VentureBeat reports: “DeepMind — the research division of Alphabet whose work chiefly involves reinforcement learning, an area of AI concerned with how software agents ought to take actions to maximize some reward — published a preprint paper in the past week that greatly improves upon existing work.”
Variety reports: “The Walt Disney Company and Italy’s Telecom Italia Mobile have announced a multi-year bundling deal under which the Disney Plus streaming service will be carried exclusively by the telecom’s TIMVision platform.”
Variety reports: “With French events organizer Reed Midem pulling the plug on MipTV for the first time since its formation in 1964, the realities of keeping businesses ticking in the face of a potential global pandemic are quickly emerging for the TV industry, with a range of contingency plans furiously in the works, including a drive towards virtual meet-ups and digital rights platforms.”
Gamesindustry.biz reports: “The Esports Players League (ESPL) has raised $1 million in a seed round led by the venture capital firm 500 Startups. The Singapore-based firm’s focus will be events and platforms for amateur esports players on mobile.”
Variety reports: “YouTube TV and Sinclair Broadcast Group reached a deal covering most of the Fox regional sports networks — but the internet TV service is dropping two of the RSNs, as well as the Yankees’ YES Network.”
TechCrunch reports: “Apple this week alerted developers to a new set of App Store Review Guidelines which detail which apps will be accepted or rejected, and what apps are allowed to do. The changes to the guidelines impact reviews, push notifications, Sign in with Apple, data collection and storage, mobile device management, and more, the company says.”
VentureBeat reports: “Tilting Point has acquired Star Trek Timelines, a character collection role-playing game (CCRPG), from Disruptor Beam. Alongside the acquisition of the game, Tilting Point has formed a new studio, Wicked Realm Games, to support the title in Boston and hired 19 key Disruptor Beam team members, including former chief technology officer David Cham, who will head the new studio.”
Gamesindustry.biz reports: “Casual games giant Zynga is facing a class action lawsuit following a breach of its users’ personal data last year. In September 2019, the company admitted hackers had stolen account information for players of Words With Friends and Draw Something, and advised users to change their passwords.”
Hollywood Reporter reports: “”Simon & Schuster is not a core asset, it’s not video based,” Bob Bakish told an investors conference about seeking strategic alternatives for the book publisher.”
Deadline reports: “Little Dot Studios has acquired content agency Wing as the All3Media-owned digital studio embarks on a mergers and acquisitions spree. Wing took flight in 2007 and specializes in sport, making branded content for partners including the International Olympics Committee, The America’s Cup, Formula 1, Coca-Cola, Hugo Boss and McLaren.”
