For many users out there, using Microsoft Edge is basically a thing you have to do for maybe 10 minutes when you set up a new computer, just long enough to download Firefox, Chrome, or your web browser of choice that Windows will not include in its starting system. For tech giant Microsoft (MSFT), Edge is now also a cheerleader for Copilot, and will actively beg for users. The news sat reasonably well with investors, who sent shares notching up fractionally in Thursday afternoon’s trading.
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Those who find themselves on Edge, and point their browser to Perplexity, ChatGPT or DeepSeek’s websites will spot a little flashing banner in the URL bar, reports note. That banner reads, simply, and almost terrifyingly: Try Copilot. The report also notes that Bing Search will also feature ads for Copilot for those who search for other products.
It also makes for something of an unexpected move, since Microsoft and ChatGPT maker OpenAI are actually very close partners. Indeed, ChatGPT uses the Azure cloud platform. So Microsoft is actually trying to pull some business away from a direct partner in a bid to draw that market share to itself. While this may not be a big impediment to Microsoft going forward, it may prove to be part of the package that draws people away from Microsoft products, at least, where possible.
Fallout Day Announcement Falls Flat
Meanwhile, today was also Fallout Day for Bethesda, and by extension, Microsoft. Today, October 23, is the day that the bombs fell in the Fallout universe. Thus, it is something of a special day for Fallout players, and became a day for Microsoft to offer up Fallout marketing, content, and attempts to gain interest.
But this Fallout Day left players flatter than a drained microfusion cell. One player noted that they had “…zero expectations and y’all still let me down.” Another groused, “What a surprise, nothing at all that the fans wanted. You’d think I’d have learnt from last year’s disappointment.” The announcements focused on a 10th anniversary edition for Fallout 4, a 15th anniversary Fallout: New Vegas bundle, and that seemed to be most of the announcements. This should explain why so many were left disappointed.
Is Microsoft a Buy, Hold or Sell?
Turning to Wall Street, analysts have a Strong Buy consensus rating on MSFT stock based on 34 Buys assigned in the past three months, as indicated by the graphic below. After a 22.56% rally in its share price over the past year, the average MSFT price target of $627.98 per share implies 20.29% upside potential.
