Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 10:29 AM on Friday, March 29th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Simplicity set to open five esports gaming centers
Simplicity has identified locations for five esports gaming centers, representing around 9,000 square feet of space with over 150 gaming stations.
The first center will be located in Boca Raton, which is scheduled to have its grand opening in April of this year.
Logo credit: Simplicity
Simplicity
has now opened its franchise partner program, allowing the centers to
be opened in new locations by partners while retaining the
organisation’s branding. The centers are said to “feature cutting edge
technology including high performance PCs.â€
Jed Kaplan, CEO of Simplicity discussed
the venture in a statement: “I am excited to announce the opening of
our first Esports Gaming Center and the locations of our next four. Our
goal is to open 15 locations by year end and a total of 50 nationwide in
the next 24 months. Additionally, we offer attractive opportunities for
advertisers and sponsors to connect with our audience via our digital
and physical real estate.â€
In late 2018, Simplicity was acquired by SMAAASH Entertainment. In a statement given at the time of the deal, F. Jacob Cherian, CEO of SMAAASH Entertainment revealed that the company aimed to build “brick and mortar esports centers.â€
Following
the merger, Kaplan joined SMAAASH Entertainment as its Co-CEO and is a
minority owner of NBA team Memphis Grizzlies and Welsh football club
Swansea City.
Simplicity is currently partnered with esports apparel company Raven GG and competes in PUBG, SMITE, Gears of War, and NHL.
Esports
Insider says: More and more companies and organisations are looking to
open centers, either for internal use or aimed at the public. As gaming
and esports continue to be gradually embraced by the general public,
there’s potential for these establishments to become mainstays all
around the globe. These plans sound very ambitious considering
Simplicity’s centers are unproven in terms of popularity so we’ll have
to see how things pan out after the Boca Raton center opens.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:50 PM on Thursday, March 28th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
(TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated
websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The
company partial 2018 reported revenue of $7.4 million representing a
625% increase over the same period in 2017.
Drake — along with media and tech heavyweights Marissa Mayer, Strauss
Zelnick and others — is investing $3 million into the seed funding
round for Players’ Lounge,
an esports platform where gamers can play their favorite video games
against others for prizes straight from their living room.
Why it matters: It’s the latest example of a celebrity investing in esports. NBA superstar Chris Bosh joined
esports franchise Gen.G as a player management advisor last year. Other
big names, from Michael Jordan to Steph Curry, are investing in
professional esports teams.
Other investors include Comcast, Macro Ventures, Canaan, RRE, and Courtside VC.
The details: Players’ Lounge allows gamers to
compete in skill-based esports competitions for cash prizes. Its mission
is to create a social platform for casual gamers to connect, get
matched, and compete without having to be a pro.
This is different from platforms like Twitch or YouTube gaming that focus on streaming tournaments.
Like Instagram, Players’ Lounge is hoping to give average people a
platform to compete and win money on esports games, in hopes of
eventually popularizing winners and leveraging their influencer status
to grow the brand.
Players can compete on PS4, Xbox One or PC devices. Anyone can make
an account and deposit funds into their Players’ Lounge account via
credit card, PayPal or cryptocurrency.
Once the scores are verified, the winner receives the prize money
from the pool players invested in upfront. These are usually small sums
that players can compete for incrementally, although the company does
also host bigger tournaments.
Players’ Lounge says it gives out millions of dollars worth of cash prizes each month.
The big picture: Players’ Lounge is making it easy
for casual gamers to earn cash from esports. Otherwise, the only way to
make money in esports is to go pro, which takes a lot of time and
resources, or to become a streamer via Twitch or Youtube, which focuses
more on personality than gaming skills.
“It’s kind of like the intramural network for esports. There’s a huge community potential.”
— Austin Woolridge, cofounder and CEO of Players’ Lounge
Bottom line: Esports is still a fledgling industry
compared to professional sports, but big names are investing in it
because it’s growing so fast, and the upside looks promising.
