☕️ Disney+ turns 1

Getting the ban back together... November 12, 2020 [View Online]( | [Sign Up]( [Daily Brew]( TOGETHER WITH [The Motley Fool]( Good morning. With just 49 days left in the year, it's probably time to start thinking about things other than "2020" to blame for unfortunate events. A few ideas: - Your internet connection - Dinkleberg - When you didn't forward that email chain in 2007 MARKETS NASDAQ 11,786.43 + 2.01% S&P 3,572.66 + 0.77% DJIA 29,397.63 - 0.08% GOLD 1,861.10 - 0.82% 10-YR 0.979% + 1.50 bps OIL 41.50 + 0.34% *As of market close - Markets: Tech stocks, which had been beaten down this week, [rebounded]( yesterday. The market is being influenced far more by coronavirus news than election developments; investors generally don’t think Trump’s legal challenges will [amount to anything](.  VIDEOGAMES [Sony and Microsoft Go Head-to-Head, Again]( [Sony PlayStation 5] Giphy/Sony With the launch of the Sony PlayStation 5 today and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S on Tuesday, this week marks harmonic convergence of the console giants all over again—an endless cycle of hyped hardware releases that occurs every eight-ish years. Here’s the rundown on the two warring tech companies and how they’re approaching the growing gaming industry. Choose your weapon: Sony Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Demon’s Souls, and more...Sony is launching the PS5 with an impressive lineup of popular titles to entice buyers. The towering console (judging by its [historic size](, it ate all its predecessors) is also being hailed for its controller, which apparently [rumbles]( players’ hands into the fourth dimension. Sony continues to be the hardware leader for die-hard gamers. DFC Intelligence predicts PlayStation 5 sales [will double]( those for the new Xbox, a big but narrower margin than the 113.7 million PlayStation 4s sold compared to 48.4 Xbox Ones. - Plus, Sony has a more advanced virtual reality headset reportedly [in the works]( for when gamers’ wallets recover. Choose your weapon: Microsoft Execs don’t seem to be sweating Sony’s hardware advantage. Why? Monthly subscriptions are becoming the unit’s bread and butter. A [new offering]( called “All Access” lets gamers pay for the new Xbox in monthly installments, and—here’s the kicker—also signs them up for Xbox’s Netflix-like Game Pass Ultimate gaming subscription service. Microsoft wants to turn one-time console buyers into lifetime customers who, instead of buying a physical Xbox, could eventually opt to use xCloud, Microsoft's cloud gaming service. (Learn more about that bag of chips [here](.) Looking ahead...this week, Sony and Microsoft both released high-tech consoles that, as far as the actual hardware specs go, are pretty on-par with each other. But, while both gaming giants sell subscription services and hardware, Microsoft is focusing on recurring payments. P.S. Neither Sony nor Microsoft is expected to sell the most consoles this holiday season. That award will likely go to the three-year-old Nintendo Switch. �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew!&body=Sony%20and%20Microsoft%20Take%20Different%20Approaches%20in%20Their%20Latest%20Console%20War:%200A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%E2%80%94Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley,%20daily.%20 MEDIA [Happy First Birthday to This Little Guy]( [Baby Yoda] Giphy One year ago, Disney’s big bet on streaming went live in a blaze of wrinkly green glory. And on a scale of Quibi to Zoom, it definitely netted out as a pandemic winner. What happened? Disney+ was supposed to be one of many games in town for entertainment giant Disney, but soon became the [only game]( when Covid-19 hammered theme park revenues and film releases. Over the summer, Disney+ became the new home for films like Mulan and Hamilton, which had originally been intended for that ancient relic known as a “movie theater.” - Analysts were skeptical Disney+ would hit its target of 60–90 million subscribers by 2024. But as of August, it already passed 60 million. Even Netflix CEO Reed Hastings conceded it was “super-impressive execution.” But don’t sleep on the competition, from Netflix with 167 million subscribers to newer entrants like HBO Max (57 million subscribers globally), NBCUniversal’s Peacock (22 million), and Apple TV+, whose 1-year anniversary was [11 days ago](. Looking ahead...while the pandemic delayed production timelines, Disney+ expects to release more original content next year, including—what else—more Marvel and Star Wars series. + Flash poll: Is Baby Yoda cute? Y/N �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew!