Latest news with #GDC
Engadget
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Engadget
ZeniMax QA workers win tentative union contract with Microsoft
After two years of negotiating, ZeniMax Workers United-CWA, the union representing quality assurance workers at ZeniMax Media, has reached a tentative union contract with Microsoft, according to the Communication Workers of America. The union originally formed in 2023 and was immediately recognized by Microsoft, which made its commitment to stay neutral towards union organizing at ZeniMax official in 2024. The new contract will cover over 300 ZeniMax employees and includes "substantial across-the-board wage increases as well as new minimum salaries for workers," the CWA says. The contract also includes language protecting workers from the impacts of AI and "a crediting policy that clearly acknowledges the QA workers' contributions to the video games they help create." "Video games have been the revenue titan of the entire entertainment industry for years, and the workers who develop these games are too often exploited for their passion and creativity," Jessee Leese, a QA tester and ZeniMax Workers United-CWA bargaining committee member shared in the CWA announcement. "Our first contract is an invitation for video game professionals everywhere to take action. We're the ones who make these games, and we'll be the ones to set new standards for fair treatment." The new contract is considered "tentative" until union members ratify it, but because existing contracts often act as a reference in ongoing negotiations, the agreements ZeniMax workers secured will likely serve as a standard for other unions going forward. ZeniMax QA testers aren't the only video game union at Microsoft — QA workers at Raven Software, QA workers at Activision, workers at ZeniMax Online Studios and the development team behind Overwatch are all still in active negotiations with the company. Outside of Microsoft, the CWA also announced the United Game Workers-CWA union at this year's GDC, as a another option for representation. United Game Workers-CWA is a direct-join union, a labor organization that all workers in an industry can participate in without needing legal recognition from an employer. The idea is that currently employed workers, anyone who's been laid off and freelancers can all still wield power together, even without a potential contract hanging in the balance.
Cision Canada
4 days ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
BOT Consulting forays into global market; expands its Global Delivery Center (GDC) footprint with a new Special Economic Zone (SEZ) facility in Rajasthan
Enabled through a government-backed MoU; the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) facility in Jaipur will create 500+ tech jobs Manpreet Singh, an industry veteran with experience at top global tech firms, will lead BOT's global debut and drive its next-gen GDC vision JAIPUR, India, May 29, 2025 /CNW/ -- BOT Consulting, a next-generation venture studio for Global Delivery Centers (GDCs), has announced its foray into the Indian market with its new SEZ facility in Jaipur. Spread in 2.5 acres, the 250+ seater delivery center at Mahindra World City, Jaipur will create over 500+ high-quality tech jobs in the region. Backed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Rajasthan signed on 10th Nov. 2024, further cements Jaipur's reputation as India's emerging hub for innovation, talent, and digital infrastructure. This expansion forms the foundation for BOT's vision of building sustainable, high-performance delivery ecosystems in Tier 2 cities that are ready for global transformation. As a Venture Studio for GDCs, BOT offers a distinctive model that enables global tech firms to scale in India. Its approach combines the benefits of SEZs, AI-led operations, and a strong values-driven culture to deliver enterprise-grade solutions with the agility of a startup, minus the complexities of traditional outsourcing. Driving this new chapter of growth is Manpreet Singh, a former executive at Salesforce and Wipro, who joins BOT as CEO. With over two decades of experience in building and scaling cloud-tech and consulting GDCs to successful exits, Manpreet brings a culture-first, innovation-forward leadership style that will accelerate BOT's global ambitions. Speaking at the event, Manpreet Singh, CEO, BOT Consulting said, "At BOT, we're not just building delivery centers, we're building ecosystems of talent, culture, and capability that scale with our clients. Our model is designed for speed, resilience, and long-term alignment, and the success of partners like Cloudsmith and Hakkoda is a testament to that vision. As we expand, our focus remains clear: to enable global tech firms to grow with agility, purpose, and impact." "This is not outsourcing. This is asset-building. We're creating modern, scalable delivery centers that are tightly aligned to global companies' cultures and performance goals. Jaipur, with its incredible talent and infrastructure, is ready to lead this global shift. BOT's integrated approach transforms delivery centers from cost-driven extensions into innovation-ready hubs that contribute directly to core business value," he further added. BOT's partners are reporting faster go-to-market outcomes, cultural cohesion, and high levels of operational performance through their India delivery centers. "BOT Consulting has helped accelerate Cloudsmith's growth by establishing a high-performance software engineering and technical support center in Jaipur. Their ability to attract talent and scale up with us have enhanced our operational efficiency and delivered exceptional time-to-value. We are believers in Jaipur emerging as a powerhouse for world-class tech talent. We plan to keep scaling up based on BOT's strong culture and performance," said Glenn Weinstein, CEO of Cloudsmith. Echoing the sentiment, Erik Duffield, CEO of Hakkoda (an IBM Company), added, "BOT Consulting has been a great Global Delivery Center partner in building out our team in Jaipur. Their support has enabled us to build an amazing team with speed and in