Biotech leaders share cautious optimism for 2023 | Barnes & Noble is growing — in former Amazon bookstores  

• GeekWire reporter Charlotte Schubert spoke with CEOs, investors, and other experts to get a pulse on the industry heading into 2023. Here are some key takeaways.

We also looked ahead to next year for the gaming industry, as companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Valve, Bungie, and Nintendo pursue ongoing or upcoming projects.

• Microsoft will battle the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in court over its pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard while Amazon is investing in its video game publishing arm. Read more. 

Speaking of Microsoft and the FTC: A new court filing details the tech giant’s argument in support of its $68.7 billion deal to buy Activision. 

• Microsoft describes itself as “the third-place manufacturer of gaming consoles” and its acquisition target as “one of many publishers of popular video games.” Read more. 

In other regulatory news, Amazon will change the way it presents offers from multiple sellers in the all-important “Buy Box” on product pages as part of a broader agreement resolving multiple antitrust issues raised by the European Commission.

• Amazon’s commitment and the resulting change apply in Europe only, but the case could provide a blueprint for regulators in the U.S. and elsewhere seeking to level the playing field for sellers on Amazon.com. Read more. 

How’s this for an ironic twist? Barnes & Noble is opening new bookstores in former Amazon Books locations. 

• The chain bookseller struggled for years to compete against Amazon and other online retailers, and is actually growing its physical stores footprint. Read more. 

Recycling plastic remains a confusing process for many consumers, while the amount of plastic waste is increasing.

• Now startups, scientists, and government leaders and agencies are taking more aggressive steps to address the avalanche of plastic waste that was triggered in the 1970s and has surged over the decades. Read more. 

The Internal Revenue Service is delaying the implementation of a tax policy change that was being fought by online marketplace companies and payment platforms.

• The change was due to go into effect in the upcoming tax-filing season and was sparking fears of mass confusion among casual online sellers and a potential avalanche of new tax reporting paperwork. Read more.