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Nintendo's 'Animal Crossing: New Horizons' and the bloodthirsty 'Doom Eternal' launch amid pandemic – CNN

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While “Animal Crossing” is a slow-paced game set on an idyllic island, where you can build furniture and meet friends, “Doom Eternal” is a shooter game in which demons invade Earth. CNN Business had an opportunity to try both.
“Animal Crossing” trains its users in patience, as stores within the game close at night as they do in real life, and fish and insects sometimes resist capture. Its bright characters and peaceful vacation setting help provide a change of scenery, while still being somewhat realistic (you have to take out home loans to expand your real estate).
As more people begin to play the game, an online feature allows you to visit friends’ islands, making it possible for players in real life to connect to each other. It could be a way for people to connect online during social distancing.
In contrast, “Doom Eternal” throws you right into skull-smashing, guns-blazing action set to a rousing soundtrack, and hardly ever lets up. Being able to progress in “Doom,” especially at harder difficulty levels like “ultra-violence” and “nightmare” mode, is truly a test of skill.
id Software’s Doom packs a lot of nostalgia and has been around for 26 years. But Nintendo’s 19-year-old “Animal Crossing” commands its own cult following and analysts predict “New Horizons” could outsell “Doom Eternal.”
Michael Pachter, an analyst at private financial services firm Wedbush, said he anticipated “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” could hit 10 million in lifetime sales, while “Doom Eternal” could potentially trail behind at 6 million.
“I think consumers will be thankful for something new to play given that so many find themselves cooped up under shelter in place regulations, so yes, I think that staying home will have a positive impact on sales,” said Pachter.
“Doom” shook up the video game industry when it first came out in 1993 as a free file for PCs that people could download. Future versions were sold in retail.
“Doom” popularized the first-person shooter, a genre now dominated by “Call of Duty” games and “Apex Legends.”
James Landino, a video game music composer, told CNN Business his tweet was meant as entertainment. “There’s all different kinds of gamers,” he said.
Personally, he is playing “Animal Crossing” and not “Doom Eternal” because he isn’t a fan of shooters or horror, he said.
“I’ve been playing ‘Doom’ since my childhood and I’m very excited for ‘Doom Eternal,'” Autumn Walters, 22, who works in the medical industry in Alaska, told CNN Business. “It has that awesome power fantasy to it which makes it so much fun.”
Walters said she would consider playing “Animal Crossing” but would buy “Doom” first as “as I have been looking forward to it first.”
CNN Business got to try "Animal Crossing: New Horizons."CNN Business got to try "Animal Crossing: New Horizons."
“I’m sure you’ve seen comments from fans of both games online — there’s a shared sense of excitement among fans of both series,” said Bill Trinen, senior director of product marketing at Nintendo.
Retailers have also been impacted by the ongoing pandemic. GameStop notified customers that they could pick up their copy of Doom Eternal a day early on March 19 “as a safety precaution for our customers and associates.” It said it would carry Animal Crossing on March 20 “to further help separate the crowds.”
Amazon said in a statement to CNN Business that it was temporarily prioritizing “household staples, medical supplies and other high demand products coming into our fulfillment centers” so customers who ordered Animal Crossing or Doom may experience a delay in delivery.
“As COVID-19 has spread, we’ve recently seen an increase in people shopping online which has had an impact on how we serve our customers,” Amazon said. “We are very sorry for the inconvenience this may cause our customers.”

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Record low prices hit Apple's M3 MacBook Pro 14-inch, now on sale from $1,399 – AppleInsider

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B&H has dropped MacBook Pro prices further as March comes to a close. Pick up an M3 MacBook Pro with 16GB RAM for just $1,549 — or opt for the M3 Pro MacBook Pro 14-inch for $1,699. Both are record-breaking deals.

14-inch models

16-inch models

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There are numerous MacBook Pro deals on upgraded configurations, so if you’re looking for an M3 Max configuration or extra storage, it’s worth checking out our Mac Price Guide to shop the latest sales.

Even more month-end deals on Apple

Best Apple prices

Aggressive savings are in effect now on nearly every current Mac. You can also find discounted prices on streaming services, closeout models and software. Here are a few of the top deals going on now:

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Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) New iPad Pro and iPad Air to Hit Markets Soon – TipRanks.com – TipRanks

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Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is likely to introduce its new iPad Pro and iPad Air as soon as May. The much-anticipated product launch will come just ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June.

End to a Long Wait

As the much-awaited moment draws near, Bloomberg reports that the tech giant’s suppliers have already ramped up production of the devices. For Apple’s devout customers, the introduction of the revamped iPads marks the end of a nearly 18-month drought of major new releases from the company. The iPads are expected to boast features such as new OLED displays for the Pro model and an option for a 12.9-inch screen for the Air model.

Revamped iPads Unleashed

The long wait for new iPad models has resulted in sluggish tablet sales for Apple in recent times. Consequently, the company will likely look to the revamped versions to boost demand. Additionally, Apple is introducing more processing power to the new versions. The Pro models will feature a new M3 chip. Similarly, the iPad Air is also receiving an upgrade with a new processor, moving from its last version’s M1 chip to the latest technology.

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What to Expect in June

Importantly, the product launches are scheduled just before Apple’s highly anticipated annual Worldwide Developers Conference. This event is slated for June 10. The iPhone maker is widely expected to unveil its AI strategy as well as software updates for its range of products at the event. 

Is Apple a Buy, Sell, or a Hold?

Apple’s share price has corrected by nearly 11% year-to-date. The Street has a cautiously optimistic stance on the stock with a Moderate Buy consensus rating. Furthermore, the average AAPL price target of $203.40 points to an 18.6% potential upside in the company’s share price.

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Take-Two Interactive to Acquire 'Borderlands' Developer Gearbox From Embracer Group for $460 Million – Yahoo Canada Sports

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Take-Two Interactive has acquired video game developer Gearbox, the maker of the “Borderlands” franchise, from Embracer Group for $460 million.

Per Take Two, the company “expects the transaction to deepen its successful relationship with Gearbox Entertainment and to provide increased financial benefits through a fully integrated operational structure.”

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As part of the deal, Take-Two will acquire Gearbox IP, including “Borderlands” and “Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands” franchises, games published by Take-Two’s 2K Games, as well as “Homeworld,” “Risk of Rain,” “Brothers in Arms” and “Duke Nukem.”

Currently, Gearbox has six “key interactive entertainment projects in various stages of development,” per Take-Two, which includes five sequels, two from “Borderlands” and “Homeworld” universes, and at least one “exciting new intellectual property,” all of which have been acquired in the sale.

Take-Two’s purchase of Gearbox is expected to close in June, pending regulatory approval. Upon completion, Gearbox will operate as a studio within 2K, continuing to be led by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford and his management team.

Former Gearbox owner Embracer, a Swedish gaming conglomerate who snapped up the rights to “Lord of the Rings” two years ago, has undergone a severe restructuring program over the past year, which has seen the company shut down or dispose of dozens of games studios and titles and lay off hundreds of staff, resulting in aftershocks that have reverberated throughout the games industry.

The sale of Gearbox marks the latest insistence of Embracer unloading assets, following the company divesting Saber Interactive.

“Our acquisition of Gearbox is an exciting moment for Take-Two and will strengthen our industry-leading creative talent and portfolio of owned intellectual property, including the iconic Borderlands franchise,” Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. “This combination enhances the financial profile of our existing projects with Gearbox and unlocks the opportunity for us to drive increased long-term growth by leveraging the full resources of Take-Two across all of Gearbox’s exciting initiatives.”

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