tune with Hakkoda's culture, training, and structure." BOT's operating model is designed to solve the biggest challenges in global delivery—delays in ramp-up, talent attrition, and misaligned cultures—by embedding agility and ownership from day one. AI-native talent acquisition, intensive onboarding, and robust governance allow operational readiness within weeks. With a high retention rate, driven by a strong emphasis on cultural integration and employee well-being, BOT ensures continuity and quality at scale. Through partnerships with institutions like SKIT and LNMIIT, BOT is also nurturing Rajasthan's next generation of tech professionals, with 25% of its workforce drawn from local engineering colleges. The company's Śrī Initiative, its CSR platform, drives community engagement across education and environmental causes—strengthening the social fabric around its operations and deepening its roots in the region. BOT's emergence is more than a business expansion, it's a strategic blueprint for how global delivery can be reimagined with purpose, precision, and long-term value. About BOT Consulting BOT Consulting is a next-gen GDC venture studio headquartered in India. By combining modern infrastructure, Rajasthan's top talent, and its proprietary operating model, BOT builds scalable, transferable GDCs for global tech firms—with a culture-first approach that ensures low risk, high quality, and rapid time-to-value. Partnered with industry leaders like Hakkoda and Cloudsmith, BOT is redefining Jaipur as the next frontier for innovation.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tiny AI firm makes $300M bet on Bitcoin and Trump coin
GD Culture Group (Nasdaq: GDC), a tech firm with operations in China, has announced a $300 million funding deal to purchase Bitcoin (BTC) and the Official Trump (TRUMP) meme coin, The Wall Street Journal reported on May 14. The New York-based GDC said in a statement on May 12 that it plans to purchase BTC and TRUMP in order to create a 'crypto asset treasury strategy.' The goal is to enhance its balance sheet with "high-performance, scalable digital assets." GDC is an artificial intelligence (AI) company that has a market value of approximately $26 million. The firm says it generates digital avatars using AI to sell products such as home appliances and snacks on TikTok. Helmed by chairman and CEO Xiaojian Wang, the loss-making company has a majority-owned subsidiary in China. "GDC's adoption of crypto assets as treasury reserve holdings is a deliberate strategy that reflects both current industry trends and our unique strengths in digital technologies and the livestreaming e-commerce ecosystem," Wang said. The GDC stock skyrocketed to $5.97 as it surged more than 240% following the announcement on May 12. However, it soon retreated to the previous price level. The stock was trading at $2.19 at the time of writing. TRUMP is the fourth-largest meme coin, with a market cap of $2.6 billion. Launched by Donald Trump three days ahead of his presidential inauguration on Jan. 20, the meme coin surged more than 300% to reach the record high of $73.43 on Jan. 19. However, the meme coin tanked very soon and couldn't make a comeback until the team announced on Apr. 23 an exclusive gala dinner with Trump for the top 220 token holders. Even then, it couldn't rise more than $15. At the time of writing, TRUMP was exchanging hands at $13.25, down 1.5% a day. Sign in to access your portfolio
Wall Street Journal
14-05-2025
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Small China-Linked Firm Plans to Snap Up Trump's Crypto Token
GD Culture Group GDC 2.80%increase; green up pointing triangle, a small technology company with operations in China, said it struck a $300 million funding deal to help it amass a stockpile of cryptocurrencies, including President Trump's meme coin. Nasdaq-listed GDC has a market value of about $26 million. It says it uses artificial-intelligence algorithms and software to generate 'digital human models.' It uses these avatars to sell products on TikTok, including Asian snacks, small home appliances and gardening tools.
Business Mayor
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
Skydance joins the delay train, pushing Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra to 2026
Skydance Interactive announced today that its upcoming action-adventure game Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra will not longer target a 2025 release, but instead has been moved to an early 2026 window. The company revealed the delay in a social media post, saying the game requires 'more polish' in order to deliver the best possible user experience. This makes Marvel 1943 the second triple-A game this month pushed to 2026 following an initial planned 2025 launch window. Skydance first announced Marvel 1943 at the Game Developers Conference in 2024. It's described the game as a narrative-driven action-adventure game set in the titular year, and it follows the adventures of Captain America and the WW2-era Black Panther, Azzuri. Skydance is creating the game in cooperating with Plaion, and the graphics shown at GDC appear to be incredibly realistic. The studio has thus far not revealed too much about the story, except that the two will be joined by two other heroes — Howling Commando Gabe Jones and Wakandan spy Nanali — and presumably oppose the villainous organization Hydra. The fact the game is penned by games industry veteran Amy Hennig, known for the Uncharted series, among others. This is not the first major title to be delayed from a planned 2025 launch date. Earlier this month, Rockstar Games revealed that it had set a May 2026 launch date for Grand Theft Auto VI; the game was originally scheduled for a fall 2025 window. One of the side effects of such a large game announcing a release window is that other publishers seemed to be reluctant to announce their own, lest they inadvertently land on the same day or even week. Marvel 1943's delay is likely not related, but an 'early' 2026 launch window might mean Skydance intends to release it before Rockstar's juggernaut. READ SOURCE businessmayor May 14, 2025
