Microsoft Back Doors Exploited, Many Dead Products, and More Backlash After Mass Layoffs
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The Register UK ☛ Raspberry Pi Pico cracks BitLocker in under a minute • The Register [Ed: BitLocker has back doors [1, 2]]
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Ghacks ☛ Microsoft Graveyard: last honor for dead Microsoft products - gHacks Tech News
Microsoft Graveyard is an open source website that lists dead Microsoft products, including software and hardware, and studios.
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Bloomberg ☛ FTC Dings Microsoft Over Activision Blizzard Layoffs in Court
FTC is appealing decision that allowed deal to close last year
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Engadget ☛ FTC accuses Microsoft of misrepresenting its Activision Blizzard plans after layoffs
The FTC isn't done questioning gaming's biggest acquisition.
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FTC files complaint against Microsoft for recent Xbox layoffs
The regulatory battle over Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard isn't over yet. Per the Verge, the FTC has filed a complaint after the Xbox maker laid off 1,900 employees in January.
In its complaint, the FTC claims Microsoft contradicted an earlier promise to "maintain a pre-merger status quo." It wants the acquisition paused until it completes a proper antitrust evaluation.
By eliminating overlapping positions, Microsoft went back on its word. As such, Activision Blizzard isn't actually operating independently, making it hard for the FTC to "order effective relief" in potential administrative proceedings.
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Half of Microsoft's Recent Layoffs Affect Activision Blizzard
While it was not initially clear whether this was a new wave of reductions, The Verge's Tom Warren said this is a part of the cuts that have already been announced, meaning almost half of the aforementioned fired employees were from Activision, while Xbox lost 1,000 people.
Earlier, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer addressed the issue, saying that Xbox layoffs were "painful choices" needed for "long-term success."
Endless job cuts keep ravaging the industry, with big companies like Amazon, Meta, and Embracer firing more and more workers. According to Kotaku, over 6,000 positions in the game industry were eliminated in the first month of the year only.