For all the talk of "Fortnite" and its so-called metaverse of character crossovers, it is Nintendo and its "Smash Bros." fighting game series that has created the industry's biggest team of rivals.
The big picture: For "Smash," Nintendo flexes its strength as a successful video game company to rope in collaborators and occasional competitors in the service of making its own $60 game increasingly successful.
Facebook's market value surpassed $1 trillion for the first time Monday, after a federal judge dismissed an antitrust complaint from the Federal Trade Commission. The move pushed shares up nearly 5%.
Why it matters: Despite a record level of regulatory scrutiny, Facebook's value continues to soar. The company has experienced enormous growth over the past year, as more people turned to its services to communicate and shop during the pandemic.
A federal district judge on Monday dismissed the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust complaint alleging Facebook engaged in anticompetitive practices.
Driving the news: The judge described the FTC's complaint as "legally insufficient" in making the case that Facebook has monopoly power in the personal social network market.
In the latest in a series of app store fee cuts, Google has a new program that will halve commissions for some large developers who agree to support Android on non-phone devices, such as cars, TVs and tablets.
Why it matters: Although a 30% cut to Apple or Google remains the baseline for both of their mobile app stores, there are a growing number of exceptions amid pressure from both competitors and regulators.
The pandemic accelerated changes in the education system, and now that many U.S. school systems are reopening or planning onsite teaching for the fall, the school transit system is evolving, too.
What's happening: Zum, a California-based startup that launched six years ago as an Uber-like ride service for families with children, is now working directly with school districts to modernize student transportation.
Key Republicans are warming to an idea that was once anathema to the party — leveling taxes on big American companies to pay for internet subsidy programs.
Why it matters: Republican interest in taxing Big Tech could help shore up a struggling subsidy fund that supports broadband in rural areas, schools, libraries and hospitals.
"F9: The Fast Saga," the ninth installment in the "Fast and Furious" franchise, is estimated to have brought in over $70 million over the weekend — the highest weekend haul at the box office in North America since before the pandemic.
Why it matters: The "F9" weekend blowout is a huge sign of optimism for the struggling movie theater industry, which has been ravaged by pandemic-driven theater closures and the rise of streaming.
