Would Microsoft Buy Fortnite Headset-Maker Turtle Beach?
*By Michael Teich*
High-flying gaming headset maker Turtle Beach could find itself a buyer in Microsoft.
That's according to D.A. Davidson senior research analyst Tom Forte, who told Cheddar the company could be an acquisition target as the Xbox-maker angles to become a bigger player in the video game world.
"I would argue Microsoft could just as well buy Turtle Beach rather than try to come up with Microsoft's own lineup of console headsets," Forte said. "Their sweet spot is really the console, and not necessarily the accessories."
While Forte believes Microsoft ($MSFT) has cachet with esports gamers thanks to the Xbox, he thinks the challenge would ultimately be to create a headset that is technologically superior to what Turtle Beach ($HEAR) offers.
Even high-end audio companies like Beats, owned by Apple ($AAPL), have trouble breaking into the esports business.
"No disrespect to Beats, but this isn't really about marketing dollars. It's about who's offering me the best technology so I can play the games I like as effective as possible," Forte said.
Turtle Beach makes headsets for a variety of consoles, including PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One.
Shares have soared this year, fueled by the viral popularity of social games like mega-hit "Fortnite," which posted a new record monthly player count of 78 million in August. And though the stock has pulled back from its highs of early August, they're still up more than 1,000 percent in 2018.
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/microsoft-could-buy-turtle-beach-says-analyst-tom-forte).
Disney and Fortnite-maker Epic Games will collab on making new video games with Disney characters. Hopefully it will be more than Mickey Mouse hitting the Griddy.
Hershey is cautioning on its 2024 profit growth as the company contends with rising cocoa costs, leading to increased prices for chocolate. The company anticipates its full-year earnings per share being relatively flat, partly due to higher cocoa and sugar costs.
Prince Harry has reached an out-of-court settlement with a tabloid newspaper publisher that invaded his privacy with phone hacking and other illegal snooping. Attorney David Sherborne said that Mirror Group Newspapers had agreed to pay Harry’ “substantial” costs and damages.
An attorney representing passengers of an Alaska Airlines flight that lost a door plug in midair says a “whistling sound” was heard on a previous flight of the same Boeing 737 Max 9.
What do Arnold Schwarzenegger, Aubrey Plaza, and Tom Brady all have in common? You'll see them on Super Bowl Sunday, but not on the field. If you only watch the Super Bowl for the ads, here's a sneak peek.
The Federal Communications Commission knows (to loosely quote Drake) "when that [AI robocall] hotline bling, that can only mean one thing" — deception. The agency says bad actors have been using these voices to misinform voters.
David Stryzewski, CEO of Sound Planning Group, breaks down Disney’s latest results, from adding Taylor Swift to building out ESPN, and why Bob Iger’s leadership is crucial.