Celebrities, and especially celebrity athletes, see this as a way to
connect with hyper-engaged sports fans, who may not have the appetite to
participate in real sports but still want to compete with peers and
develop a community around game play.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 11:07 AM on Monday, March 25th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
$50M esports arena coming to Philadelphia
The Fusion Arena, to open in 2021, will be home to the Philadelphia Fusion team that competes in the Overwatch League.
Photo: comcast spectacor
Comcast Spectacor and The Cordish Cos. are building a $50 million, 3,500-seat esports arena in Philadelphia
The Fusion Arena will be next to Wells Fargo Center, Lincoln Financial Field, Citizens Bank Park and the mixed-use Xfinity Live development
“We’re thrilled to introduce a venue like no other as we move forward with the next phase of development within the Philadelphia Sports Complex,†said Dave Scott, Comcast Spectacor’s chairman and CEO.
Xfinity Live is also a joint venture between Comcast Spectacor and
Cordish, which specializes in real estate developments around stadiums
and arenas.
Architecture firm Populous designed the 60,000-square-foot venue,
which will be home to the Philadelphia Fusion, an esports team owned by
Comcast Spectacor that competes in the Overwatch League. The league
wants its teams to play in their home markets next year. The Fusion are
looking at playing at other venues in Philadelphia while the new esports
venue is being built.
Construction will start this summer on a site currently used as a
parking lot and the venue is scheduled to open in 2021. The Fusion
facility will have a 10,000-square-foot esports training facility as
well as two balcony bars, a broadcast studio and premium boxes and
suites.
The venue will be rigged to also host small concerts, comedy shows
and corporate events, said Joe Marsh, chief business officer for Comcast
Spectacor’s gaming division and the Fusion.
Populous also designed the $10 million Esports Stadium Arlington, a
100,000-square-foot gaming space built at the Arlington Convention
Center hear Dallas.
“We’ve reached a place now where there is a need for purpose-built
esports venues,†said Brian Mirakian, a senior principal with Populous.
“This project represents the prototype of the future.â€
Cordish
Principal Blake Cordish expects to see more esports projects like the
one in Philadelphia. “This flagship esports venue will perfectly
complement the surrounding anchors in the Philadelphia Sports Complex,â€
Cordish said. “The Cordish Cos. is extremely bullish about the future of
esports, especially when integrated into mixed-use, sports-anchored
developments.â€
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 21st, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
The biggest esports tournaments and leagues in 2019
All around the world, esports
are on the rise and they don’t look to be slowing down any time soon.
Whether you want to tune in for a few hours of action-packed tournament
gameplay between the top pros or follow your favorite team week after
week in your favorite game’s league, we’ve got you covered.
Note that only standalone tournaments, not playoffs that take place
at the end of a season, are included in the list of esports tournaments.
Keep reading for the top esports tournaments and top esports leagues in
2019.
Top eSports tournaments
The International
Date: August 15-20, 2019
The International is the premier Dota 2 tournament that attracts
teams from around the world. Starting in the third year of the
tournament in 2013, Valve has sweetened the pot by adding 25% of the
total sales of the in game Battle Pass to the prize pool. This instantly
made it one of the best paid esports tournaments in the world, with the
2018 edition reaching more than $25 million in total prize money.
The International 2019 is set to take place from August 15-20 in
Shanghai’s Mercedes-Benz Arena. Teams will vie for one of the 18 spots
available by competing in a series of smaller tournaments known as the
Dota Pro Circuit. If 2018 was any indication, the first place prize is
likely to top $11 million.
Intel Extreme Masters
Date: February 13 – March 2, 2019
Intel Extreme Masters is one of the longest running series of esports
tournaments around. It features a number of tournaments in different
locations around the world, capped off with a World Championship. This
final tournament typically takes place in Katowice, with separate prize
pools and brackets for each game.
The most recent Intel Extreme Masters took place in from February 13 –
March 2. It included CS:GO (the 14th Major tournament), Dota 2,
Starcraft II, and for the first time ever, Fortnite: Battle Royale.
Smaller IEM tournaments will still be held throughout the year, with an
additional $1 million prize for the first time to win four eligible
tournaments in a single year.
