No headline quite lights up the Gaming Internet like "Microsoft in Talks to Buy...", but as in all such cases, there's quite a bit more to it than that.

Is Discord for sale? Why are so many of the sources covered by Bloomberg and VentureBeat/GamesBeat conflicting? And just why would Big Green want a bite of this one?

Let's dive in.

It's Eris, not Eros today (and every day)...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/aOwtGyNl4WI

#Microsoft #Discord #Acquisitions

***

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***

Discussed in this episode:

"Microsoft in Talks to Buy Discord for More Than $10 Billion"

Bloomberg - Updated March 23, 2021

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-23/microsoft-said-to-be-in-talks-to-buy-discord-for-more-than-10b

"Pressing Pause on Microsoft/WB Games Rumors (VL259)"

YouTube Video - June 6, 2020 - Hoeg Law

https://youtu.be/MrgotWNvLhs

"Microsoft Expresses Interest in Acquiring Warner Game Unit"

Jessica Toonkel - July 6, 2020 - The Information

https://www.theinformation.com/articles/microsoft-expresses-interest-in-acquiring-warner-game-unit

"Discord exploring sale that could be worth more than $10 billion"

VentureBeat/GamesBeat - March 22, 2021

https://venturebeat.com/2021/03/22/discord-exploring-sale-that-could-be-worth-more-than-10-billion/

"Fallout 4 Fallout for Microsoft + Bethesda? (VL422)"

YouTube Video - February 24, 2021 - Hoeg Law

https://youtu.be/qg0S6Hi6jzM

***

"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twitch: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

null

(0:00) Intro

(1:30) Microsoft Discord

(5:18) Discord Sale

(8:46) Discord CEO

(12:53) Funding

(15:24) Why

(17:51) Discord

(19:25) Outro

Did Epic steal the likeness of Lenwood "Hard Rock" Hamilton in the creation of Augustus "Cole Train" Cole for the Gears of War franchise? If they did, why did multiple courts tell them it's okay?

The Supreme Court may just wind up considering the issue and all the ramifications it has for video games, rights of publicity and likeness, movies, content creation, YouTube, reaction videos, copyright, fair use and more.

You can't copyright your face, but that's not the end of the conversation...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/eK1iskPK9jE

#Gaming #Likeness #SCOTUS

***

HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL

PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality

STREAMLABS - https://streamlabs.com/richardhoeg

STORE - https://teespring.com/stores/hoeg-law-store

***

CHAPTERS

00:00 Introduction

03:25 The Current Court Decision (3rd Cir.)

08:47 The Cert Petition (Questions Presented)

13:01 The Cert Petition (Overview)

20:45 The Cert Petition (Circuit Split)

33:16 Conclusion (Importance of the Question)

***

Discussed in this episode:

"The Supreme Court requested a response late last week in this case."

Tweet - March 22, 2021 - Eriq Gardner

https://twitter.com/Joseph_La_Russa/status/1374014239942311942

"Video game characters and veterans’ benefits"

SCOTUS Blog - March 19, 2021

https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/03/video-game-characters-and-veterans-benefits/

"Hamilton v. Speight"

3d Cir. Sep. 17, 2020

https://casetext.com/case/hamilton-v-speight-3

Petition for a Writ of Certiorari

Hamilton v Speight

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-1123/168849/20210212104438893_Hamilton%20Cert%20Petition.pdf

"Opposing Certiorari in the U.S. Supreme Court"

Mayer Brown Website (From ABA Litigation Manual)

https://www.mayerbrown.com/en/perspectives-events/publications/1999/01/opposing-certiorari-in-the-us-supreme-court

"Legal Myth Busting: No One (inc. Suzy Lu) Can Copyright Their Face (VL231)"

YouTube Video - May 21, 2020 - Hoeg Law

https://youtu.be/7MGhoCOaBsU

"The Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices: Chapter 300"

https://www.copyright.gov/comp3/chap300/ch300-copyrightable-authorship.pdf

***

"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twitter: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

null

(0:00) Introduction

(3:25) The Current Court Decision (3rd Cir.)

