Hello Insiders, Thank you for being a part of our community. We work hard to keep you guys informed on the latest trends in technology, business, and VCs. As you already know, the metaverse is a hot topic in the tech industry, and we are hosting an "Understanding the Metaverse" live webinar event on Jan. 27, 2022, at 11 a.m. PT. We are hosting four metaverse experts, including: - Sebastien Borget (Co-Founder & COO - The Sandbox)
- Mike Dudas (Partner - RedPill Ventures)
- Hrish Lotlikar (Co-Founder & CEO - SuperWorld)
- Stephan Zhang (CTO - UTU.one)
Please register for the event here. If you have any questions for our panel of experts, please feel free to submit your questions to the inside.com/xr newsletter. I am excited to see you all at the event!  | |  Gia | |
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 Microsoft announced that it is acquiring game publisher Activision Blizzard in a nearly $69B all-cash deal. Activision Blizzard is well known for popular games like Candy Crush, World of Warcraft, and Call of Duty. The latest acquisition is the biggest in video game history by a margin. This move signals that the company is committed to the video game market and the metaverse. More: - "Activision couldn't compete in the new world of gaming on its own," said CEO Bobby Kotick.
- Gaming is one of Microsoft's two big metaverse plays, and this acquisition signals Microsoft's serious commitment to the virtual worlds.
- The new deal will boost Microsoft's competitive edge in the virtual reality and mobile gaming industry. This will also turn the company into one of the largest video game companies in the world.
- If all of Activision Blizzard's games soon become Xbox and PC exclusive, it will transform the console market, giving Microsoft a near-monopoly in the gaming sector. Microsoft would also own King, creators of the Candy Crush series, and World of Warcraft.
- If the deal survives scrutiny from U.S. and European regulators, it would be considered the biggest acquisition in tech history.
- Activision Blizzard stocks soared 25% following the announcement, which helped the company make up for losses over the past six months. Sony Group's shares dropped 12.8% in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Zoom out: - This deal is seen as a major shake-up in the gaming industry.
- Microsoft also confirmed that Bobby Kotick would continue to serve as CEO of Activision Blizzard.
- It's worth noting that Activision is being investigated by SEC over ongoing workplace discrimination, and the California civil rights agency also sued the company in July for harassment and discrimination against women.
- However, sources familiar with the deal say Kotick may depart the company after the deal is complete.
Bloomberg 
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 TeamViewer partnered with NSF to help digitize the food industry using EyeSucceed, an augmented reality solution. More: - TeamViewer is a global provider of remote connectivity and workplace digitalization solutions, and NSF is an International Food Safety and global public health and safety organization.
- The partnership is established with two key goals in mind:
- to scale the growth of the wearable software called EyeSuceed, which is an augmented reality (AR) application based on TeamViewer's Frontline platform;
- and to solve challenges that are faced by the food industry by integrating EyeSucceed to digitize the food industry.
- EyeSuceed is already being used by a global fast-food restaurant chain to train and onboard new employees.
Auganix
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 8th Wall officially partnered with Emodo, Ericsson's mobile advertising solution, to offer brands WebAR advertising solutions to scale and create marketing campaigns using augmented reality. More: - 8th Wall's augmented reality experiences do not require users to download an app. Instead, the entire solution is offered in the web browser.
- Agencies and brands can now distribute their 8th Wall-powered WebAR experiences through Emodo's high-quality, quality-verified full-stack advertising supply, which will give customers an option to run ads in either traditional displays or embeddable AR ads.
- For example, the advantage of embeddable AR ads is that it allows users to engage with the AR experience directly on the publisher page instead of a linked web page.
Yahoo
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 Mars4, the world's first virtual Mars NFT, raised over $250,000 as plots of land on the virtual planet sold via the Epoch system. This project combines NFTs and an immersive survival game based on a virtual Mars. More: - The company has created a virtual Mars that offers investment opportunities in the form of revenue-generating NFTs. Does the rapid sale indicate that it's a good time to become a Mars landlord?
- The Mars4 NFTs are a digital replica of the Mars planet that were created using NASA and other space agency data.
- The project sells the NFTs as part of the Epoch system that uses the scarcity model to establish its price point.
- The Epoch system is a tiered system that rewards investors in stages, which means that investors might see better returns sooner.