CS:GO Major Tournaments
Date: August 20 -September 8, 2019
Counter Strike: Global Offensive Major Tournaments, known simply as
Majors, are biannual esports tournaments sponsored by the game’s
developer, Valve Corporation. It’s widely considered the most
prestigious CS:GO tournament, with players from around the globe
competing. Although the prize money is supplied by Valve, the
tournaments themselves are organized by other esports orgs, including
ESL, Major League Gaming, and DreamHack.
The most recent Major took place at the Intel Extreme Masters XIII,
with Danish squad Astralis winning first place and $500,000. The Fall
edition is set to take place in Berlin, and will feature 24 teams from
the four qualifying regions: Americas, Asia, CIS, and Europe.
The Overwatch World Cup features many of the same players as the
Overwatch League, but this time they are competing for their home
countries rather than their esports organizations. in 2018, four
countries hosted qualifying tournaments for six nations, with the top
two teams moving on to the finals at BlizzCon.
So far, no nations have been able to match the South Korean players’
prowess, with all three first place trophies heading to the
esports-friendly nation. It’s worth noting that players aren’t in it for
the money, as all participating teams receive the same prize of
$16,000. This can often lead to interesting strategies and wacky hijinks
in-game.
Fortnite World Cup Finals
Date: July 26-28, 2019
The Fortnite World Cup Finals
bring with them a prize pool worthy of the world’s most popular game:
$40 million. That’s nearly half of the $100 million that Epic Games
pledged for 2019 to make their hit game into an esports juggernaut.
Although the game’s suitability for competitive play is questionable,
the sheer size of the pool has drawn players and streamers from a
variety of backgrounds to play.
Weekly qualifiers kick off April 13, with a prize pool of $1 million
to be distributed among successful contestants. From there, the top 100
solo players and the top 50 duo players will be invited to New York City
for the Fortnite World Cup Finals. Each qualifying player will earn at
least $50,000, with the top solo player taking home $30 million.
Evolution Championship Series
Date: August 2-4, 2019
If you’re a fan of fighting games, odds are you’ve already heard of
the Evolution Championship Series, or Evo for short. Evo is easily the
biggest esports tournament in the genre, growing year after year since
its start more than 20 years ago in 1996.
This year’s tournament is set to take place in Las Vegas from August
2-4. It will feature brackets for a variety of fighting games, including
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Tekken 7, Street Fighter V, Dragonball
FighterZ, and others.
The Overwatch League,
or OWL, has just entered its second season, with a total prize pool of
$5 million. If you haven’t heard of it, OWL is Blizzard-Activision’s
official esports league for their hit first-person hero shooter
Overwatch. In 2018, it was the most watched esports league, mostly
because of the sheer number of hours the league was broadcast.
The action is spread out across a 28-match schedule with four,
five-week long stages. Each stage concludes with a playoff tournament
for the honor of becoming the Stage Champions, but the real prize is
after the end of the fourth stage. The OWL season 2 grand finals (not to
be confused with the Overwatch World Cup above), will have the top
teams vying to become the season 2 champions and take home the $1
million prize that comes with it.
League of Legends Championship Series
This year Riot Games’ official League of Legends esports league
underwent a rebranding, with the NALCS changing to the LCS, and the
EULCS switching to the League European Championship (LEC). Other
popular regions like China’s LPL and Korea’s LCK remain unchanged.
The season is divided into two sections, the Spring and Summer
splits, with a short split playoff game and mid-season Invitational
tournament tucked between them. The real excitement is at the League of
Legends World Championship, which brings together the top teams from all
regions to compete for the cup. Last year’s tournament drew nearly 75 million viewers, making it the most watched esports event of the year.
Call of Duty World League
While most first-person shooter competitions take place at esports
tournaments, Activision set up a league for the Call of Duty franchise.
This year the league enters its fourth season, with all matches played
on the PS4 versin of Call of Duty: Black Ops 4.
Unlike last season, this season the action is all 5v5 team modes,
including Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, and Control game types. The
finals are scheduled for some time in August of this year. Before you
get excited, no, the recently added battle royale mode will not be
played in the league.