(8:47) The Cert Petition (Questions Presented)

(13:01) The Cert Petition (Overview)

(20:45) The Cert Petition (Circuit Split)

(33:16) Conclusion (Importance of the Question)

null

(0:00) Introduction

(1:38) The Bethesda Deal

(4:43) Phil Spencer on Bethesda

(11:51) Xboxs BIG Week

(18:12) Marvels Avengers

(19:15) Smart Delivery

(20:51) Outro

Activision's executive compensation is in the news again, and on the heels of layoff rumors...again.

Just how do they do it?!

Well, activist investor CtW Investment Group, is certainly helping, as they make the case that a "Shareholder Value Creation Incentive" provision in CEO Bobby Kotick's employment agreement is acting as a "loophole" to normal bonus metric calculations...and giving him $200M in the process.

But are they right? And just what do layoffs in Activision's eSports division (or the issuance of $200 BattleNet gift cards) have to do with it anyway?

Negotiated override provisions aren't "loopholes"...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/gN1FwpzFEx0

#Activision #Compensation #Layoffs

***

HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL

PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality

STREAMLABS - https://streamlabs.com/richardhoeg

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***

Discussed in this episode:

"Investor Group Pissed Activision Blizzard CEO Is Getting A $200 Million Payout"

Gamespot - March 17, 2021

https://www.gamespot.com/articles/investor-group-pissed-activision-blizzard-ceo-is-getting-a-200-million-payout/1100-6488906/

"Mutiny! EA's Shareholders are NOT Happy (VL282)"

YouTube Video - August 11, 2020 - Hoeg Law

https://youtu.be/ay4V1T6F9rM

Change to Win Webpage

http://www.changetowin.org/

CtW Investment Group "Engagements"

https://ctwinvestmentgroup.com/engagements-all/

Form 8-K (Robert A. Kotick Employment Agreement)

Filed November 25, 2016

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/718877/000110465916159113/a16-22182_18k.htm

"Activision Fires Dozens Amid Shift Away From Live Events"

Bloomberg - March 16, 2021

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-03-16/blizzard-fires-50-people-amid-shift-away-from-live-events?srnd=technology-vp&sref=ExbtjcSG

"Activision Blizzard lays off 50 employees as the company reexamines its live event business"

GameDailyBiz - March 17, 2021

https://gamedaily.biz/article/1996/activision-blizzard-lays-off-50-employees-as-the-company-reexamines-its-live-event-business

***

"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twitter: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

null

null

People Can Fly's "Outriders" has had an interesting road to release, but with a seemingly popular demo already out there gaining attention, did Microsoft and Xbox Game Pass just provide the Square Enix published video game its biggest boost yet?

Exact keyword usage is no anomaly...in Virtual Legality.

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO AT: https://youtu.be/39PUflM3LQU

#Outriders #Xbox #GamePass

***

HELP SUPPORT THE CHANNEL

PATREON - https://www.patreon.com/VirtualLegality

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***

Discussed in this episode:

"Uh...that's Outriders."

Twitter Thread - March 12, 2021 - Hoeg Law

https://twitter.com/HoegLaw/status/1370509981146042372

"There's probably a hint about a game in here..."

Tweet - March 12, 2021 - Xbox Game Pass

https://twitter.com/XboxGamePass/status/1370494813531869186

Outriders Description

Square Enix Webpage

https://square-enix-games.com/en_US/home2/outriders-chose-your-path-and-prepare-for-enoch

***

"Virtual Legality" is a continuing series discussing the law, video games, software, and everything digital, hosted by Richard Hoeg, of the Hoeg Law Business Law Firm (Hoeg Law).

CHECK OUT THE REST OF VIRTUAL LEGALITY HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1zDCgJzZUy9YAU61GoW-00K0TJOGnPCo

DISCUSSION IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE LEGAL TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS VIDEO SHOULD CONSULT WITH THEIR OWN COUNSEL.

***

Twitter: @hoeglaw

Web: hoeglaw.com

null

(0:00) Introduction

(1:22) Microsoft Bethesda Deal

(3:45) EU Approval

(7:02) Xbox Blog Post

(11:40) Inclusive Platform

(12:17) Exclusive Games

(18:39) Bethesdas Future

(22:18) Outro