&body=Disney+%20Turns%201:%20How%E2%80%99d%20It%20Do?:%200A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%E2%80%94Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley,%20daily.%20 SOCIAL MEDIA [When You’re a Company, You Have Legal Recourse for Ghosting]( On Thursdays, we throw back...to warmer months. Chinese-owned video sharing giant TikTok, whose potential sale [dominated]( [the news]( [over the summer](, returned to the headlines with a court petition [filed]( on Tuesday. The backstory: In August, President Trump signed an executive order forcing TikTok to either sell itself to an American company or face a ban over national security concerns. In September, software firm Oracle and megaretailer Walmart proposed a deal to partner with a new, U.S.-based company called TikTok Global. The government [seemed]( to sign off, at least in theory. Now, TikTok owner ByteDance says the U.S. government left it on read. In its petition, the company said CFIUS (the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., which handles issues of foreign ownership) had stopped communicating—and the deadline for ByteDance to divest its stake in TikTok is today. Bottom line: It’s not clear what happens when that deadline passes. ByteDance applied for a 30-day extension, but says it hasn’t heard anything. �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew!&body=TikTok%20Complains%20U.S.%20Government%20Went%20Silent%20on%20Divestiture%20Deadline:%200A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%E2%80%94Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley,%20daily.%20 SPONSORED BY THE MOTLEY FOOL [Hello HENRY, Our Old Friend](#) [The Motley Fool]( We don’t need smart-looking bifocals (like the dude in the above image) to know a HENRY when we see one. Yes, we’re looking at you. [Chances are you’re a HENRY]( (High Earner Not Rich Yet), and you didn’t even know it. The worst part about being a newfound HENRY? The “not rich yet” part… Which is where [the stock-picking gurus at The Motley Fool]( come in. Their Stock Advisor platform provides the investment guidance to help you build the financial future you’ve always dreamed of—so you can hopefully stop being a HENRY. They’ve given hundreds of investing recommendations, including top picks like AOL in 1994, Amazon in 1997, and Netflix in 2004. And right now, they’re sharing [five stocks under $49]( for all you HENRYs tired of bein’ HENRYs. [Sign up for the Motley Fool Stock Advisor today](. ELECTION [Facebook and Google Get the Ban Back Together]( [Seinfeld saying ] Giphy Much like we had planned to always wear pants while working, Facebook and Google had planned to lift their bans on political advertising one week after the election concluded. But yesterday we wrote this in boxers, and both platforms [extended their bans]( for the next few weeks. The argument for: Allegations of voter fraud continue to circulate on social media despite state election officials from both parties finding [no evidence]( to support those claims, per the NYT. - In an email to advertisers, Facebook said, “While multiple sources have projected a presidential winner”—this would be Joe Biden—“we still believe it’s important to help prevent confusion or abuse on our platform.” The argument against: Banning political advertising ahead of two runoff Senate elections in Georgia is like using a “rusty ax” for “something that deserves a scalpel,” Republican digital strategist Eric Wilson [told Reuters](. Some Dems agree—a blanket ban makes it difficult for candidates of either party to rally support online. Bottom line: Critics argue the ad ban doesn’t address the real issue afflicting social media—the spread of misinformation in unpaid, organic posts. �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew!&body=Facebook%20and%20Google%20Extend%20Their%20Broad%20Sweeping%20Bans%20on%20Political%20Ads:%200A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%E2%80%94Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley,%20daily.