Polish studio CD Projekt RED will suspend selling its popular games in Russia and Belarus due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the company announced on Twitter this morning.
Why it matters: CDPR is the biggest gaming company to pull business from those countries, following many other industries' similar withdrawals.
The Senate Commerce Committee voted 14-14 along party lines Thursday to move the nominees for the Federal Communications Commission and Federal Trade Commission to the Senate floor.
Why it matters: Both the FCC and FTC lack the Democratic majorities necessary to overcome Republican opposition to more partisan agenda items.
U.S. officials are stepping up a campaign to defeat a Russian candidate for a UN agency that could determine how much control governments have over the internet.
The big picture: Russia's designs on the little-known agency raise the stakes for what the Russian government's vision of the internet could mean for the rest of the world, especially following its invasion of Ukraine.
The U.S. State Department denounced the Russian government on Wednesday evening for cracking down on independent media coverage in Russia of the invasion of Ukraine — including threatening Voice of America.
Why it matters: Russia's Putin-dominated parliament will hold a special session this Friday "to consider a bill that would make 'unofficial' reporting on Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine punishable by up to 15 years in prison," per an emailed statement from State Department spokesperson Ned Price.
Fortnite and Unreal Engine creator Epic Games is acquiringindie online store and music platform Bandcamp, a deal announced Wednesday that will help further Epic's music ambitions.
Why it matters: The move gives Epic a stronger hold on its ability to incorporate music into the metaverse and its products.
A bipartisan group of attorneys general launched an investigation Wednesday into whether TikTok is harming children and teens' mental health.
Driving the news: Massachusetts, California, Florida, Kentucky, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee and Vermont will investigate if using TikTok is harmful to young adults, and if TikTok was aware about such harms, per an announcement from Massachusetts AG Maura Healey.
Brex, the corporate credit card startup valued by venture capitalists at more than $12 billion, doesn't plan to go public "anytime soon," co-CEO Henrique Dubugras said Wednesday during an Axios Pro Insights event.
"I think we would only consider [going public] in a good market. We're not anti-going public or anything, but we're still a five year-old company and I think it's very normal for companies to wait until they're eight or nine years old."
Russia's war with Ukraine has become a catalyst for the adoption of cryptocurrencies, Circle Financial CEO Jeremy Allaire said Wednesday during an Axios Pro Insights event.
"There's a focus on what is the role of crypto on everything from aid distribution to Ukraine, which is accelerating ... to the question of individuals ... who are asking themselves if they should own and hold non-sovereign digital assets ... in a world where central banks can literally freeze accounts."
Ford has agreed to sell Spin, the scooter rental startup it acquired in 2018, to Tier, a Berlin-based micromobility company, for an undisclosed price.
Why it matters: Despite an initial thesis around expanding into transportation beyond cars, "this allows [Ford] to focus on their core business" as the importance of electric vehicles has grown, Spin CEO Ben Bear tells Axios.
EA Sports will remove the Russian National Team and all Russian club soccer teams from its FIFA video game franchise, and remove all Russian and Belarusian hockey teams from the latest NHL video game franchise, the gaming developer announced on Wednesday.
Why it matters: The sports world's rebuke of the invasion signals a swift rebuke of the Russian government. The Ukrainian government has also called on video game companies and esports operators to bar Russian gamers and esports teams.
Moves to restrict Kremlin disinformation after Russia's invasion of Ukraineare further splintering the global internet even as they help stem the tide of propaganda.
Why it matters: A universal internet where every user can access the same messages and services has long been held up as a global ideal, but as democracy falters and governments limit usage, it looks to be receding out of reach.
The Ukrainian government is beseeching video game companies and esports operators to cut off Russian gamers and esports teams.
Why it matters: The request is an attempt to rally Russian opposition to their country's invasion of Ukraine. It was issued in a letter published online this morning by Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraine's vice prime minister and minister of digital transformation.
