Jun 13, 2019

Fortnite developer acquires video chat app Houseparty

Photo: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP/Getty Images

Epic Games, the North Carolina-based maker of Fortnite, has acquired group video chat app Houseparty for an undisclosed amount.

Why it matters: This reflects how group interaction has become as integral to digital gaming as the games themselves, serving as an alternative to traditional social media.

  • ROI: Houseparty had raised around $70 million from firms like Aleph, Greylock, Sequoia Capital, UTA Ventures and Comcast Ventures.

The bottom line: "While Fortnite does have an in-game voice chat function, many players opt to use independent group chat programs to communicate with fellow gamers. The group chat networks, like Houseparty and Discord, have the added benefit of existing outside of the game as social media platforms." — Rebecca Aydin, Business Insider

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Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 5,555,691 — Total deaths: 348,541 — Total recoveries — 2,271,268 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 1,676,401 — Total deaths: 98,787 — Total recoveries: 379,157 — Total tested: 14,604,942 — Map.
  3. Federal response: DOJ investigates meatpacking industry over soaring beef prices — Mike Pence's press secretary returns to work.
  4. Congress: House Republicans to sue Nancy Pelosi in effort to block proxy voting.
  5. Tech: Twitter fact-checks Trump's tweets about mail-in voting for first time — Google to open offices July 6 for 10% of workers.
  6. Public health: CDC releases guidance on when you can be around others after contracting the coronavirus.
  7. World: Putin presses forward with Victory Day parade, despite climbing coronavirus cases.
  8. What should I do? When you can be around others after contracting the coronavirus — Traveling, asthma, dishes, disinfectants and being contagious — Masks, lending books and self-isolating — Exercise, laundry, what counts as soap — Pets, moving and personal health — Answers about the virus from Axios experts — What to know about social distancing — How to minimize your risk.
  9. Other resources: CDC on how to avoid the virus, what to do if you get it, the right mask to wear.

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Updated 38 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Twitter fact-checks Trump's tweets for first time

President Trump briefs reporters in the Rose Garden on May 26. Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

Twitter fact-checked two of President Trump's unsubstantiated tweets that mail-in ballots in the 2020 election would be fraudulent for the first time on Tuesday, directing users to "get the facts" through news stories that cover the topic.

Why it matters: Twitter and other social media platforms have faced criticism for not doing enough to combat misinformation, especially when its propagated by the president.

Go deeper (1 min. read)Arrow1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

House Republicans to sue Nancy Pelosi in effort to block proxy voting

Photo: Michael Brochstein / Echoes Wire/Barcroft Media via Getty Images

20 House Republicans plan to file a lawsuit late Tuesday against Speaker Nancy Pelosi in an effort to block the chamber's new proxy voting system amid the coronavirus pandemic, three congressional sources tell Axios.

The big picture: The lawsuit, led by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, alleges the rules are unconstitutional because the Constitution requires a quorum, or a majority, of lawmakers to be physically present in order to conduct business. The lawsuit was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Go deeper (1 min. read)ArrowUpdated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy