI"修复整个游戏行业"；前《战神》开发者 Meghan Morgan Juinio 更直言："如果我们不拥抱 AI，那就是在低估自己。" 就在所有人加速踩油门的时候，《战锤 40K》的母公司 Games Workshop（简称 GW，成立于 1975 年）却猛地一脚刹车：全面禁止员工在内容创作与设计 流程中使用 AI。 甚至，GW CEO 还补了一刀：公司目前没有一位高管对 AI 真正感到兴奋。 （图片来自《战锤 40K》官网） CEO 亲自定调：AI 可以研究，但不能用来"干活" 这一立场并不是媒体解读，而是GW CEO Kevin Rountree 在最新财报会上亲口说的。 他先是自嘲了一句："AI 是一个非常宽泛的话题，说实话我也不是专家。"然后开始抛出 Games Workshop 的官方内部政策，核心就一句话： ...

IT之家 1 月 16 日消息，当地时间 1 月 15 日，据外媒 Engadget 报道，IO Interactive 日前公布《007：初露锋芒》的 PC 配置需求时，因参数明显失衡而引发 玩家和媒体质疑。按照最初说法，想在 1080p、60fps 下运行游戏，PC 需要 32GB 内存以及 12GB 显存显卡，被质疑是否"严重偏高"。 随后，IO Interactive 承认配置表存在问题，并表示是在社区指出前后矛盾后，才对相关内容进行了修订。开 发团队解释称，问题源于内部沟通失误，当时误发布了一份旧版本配置。其中最明显的矛盾在于，推荐显卡 之一 RTX 3060 Ti 仅有 8GB 显存，却被列入 12GB 显存需求的配置清单。 在经历大量负面反馈后，IO Interactive 对配置表进行了重新审查与测试，并最终下调了关键硬件门槛。推荐 配置中的显存需求被降至 8GB，内存要求也从 32GB 下调为 16GB，同时修正了最低 CPU 型号。 IT之家获悉按照最新公布的信息，《007：初露锋芒》在 1080p、30fps 下运行的最低 PC 配置为： 两种配置在系统要求上保持一致，均需 64 位 W ...

Core Viewpoint - The U.S. gaming publisher is under scrutiny for potentially violating consumer protection laws through practices that encourage excessive gaming [1] Group 1 - The regulator has indicated that the gaming publisher's practices may be misleading to consumers [1] - There are concerns that these practices could lead to negative impacts on gamers' well-being [1] - The investigation highlights the increasing regulatory focus on the gaming industry regarding consumer protection [1]

Core Insights - The partnership between FlyQuest and Logitech G has been expanded to include all competitive teams, enhancing support across FlyQuest's entire ecosystem [1][2][4] - This collaboration aims to provide high-performance gaming equipment to FlyQuest athletes and creators, ensuring consistent quality in competitive settings [2][3] - The partnership emphasizes co-development of products and performance research, setting a new standard for excellence in esports [3][4] Company Overview - FlyQuest is a North American multi-title esports organization founded in 2017, known for its competitive excellence and values-driven approach, focusing on sustainability and inclusivity [7] - Logitech G is a leading provider of gaming peripherals, committed to innovation and performance in esports, and has a history of collaboration with FlyQuest, particularly with the FlyQuest RED women's roster [3][4] Future Initiatives - The expanded partnership will be visible across FlyQuest's competitive teams, digital channels, live events, and collaborative content initiatives throughout the 2026 season and beyond [4]

Group 1: Stock Performance - PENN Entertainment's shares increased by 5.4% to $14.58 in the last trading session, contrasting with a 3.7% loss over the past four weeks [1] - The stock's rise was accompanied by a higher-than-average trading volume, indicating strong investor interest [1] Group 2: Organizational Changes - The company's updated organizational structure aims to reduce overhead and enhance decision-making in its casino and digital businesses [2] - The elimination of duplicative executive roles and implementation of tighter cost controls reflect a commitment to efficiency and disciplined capital allocation [2] - These changes are expected to bolster investor confidence in PENN's cash flow generation and long-term performance [2] Group 3: Earnings Expectations - PENN is projected to report a quarterly loss of $0.21 per share, which is a year-over-year increase of 52.3% [3] - Revenue expectations stand at $1.75 billion, marking a 5% increase from the same quarter last year [3] - A negative trend in earnings estimate revisions has been noted, with the consensus EPS estimate revised 20% lower over the past 30 days [4] Group 4: Industry Context - PENN Entertainment holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold), indicating a neutral outlook [5] - In comparison, Nintendo Co. (NTDOY), another company in the gaming industry, saw a 2.2% increase in its stock price but has returned -9.2% over the past month [5][6]