News BTC
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 A message from LOHIKA Web3: Why It Matters and How to Think About It in 2022. You may have heard about “Web3,” along with related technologies like blockchain, NFTs and smart contracts. What exactly is Web3? Is it the evolution of Web 2.0? Is it the future of the Internet? We don’t know all the answers, so invited a panel of experts who do. We’re hosting an online event with Capgemini AIE “Web3: Why It Matters and How to Think About It in 2022.” The panel: We will also discuss: - How engineering leaders should approach recruiting for team building web3 applications
- Whether an NFT represents ownership of digital art or if there’s more to it
- What will happen between central banks asserting their control of fiat currencies and decentralized currencies erasing boundaries and national sovereignty
Join us on February 10, 2022 at 10am PT / 1pm ET. Register Here
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Emergen Research predicts that the metaverse could reach the $800B mark by 2028. The future remains to be seen, but most analysts believe that Unity Software (NYSE: U) could be a big winner in the metaverse race. More: - There are many reasons that Unity can lead the metaverse race. For one, Unity is an operating system for virtual reality and augmented reality in the metaverse.
- The platform offers developers the right tools to design and create new solutions and games. It is a powerful gaming engine that is easy to use.
- Unity is an ideal gaming engine for entry-level developers, and the company attracts early-stage developers and follows their progress throughout their careers.
- Unity is also a market share leader when it comes to creating 3D content. As this space grows, Unity will likely benefit because the company's runway looks enormous.
Zoom Out: 
- On Jan. 6, 2022, inside.com hosted Timoni West, VP of Unity, to discuss the opportunities within the metaverse and the tools that are available that can help new developers get started on their gaming journey and more.
- If you missed the interview, here is the YouTube link.
Motley Fool
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nDreams is creating a new AAA VR games studio dubbed nDreams Studio Elevation. nDreams is an experienced VR developer known for Phantom: Covert Ops (2020) and aims to create next-level VR gaming experiences. More: - “Feeding the VR industry with funding, game development knowledge, and technology, as well as exploring new and existing genres of player experiences, will help our entire industry drive player adoption and platform growth,” said studio director Glenn Brace.
- The studio aims to create deep, immersive user experiences by implementing new technology solutions to elevate the VR gaming experience.
- The company now has two studios, one of which is called the nDreams Studio Orbital, which focuses on creating new games as a service in virtual reality.
- nDreams is also actively hiring remote and hybrid workers and currently looking to hire:
- A Lead Designer
- Technical Director
- Art Director
- Talent Acqutision Manager
- Senior Finance Consultant
- Environment Artist and more.
Road to VR
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- The Government of Canada is hiring for remote, virtual employment opportunities.
- Here is a review of the VR anime "Belle," which is a dazzling virtual-reality replica of Beauty and the Beast.
- Virtual reality is not only for gaming and entertainment. VR applications extend to the healthcare industry, where it is helping patients cope with pain and anxiety.
- Virtual reality is helping patients and healthcare workers understand tumor anatomy.
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Upcoming Events: - January 19 - Music in the Metaverse with Jonathan Gray (Encore) (Register Here)
- January 25 - Need To Know NoCoder - Leon Young (Cogniss) (Register Here)
- January 25 - Venturing in VC - Episode #4 with David Cowan (Bessemer Venture Partners) (Register Here)
- January 26 - Join Ketch & Kelley Drye's data privacy experts for a joint webinar. Privacy Priorities for 2022: Legal and Tech Developments to Track and Tackle. (Register Here) *
- January 27 - Understanding the Metaverse (Register Here)
- February 01 - Venturing in VC - Episode #5 (Register Here)
- February 03 - Blockchain Gaming & Play-to-Earn Economies (Register Here)
- February 10 - The Business of Wellness (Register Here)
- February 17 - Efficient Marketing Strategies in a Post iOS 14 World (Register Here)
- February 23 - Need to Know NoCoder: Derya Sousa (Kianda Technologies) (Register Here)
- February 24 - Alternative Investments (Register Here)
- March 03 - The $12B Appetite for Amazon Aggregators (Register Here)
- March 10 - NoCode's Impact on the Gig Economy (Register Here)
- March 23 - Need to Know NoCoder: Nichole Bestman (Bubble) (Register Here)
*This is a sponsored listing.
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 |  | Gia Mattu is based in Calgary, Alberta. She is an entrepreneur with experience in climate technology, drones, AI, machine learning, and blockchain technology. When she's not working, she loves to hike the Canadian Rockies, try new cuisine, and travel. | | | | Editor | Aaron Crutchfield is based in the high desert of California. Over the last two decades, he has spent time writing and editing at various local newspapers and defense contractors in California. When he's not working, he can often be found looking at the latest memes with his kids or working on his 1962 Ford. | |
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