What You Missed This Week in Video Games

Sony announces accessibility controller platform for PlayStation 5

“Game On” is The Fly’s weekly recap of the stories powering up or beating down video game stocks.

NEW RELEASES: 

This week’s big release is Bandai Namco’s (NCBDY) role-playing game “One Piece Odyssey,” which is based on the “One Piece” franchise. The title is scheduled to release January 13 for PC, PlayStation 4 (SONY), PS5, and Xbox Series X/S (MSFT).

MICROSOFT/FTC: 

Last Thursday, Windows Central’s Jez Corden reported that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has revealed in preliminary hearings that Microsoft is prepared to close its proposed takeover of Activision Blizzard (ATVI) without the commission’s tacit approval, possibly setting the stage for a federal court battle over the deal. Microsoft attorney Beth Wilkinson said that if the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority and the European Union approve the transaction, it will proceed to close the deal, the author noted. The Xbox maker added that it will present any potential concessionary “remedies” it reaches with the EU and CMA to the FTC as a possible way to avoid a court showdown, Corden said.

Meanwhile, Gamesindustry.biz’s James Batchelor reported around the same time that the U.K.’s Competition and Markets Authority has extended a deadline for its investigation into the proposed deal. The CMA was set to publish its finding from the phase two probe on March 1, 2023, but the regulator has now revealed this date has been moved to April 26, 2023, the author noted. The group said the extension was granted due to the scope and complexity of the investigation, as well as the need to consider the “large volume of evidence, as well as main party and third party submissions.”

PS5 ACCESSIBILITY:

 Last week, Sony’s PlayStation unit announced Project Leonardo for PlayStation 5. Developed with key contributions from accessibility experts, community members, and game developers, Project Leonardo is a codename for a new highly customizable controller kit that works “out of the box” to help many players with disabilities play games more easily, more comfortably, and for longer periods. “Through conversations with accessibility experts and incredible organizations like AbleGamers, SpecialEffect and Stack Up, we’ve designed a highly configurable controller that works in tandem with many third-party accessibility accessories and integrates with the PS5 console to open up new ways of gaming,” Sony said. “It is built to address common challenges faced by many players with limited motor control, including difficulty holding a controller for long periods, accurately pressing small clusters of buttons or triggers, or positioning thumbs and fingers optimally on a standard controller.” The Fly notes that Microsoft released the Xbox Adaptive controller, which was designed for people with disabilities to help make user input for games more accessible, in September 2018.

OTHER STORIES TO WATCH:

• Apple (AAPL) will unveil its “Reality Pro” virtual reality headset this spring, Bloomberg reports [more]
• Nintendo Switch (NTDOY) beat PS5 in 2022 console sales in the U.K., Gamesindustry.biz reports [more]
• Sony’s “God of War Ragnarok” remains in first place in U.K. weekly boxed charts, Gamesindustry.biz says [more]
• Total sales of Sega’s (SGAMY) “Persona 5 Royal” exceed 3.3M units, Siliconera reports [more]
• NetEase (NTES) acquired Canada-based game studio SkyBox Labs [more]

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Originally Posted January 10, 2023 – What You Missed This Week in Video Games