Core Viewpoint - Tencent's new game "Counter-Strike: Future" issued an apology for mistakenly distributing an in-game item worth 188 yuan to all players as a compensation, and announced plans to recover the mistakenly distributed items while providing compensation to all players [1][2]. Group 1: Incident Details - The incident occurred on the evening of January 15, when all players received an email titled "Recharge Failure Compensation," which contained the "Yinming Poison King - Moon's Oath" package priced at approximately 188 yuan [2]. - The company plans to distribute compensation items such as "Legendary Grade Random Plugin," "Legendary Titanium Leap Secret Treasure," and "Gold Gun: Pure White Supreme" to all players, with distribution completed by January 16 and a collection deadline of January 25, 24:00 [2]. Group 2: Game Background and Performance - "Counter-Strike: Future" is a major PVE shooting game developed by Tencent's TiMi Studio Group, which has undergone several major changes since its initial announcement in 2022, ultimately focusing on a multi-mode seasonal gameplay [2]. - The game was launched on January 13, 2026, and achieved over 20 million pre-registrations before its official release, topping the iOS free game chart on launch day [3]. - As of January 15, the game has attracted over 10 million new users since its launch, and it has collaborated with another Tencent game, "Delta Action," to introduce crossover items [3].

长城证券（002939）发布研报称，相较国外游戏用户付费情况，我国游戏用户人均付费仍存在较高增长 空间。根据Gamelook，2025年预计美国每个付费玩家每年的游戏支出将达到324.9美元;日本玩家2024年 人均游戏消费为2144元人民币。向后展望，我国游戏用户ARPU上行有望主要受益于(1)政策鼓励游戏精 品化程度提升，带动游戏用户付费率以及付费意愿上行;(2)版号放量发放背景下，游戏供给提升将持续 提振游戏行业需求侧;(3)宏观经济持续修复，游戏作为可选消费，有望受益于人均可支配收入增长。 长城证券主要观点如下： 风险提示：行业政策风险;行业竞争加剧;经济恢复不及预期;新品上线进度不及预期。 2025年，国内小程序游戏市场收入535.35亿元，同比大幅增长34.39%，在高基数基础上维持高速增长。 苹果与腾讯于2025年11月达成微信小游戏及小程序内的支付抽取15%的佣金的协议，小程序游戏支付端 规范化程度有望提升。此前苹果端小程序游戏支付链路较长，因此很多苹果用户倾向于选择App端，对 于游戏公司而言APP端30%的苹果分成比例高于小程序端的15%。该行认为在支付链路顺畅后，iOS小 程序用户数预计 ...

DataEye《2025年度小游戏买量数据报告》今日正式发布！ 一、小游戏市场行业大盘 （一）小游戏行业市场规模 DataEye研究院测算数据显示，2025年国内小游戏市场规模约为610亿，同比增长22%，展现出极强的市场活力。预计2026年小游戏市场规模突破700亿。 小游戏增速从2024年64.47%回落至2025年的22%，意味着行业从流量红利驱动的粗放增长阶段，正式迈入存量竞争下的精细化运营阶段。 （二）小游戏行业月活规模 2025年8月数据显示，头部社交软件平台月活规模达5.71亿，头部短视频平台月活规模为1.71亿。 对比今年5月数据，头部短视频平台月活规模提升了约44%，涨幅明显。 （三）小游戏用户使用行为 数据显示，小游戏行业人均单日使用次数约为5.1次，同比增长4.5%。此外，小游戏人均使用时长则提升至24.6分钟，同比增长27.2%。 二、小游戏市场买量投流大盘趋势 （一）消耗大盘概况 从日耗数据来看，小游戏直投买量日耗1.44亿。目前三大媒体平台的小游戏买量日耗较Q1增长约15.6%。IAA日耗约2400万，占消耗大盘约16.6%。IAA 小游戏在三大主要广告平台直投日耗分别为1480万 ...