Rocket League Championship Series
The esports League for Psyonix’s car-soccer hit Rocket League is back
again in 2019 with $1 million in prizes. This year an additional region
has been added as South America joins the existing American and
European regions.
After a series of qualifiers, the action will kick off in early
April. There is also a secondary Rival league for teams that fail to
qualify for the main league with $100,000 in prize money.
PUBG Global Championship
Fortnite may have dethroned PUBG in the fight for battle royale
supremacy, but PUBG is pushing back with the introduction of the PUBG
Global Championship in 2019. The season is divided into three phases,
each of which is followed by one or more international tournaments.
There are six regional Pro Leagues in the inaugural season: North
America, Europe, Korea, Japan, China, and Chinese Taipei. There are also
three smaller “Pro Circuit†regions for Southeast Asia, Latin America,
and Oceana. Each will host its own regional events before sending the
top teams to compete internationally. The PUBG Global Championship
finals are set to take place some time in November.
Mobile esports on the rise
Mobile esports are still small in comparison with their PC and
console peers, but here are a few mobile esport tournaments and leagues
to check out.
Clash Royale League — Supercell’s official esports league for their hit arena strategy game, Clash Royale.
Valor Series — The premier esports league for Arena of Valor entered its third year in February.
Vainglory —
The mobile MOBA is featured regularly at international tournaments and
even has a pro league called the Vainglory Premier League.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:39 AM on Wednesday, March 20th, 2019
Significant Subscriber Growth After Acquisition
Operations Sports LLC, an Enthusiast owned digital property, has reached one million subscribers across its online Esports and sports video game community.
Since the acquisition, Operation Sports has grown its base by 100,000 engaged and loyal subscribers from 900,000 to 1 million
TORONTO, March 20, 2019 — Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. (TSXV: EGLX) (OTCQB: EGHIF), (“Enthusiast†or the “Companyâ€), a gaming company building the largest community of authentic gamers, is excited to announce that Operations Sports LLC (“Operation Sportsâ€), an Enthusiast owned digital property, has reached one million subscribers across its online Esports and sports video game community.
Operation Sports a leading online website for Esports and sports
video game content was acquired by Enthusiast Gaming in November 2018.
Since the acquisition, Operation Sports has grown its base by 100,000
engaged and loyal subscribers from 900,000 to 1 million. Enthusiast
continues to focus on growing its subscriber base across the entire
platform to provide greater engagement to its audience. Having engaged
registered users also allows Enthusiast to better understand its user
base and therefore provide content and advertising directly catered to
their interests.
With the global rise of Esports, Operation Sports has become a
leading voice and forum for Esports and sports video game fans to stay
on top of their favourite teams and players. Operation Sports provides
detailed discussions and content surrounding games such as Madden19,
NBA2K, NHL19, MLB19 and FIFA19 allowing fans to discuss game strategy,
new product launches, and league and team banter. Esports viewership is
growing, and with projections of 84 million viewers by 2021, higher than
the 79 million MLB viewers and 63 million NBA viewers, Operation Sports
is positioning itself as the leading online content destination for
fans.(1)
Steve Noah, Founder and Editor in Chief of Operation Sports, commented, “Having
seen the Operation Sports community grow from its infancy is exciting.