%20 SPORTS [*Soothing Piano Music Plays*]( [Masters] Patrick Smith/Getty Images. Look at Dustin's wrist position! The Masters golf tournament tees off today at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia. If you play golf, you’re probably used to waiting around...but not for this long. The Masters, which is typically held in April and is synonymous with spring, was pushed back seven months because of the pandemic. That means we'll have to accept fall foliage in place of flowering azaleas. A few interesting notes ahead of the tournament: - There won’t be patrons this year because of Covid, but [check out the prices]( for food and drink at Augusta. $3 for a chicken wrap! - Now in its 65th consecutive year airing on CBS, The Masters is the [longest-running sporting event]( broadcast by a single network, per Front Office Sports. - Bryson DeChambeau, [golf innovator](, is the consensus favorite at 8-1 odds. The Brew's pick? Tony Finau. �  �  �  mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20this%20story%20from%20Morning%20Brew!&body=The%20Masters%20Returns...in%20November:%200A%0AWant%20more%20great%20content%3F%20Subscribe%20to%20Daily%20Brew%E2%80%94Delivering%20the%20latest%20business%20news%20from%20Wall%20St.%20to%20Silicon%20Valley,%20daily.%20 WHAT ELSE IS BREWING - [New York]( bars and restaurants must close at 10pm (except for takeout), per new Covid-19 restrictions issued by Gov. Cuomo. - [Georgia]( will recount its ballots because of the tight margin, said Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Biden leads Trump by more than 14,000 votes. - [Lilium](, a German aviation startup, inked a deal with Orlando, FL, to establish a U.S. transportation center for its flying taxis. - [Alibaba]( said its Singles Day sales topped $74 billion, a new record. - [Google Photos]( will stop offering unlimited free storage next June. - [Four SEC college football games]( have been postponed this week over Covid-19 concerns. BREW'S BETS Here’s the section you’ve been waiting for. [Thrive Market]( is an online market making healthy living easy by delivering healthy food and nontoxic cleaning supplies to your front door. Take an extra 25% off your first order and get a free gift when you [join Thrive Market today](.* This burger bot is saying bye-bye. Flippy, the burger flippin’ robot, is set to revolutionize the QSR industry. You can [invest](, but only until 11/20. Don’t wait another flippin’ second. [Invest today](.* Cooking content: Here’s how to [roast any veggie](, a recipe for [homemade English muffins](, and the world’s [most nutritious foods](. Covid simulation: Play around with this [herd immunity model](. Why does the media call elections? [Here’s an explainer](. *This is sponsored advertising content FROM THE CREW [Write This Newsletter](#) The Brew is growing each day, and we are looking for another writer to help us craft this newsletter and create other content around the Morning Brew ecosystem. So, if you’re an experienced scribe who reads the Brew and thinks, “You know what, I could do this better than these chumps,” then you are the exact person who should apply. Conversely, if you stink at writing, be sure to circulate among your writer friends. [Apply here](. P.S. We also have lots of other open positions across the company, from audience development to sales. [Check them out](. GAMES [Three Headlines and a Lie](#) We’re back with some bizarre news stories from the past week to test your BS senses. Three of these headlines are real, while one is made up. Can you spot the fake? - "Can’t decide what to stream? Netflix [is testing]( a TV channel of scheduled programming" - "Scientists [discover]( bizarre hell planet where it rains rocks and oceans are made of lava" - "'It's the screams of the damned!' The [eerie AI world]( of deepfake music" - "Hardware store in Erie [boycotted]( for selling holiday-themed jumpers and playing Christmas music 'too early'" SHARE THE BREW Chances are you have a friend who'd enjoy the Brew as much as you do. When you [share your referral link]( and new readers sign up, you earn rewards like our classic coffee mug. [Click here to get free swag.]( Hit the button below to learn more and access your rewards hub. [Click to Share]( Or copy & paste your referral link to others: [morningbrew.com/daily/r/?kid=4904f90a]( ANSWER Play all the Christmas music you want. The hardware store boycott was fake.             Written by [Eliza Carter](, [Neal Freyman](, [Jamie Wilde](, [Toby Howell](, and [Alex Hickey]( Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up [here](. 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