In this week's Roundup: Netflix advances its bid to acquire Warner Bros., Critical Strike reports early DTC gains after migrating to Aghanim’s platform, and India’s proposed always-on phone tracking requirement faces strong pushback from major device makers.

Critical Strike posts early DTC gains after migrating to Aghanim’s publisher enablement platform

Vertigo Games migrated Critical Strike to Aghanim’s new publisher enablement stack, reporting a 175% lift in direct-to-consumer revenue in the first month, 40%  week-one hub engagement, and a 19% increase in average check value. The shift replaces legacy webshop tooling with a unified product, payments, and routing system intended to support global coverage and extensible game-side features.

Implications: Publishers are increasingly seeking DTC infrastructure that goes beyond basic storefronts toward systems that integrate routing, payments stability, and extensibility. As reliance on major stores becomes riskier, unified frameworks enabling optimisation and operational consistency are emerging as differentiators. Early performance signals from Critical Strike illustrate how infrastructure improvements can influence sustained monetisation.

Netflix to acquire Warner Bros. in US$82.7B deal, reshaping global entertainment

Netflix agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets — including Warner Bros., HBO, and HBO Max — for an enterprise value of approximately US$82.7 billion. The deal excludes Discovery’s linear “Global Networks,” which will be spun off ahead of closing, expected in the third quarter of 2026. Sources: Reuters; Netflix Investor Relations; AP News.

Implications: The transaction consolidates one of the industry’s largest content libraries under Netflix, strengthening its competitive position against Disney and other major streamers. It also accelerates vertical integration across Hollywood and raises questions about long-term impacts on competition, licensing, and independent production.

India considers mandatory always-on phone tracking; Apple and Google object

The government of India is evaluating a proposal from telecom carriers to require all smartphones sold in the country to keep satellite-based Assisted-GPS (A-GPS) tracking permanently enabled - enabling authorities to obtain real-time, meter-level location data. The requirement, backed by the Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI), would effectively force devices to act as “dedicated surveillance devices.” The proposal has drawn strong opposition from Apple, Google and Samsung, who argue it violates user privacy and global legal standards.

Implications: The proposal would materially expand state access to real-time location data in a major smartphone market, raising privacy and regulatory concerns. Industry resistance from Apple, Google, and Samsung signals a potentially prolonged policy clash that could affect device standards and market compliance.