With the emergence of Esports and the emphasis on innovative content
development, Operation Sports is positioned as a leader in the
community. The incredible dedication and contributions of our writers,
community, and the infrastructure of Enthusiast Gaming, have contributed
greatly to our success to date. I look forward to our continued growth
in 2019, and reaching the next million subscribers on our platform.â€
Menashe Kestenbaum, CEO of Enthusiast, commented, “We
are excited to see Operation Sports continue to thrive as an Enthusiast
owned digital property. Our goal is to provide all our subscribers with
a unique user experience across all our communities, and the success of
Operation Sports community forum reconfirms the importance of having
loyal, engaged fans.†He continued, “The success and growth of
Operation Sports can also be largely attributed to the unique, creative
curated content provided to its visitors. Congratulations to the
Operations Sports team on your continued growth!â€
Founded in 2014, Enthusiast is the fastest-growing online community
of video gamers. Through the Company’s unique acquisition strategy, it
has a platform of over 80 owned and affiliated websites and currently
reaches over 75 million monthly visitors with its unique and curated
content and over 50 million YouTube visitors. Enthusiast also owns and
operates Canada’s largest gaming expo, Enthusiast Gaming Live Expo,
EGLX, (eglx.ca) with over 55,000 people attending in 2018. For more information on the Company, visit www.enthusiastgaming.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Investor Relations: Julia Becker Head of Investor Relations & Marketing [email protected] (604) 785.0850
This news release contains certain statements that may constitute
forward-looking information under applicable securities laws. All
statements, other than those of historical fact, which address
activities, events, outcomes, results, developments, performance or
achievements that Enthusiast anticipates or expects may or will occur in
the future (in whole or in part) should be considered forward-looking
information. Such information may involve, but is not limited to,
comments with respect to strategies, expectations, planned operations
and future actions of the Company. Often, but not always,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such
as “plans”, “expects”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”,
“estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates”, or “believes” or
variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or
statements formed in the future tense or indicating that certain
actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will”
(or other variations of the forgoing) be taken, occur, be achieved, or
come to pass. Forward-looking information is based on currently
available competitive, financial and economic data and operating plans,
strategies or beliefs as of the date of this news release, but involve
known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors
that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of
Enthusiast to be materially different from any future results,
performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking
information. Such factors may be based on information currently
available to Enthusiast, including information obtained from third-party
industry analysts and other third-party sources, and are based on
management’s current expectations or beliefs regarding future growth,
results of operations, future capital (including the amount, nature and
sources of funding thereof) and expenditures. Any and all
forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly
qualified by this cautionary statement. Trading in the securities of
the Company should be considered highly speculative.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services
Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this
release.
The securities of the Corporation have not been and will not be
registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended
and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration
or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press
release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an
offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any
jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be
unlawful.
Tags: egaming, esports, stocks Posted in Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. | Comments Off on Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca Recent Acquisition, Operation Sports, Reaches 1 Million Subscribers $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 9:00 PM on Tuesday, March 19th, 2019
SPONSOR: Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc.
(TSX-V: EGLX) Uniting gaming communities with 80 owned and affiliated
websites, currently reaching over 75 million monthly visitors. The
company partial 2018 reported revenue of $7.4 million representing a
625% increase over the same period in 2017.
Competitive video gaming is a rapidly growing, multibillion-dollar
industry, presenting new opportunities for marketers to reach and engage
with fans worldwide. Esports ad revenues in the US are poised to
surpass $200 million by next year, according to our first forecast on
esports and gaming revenues.
We define esports as organized gaming competitions among professional
players and teams. Digital ad revenues from esports in the US will grow
25% to $178.1 million this year. There are multiple revenue streams
connected to esports, including advertising, sponsorships, media rights,
ticket sales to live events and merchandising.
“Esports was once an under-the-radar activity for enthusiasts of
multiplayer online games,†eMarketer principal analyst Paul Verna said.
“Just a few years later, it’s a multimillion-dollar business in the US,
with implications for game developers, players, leagues, teams, live
venues, streaming platforms, TV networks, audiences and marketers.â€
Audiences for esports are large and growing. This year, 30.3 million
people in the US will watch an esports event at least once a month, up
more than 18% over last year. We expect esports viewers to grow by more
than 50% between now and 2023, reaching 46.2 million at that time.
Esports executives consistently cite YouTube and Twitch, which tend
to garner younger audiences, as the leading platforms for esports
viewing in the US.
“Esports fans have unique characteristics that make them more elusive
but potentially more lucrative for marketers,†Verna said. “They are
typically young, TV-averse millennials who have higher-than-average
disposable income. They are open to marketing messages that are embedded
in the esports experience, whether those are sponsorships, branded
videos, in-game integrations, influencer-driven endorsements or even
traditional ads.â€
Esports age demographics vary by game, league and tournament, but
millennials are among the most active members of the viewing population.
