In context:  In the past six months, half a dozen game studios, including Activision Blizzard, Bungie, and Bethesda have been acquired for billions. Everyone is wondering which studio will be next, including Ubisoft and its shareholders. This week the company published its quarterly report with some wording that made it read more like a sales brochure, prompting questions about the company’s intentions. Ubisoft published its quarterly report on Thursday and its executives held an earnings call with analysts and shareholders afterward. Subtitles in the 10-page report like "Ubisoft’s assets have never been so strong at a time when the value of assets has never been so high" and "The richest pipeline of games in Ubisoft’s history" made it read like a sales brochure, prompting questions about the company’s intentions. "In a consolidating industry I guess I’m wondering why you guys haven’t had an offer given the embedded value of your IP," analyst Matthew Wal...

  Fortnite  developer Epic Games confirmed this weekend it will transition most of its US-based contingent workers to full-time positions with benefits. The news comes after  The Verge   obtained an internal memo detailing the company’s plans. Epic spokesperson Elka Looks said the studio plans to hire “a few hundred” existing contractors, and that most of those workers currently serve as quality assurance testers. Epic will directly employ those individuals and they’ll have access to the company’s benefits plan. Looks also noted the company will still hire contingent workers to fill “short-term needs,” and the memo  The Verge  obtained said Epic would not extend the full-time employment offer to some workers. “There are a few exceptions in which it makes sense for both the worker and Epic to maintain contingent worker status,” the document said, according to the outlet. Epic’s decision to convert many of its QA testers to full-time employees comes at a mome...