Microsoft will keep Call of Duty on PlayStation after it buys the series’ developer, according to a new deal signed with PlayStation. The Xbox and PlayStation makers have been engaged in a sometimes angry war in recent months, as Microsoft attempts to buy Activision Blizzard, the developer of games including Call of Duty. PlayStation’s objections centre around the fact that the deal would give Microsoft too much control over the gaming market, given the dominance of Call of Duty among players on consoles. Those objections have led to legal hearings, as well as opposition from regulators and competition authorities. At times, those legal objections have looked to derail the deal, which would be the biggest ever gaming acquisition if it is completed. But it now looks to be moving forward, after Microsoft announced that it had signed a “binding agreement” to make the games available on other consoles when the deal is complete. The deal could further ease regulators concerns about what would happen to the game as well as the broader console and gaming market if the deal goes ahead. It is the latest piece of good news for Microsoft, which won a legal case last week against objections from the US Federal Trade Commission, and looks to be moving towards closing the deal. “We are pleased to announce that Microsoft and PlayStation have signed a binding agreement to keep Call of Duty on PlayStation following the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. We look forward to a future where players globally have more choice to play their favorite games,” said Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s head of Xbox, in a tweet. And Microsoft President Brad Smith said in a tweet, “Even after we cross the finish line for this deal’s approval, we will remain focused on ensuring that Call of Duty remains available on more platforms and for more consumers than ever before.” The FTC had argued the deal would hurt consumers whether they played video games on consoles or had subscriptions because Microsoft would have an incentive to shut out rivals like Sony. To address the FTC’s concerns, Microsoft had earlier agreed to license “Call of Duty” to rivals, including a 10-year contract with Nintendo, contingent on the merger closing. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Battery breakthroughs are about to trigger a transport revolution ‘Hostile states using organised crime gangs as proxies in the UK’ Powerful solar flare to disrupt communications, Russians warn

By Shivangi Acharya NEW DELHI U.S. trade chief Katherine Tai has raised concerns with India over the Asian

WhatsApp is developing a range of new features, including a new username system and a screen-sharing option during video calls. The username system will allow users to select a unique name attached to their account, WABetaInfo first reported, based on changes spotted in the app’s beta version 2.23.11.15 for Android. This may enable users to find each other through usernames instead of phone numbers in the future, with conversations using the username expected to be end-to-end encrypted. Beta testers of the app’s 2.23.11.19 version also found a new screen-sharing feature that reportedly enabled users to share the contents of their screen on video calls, also allowing people to record sections of the call. Some testers also reported finding a “status archive” feature, limited to business accounts, which enables users to archive their WhatsApp statuses after 24 hours and reshare them later in the future. These features appear to be under development and not yet available to all testers. They may be gradually rolled out to users. Other changes include a new “password reminder feature” for end-to-end encrypted backups on WhatsApp for iOS and Android as well as an improved support for message drafts. The latter is expected to help users who may forget about partially composed messages in the middle of conversations. The Meta-owned company previously did not indicate the presence of a message under drafts in the chat bar and the new indicator of unfinished messages at the top of the chat list may allow users to notice this. Some users may notice a few small changes in WhatsApp’s bottom navigation bar on downloading the beta for Android 2.23.11.19 update. A new icon and a prompt during video calls seem to help users share their screen. The feature records everything displayed on one’s screen and shares it with the recipient. But the recipient may be unable to get the content of the sharer’s screen in case they are using an outdated WhatsApp version. Potential wider accessibility of this feature, however, remains unclear as it may not work in large group calls. Read More Major WhatsApp update enables secret chats WhatsApp update fixes glaring irritation when using app WhatsApp update will let people edit messages after they are sent

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Microsoft has been given approval to buy Call of Duty developer Activision, clearing the way for one of the biggest ever tech deals. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the Xbox owner could go ahead with the takeover after agreeing to buy Activision without cloud gaming rights. It puts an end to a half-year long battle between the watchdog and Microsoft, having moved to block the deal in April. But businesses and their advisors should be in no doubt that the tactics employed by Microsoft are no way to engage with the CMA Sarah Cardell, CMA's chief executive The new deal, which was initially worth 69 billion US dollars (£56.6 billion at the current exchange rate), will stop Microsoft from having a “stranglehold” over the UK cloud gaming market, the CMA said. The regulator said it would preserve competitive prices for gamers and make sure consumers get more choice. Assassin’s Creed video game maker Ubisoft is set to buy Activision’s cloud gaming rights instead. But the CMA criticised Microsoft for “dragging out” proceedings during its investigation into the merger. Sarah Cardell, the CMA’s chief executive, said: “With the sale of Activision’s cloud streaming rights to Ubisoft, we’ve made sure Microsoft can’t have a stranglehold over this important and rapidly developing market. “But businesses and their advisors should be in no doubt that the tactics employed by Microsoft are no way to engage with the CMA. “Microsoft had the chance to restructure during our initial investigation but instead continued to insist on a package of measures that we told them simply wouldn’t work. “Dragging out proceedings in this way only wastes time and money.” Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, said the group is “grateful” for the decision to approve the acquisition which he believes will “benefit players and the gaming industry worldwide”. Additional reporting by agencies Read More Incels using TikTok to spread ‘hateful beliefs’, research suggests Duke and Duchess of Sussex call for overhaul of social media Google to trial AI in UK traffic light systems to reduce stop-and-go emissions Broadband customers face £150 hikes because of ‘outrageous’ rises – Which? Rise of AI chatbots ‘worrying’ after man urged to kill Queen, psychologist warns William hails ‘amazing’ eco-friendly start-up businesses

Lyft and Uber threatened to stop doing business in Minneapolis after the city council adopted a new rule Thursday that would set a minimum wage for rideshare drivers.