Tags: egaming, esports, LOL Posted in All Recent Posts, Enthusiast Gaming Holdings Inc. | Comments Off on Enthusiast Gaming $EGLX.ca – US Esports Ad Revenues Will Grow 25% in 2019, Will cross $200 million by 2020 $EPY.ca $FDM.ca $WINR $TCEHF $ATVI $TNA.ca
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 12:48 PM on Tuesday, March 19th, 2019
London-based marketing firm AffiliateINSIDER will take responsibility for the growth of the e-sports betting platform VIE.gg’s affiliate partner program globally
Esports’ VIE.gg offers exchange style wagering on e-sports events in a licensed, regulated and secured platform
Esports Entertainment Group Inc (OTCQB:GMBL),
the licensed online gambling company, said Tuesday it has struck up a
new contract with AffiliateINSIDER, a London-based public relations and
marketing firm, to broaden the reach of its e-sports betting platform
VIE.gg.
Under the deal’s terms, AffiliateINSIDER will take on responsibility
for the growth of VIE.gg’s affiliate partner program globally, helping
Esports to add both new affiliates and customers.
VIE.gg offers exchange-style wagering and pool betting on e-sports
events in a licensed, regulated and secured platform. It is the first
and most transparent e-sports bet exchange as a result of Esports
Entertainment Group being a fully reporting SEC issuer in the US.
“We are excited to partner with AffiliateINSIDER as we continue to
grow and manage our affiliate network. They had an acute understanding
of the complexities we face in the emerging esports sector and have been
involved with managing and growing affiliate networks and programs
since the very beginning in the gambling space,†said Grant Johnson, CEO
of Esports, in a statement.
Esports Entertainment Group Inc. is a licensed online gambling company with a focus on e-sports wagering and gaming for adults.
Esports shares held steady at US$0.55 in morning trade on Tuesday.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 2:00 PM on Thursday, March 14th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
Ripple (XRP) and Forte Launch $100M Fund to Integrate Blockchain With the Gaming Industry
Ripple has announced that it will launch a $100 million fund in collaboration with Forte,
San Francisco-based startup that is aiming to leverage the economic models of blockchain systems to build better economies and marketplaces in the gaming industry.
Ripple has announced that it will launch a $100 million fund in collaboration with Forte,
a San Francisco-based startup that is aiming to leverage the economic
models of blockchain systems to build better economies and marketplaces
in the gaming industry.
Forte will oversee the fund that will be allocated towards the integration of blockchain technology
with in-game markets that will allow players to make transactions with
each other more conveniently. In the past, users have often moved to
third-party platforms to sell in-game items.
Speaking to Fortune, Ethan Beard, a senior executive at Ripple’s development division Xpring, is hopeful about blockchain making gaming economies more equitable:
Video games have long been quick to
adopt new technology, from console to the PC to mobile. Now, blockchain
will help game designers who’ve had a hard time facilitating an economy
that can serve all types of players.
As the Fortune article notes, this is an expansion for Ripple, which have previously made a lot of progress in the cross-border payments niche. Should game developers get on board, the use of Ripple’s Interledger Protocol and the XRP token would give Ripple an enormous amount of exposure.
Forte was founded by Kevin Chou,
an entrepreneur with experience in the gaming space. Chou was the Chief
Executive Officer of mobile-focused Kabam and esports company Gen.G.
Forte is backed by the likes of Andreesen Horowitz, Coinbase Ventures
and Battery Ventures.
In Chou’s announcement post, he said of the direct interactions between stakeholders in the system:
I envision a future where players can
transact with each other directly instead of only with the developer. A
future where developers don’t need to figure out the maximum value they
can extract from their player base, but instead are creatively and
economically motivated to foster new types of peer-to-peer gameplay.
Posted by AGORACOM-JC
at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, March 12th, 2019
SPONSOR: Esports Entertainment
$GMBL Esports audience is 350M, growing to 590M, Esports wagering is
projected at $23 BILLION by 2020. The company has launched VIE.gg
esports betting platform and has accelerated affiliate marketing
agreements with 190 Esports teams. Click here for more information
GMBL: OTCQB
———————–
‘Revenge of the gamers’ – eSports hits big time, with or without Olympics
eSports’ bid to reach the Olympics may be on hold but backing from big sponsors and a relentless march into the mainstream raise the question of whether it needs the Games at all.
With sportswear giant Nike last month announcing its sponsorship of China’s Legends Pro League, video gaming already bears the hallmarks of any successful sport.
Adidas, Mercedes and BMW are some of the other global brands to jump
on board, while McDonald’s dropped its sponsorship of Germany’s national
football team to focus on eSports.
The Legends Pro League, China’s official competition for the League
of Legends game, has 14 regional divisions, and teams have their own
home venues. The game also has an annual world championship.
As of next year, professional players will be fully decked out in
Nike-designed jerseys and trainers, with an accompanying lifestyle range
— much like any big football, basketball or baseball team.
“It’s (eSports) already hit mainstream, a couple of years back,”
Philip So, who heads business development at League of Legends developer
Riot Games, told AFP at last week’s Sportel convention in Macau.
“(But the Nike sponsorship) had a huge reaction from our fans when we
announced it, even from the Nike side. I think it was surprising to
everyone how much buzz it generated.”
A Goldman Sachs briefing in October said eSports was on course to
reach nearly 300 million viewers by 2022 — similar numbers to American
football’s NFL.
– ‘NBA didn’t need the Olympics’ –
Some are now beginning to wonder if the Olympics needs eSports more
than the other way round, as the venerable institution dating back to
the late 19th century strives to reach a younger audience.
“I think it would be great for the Olympic programme to have eSports
because they are going to be able to capture the attention of a new
audience that otherwise would disappear,” Maurizio Barbieri, Twitter’s
Southeast Asian head of sports partnerships, said at Sportel.
“But overall, (how would the Olympics help eSports) in general?
“I mean, the NBA didn’t need the IOC (International Olympic Committee) to become the number one basketball league in the world.”
eSports won’t be part of the Olympics until at least Los Angeles
2028, after it was left off the list of nominated sports for Paris 2024
— which included the equally youth-friendly breakdancing, surfing,
skateboarding and climbing.
But So said that when eSports was a demonstration event at last
year’s Asian Games, viewing figures in China outstripped those of
traditional sports, even though the competition wasn’t shown on TV.
People who play computer games, he added, are now proud to identify
themselves as “gamers”, underlining the rise of a movement that has
spread organically, from the grassroots up.
“It’s a complete paradigm shift. This is the time for gamers to come out. It’s revenge of the gamers,” said So.
– Deeply fragmented –
Much of the opposition to eSports is related to concerns over screen
time and inactivity among young people, as well as a lack of knowledge
and understanding of the games.
China has been particularly cautious, last year announcing curbs
including temporarily suspending new releases of online games — sending
shares plummeting in Tencent, Riot Games’ parent company.
But So said China’s sports ministry remained a supporter of eSports,
drawing a distinction between professional, organised gaming and
streaming, where amateurs play for audiences online.
“I don’t think eSports makes the government very nervous. I really don’t think so,” he said.
“Because the sports bureau etc, we work very closely with them and
it’s definitely on their agenda and interest to grow the sport as well.”
However, So was at a loss to predict whether eSports would finally
make it into the Olympics, a campaign that faces a number of hurdles.
As well as concerns over eSports’ lack of physical activity, the
scene is deeply fragmented, as different games are made by competing
studios. It is also yet to form a world governing body — a stipulation
demanded by the IOC.
“I honestly don’t know. I wish I had the answer,” So said, when asked what was the way forward for eSports’ Olympic bid.
“How an overarching arm across all different games (would work), I’d be very curious to know,” he added.
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Five eSports Predictions: What Does The Year Hold For Companies And Developers?
Between League of Legendsappearing in the Asian Games and worldwide phenomenon Fortnite
dominating headlines, 2018 has been a formative year for eSports. Never
before have games had such an assertive presence in mainstream media
and entertainment.
As the CEO of a mobile eSports platform for developers, venues and
sponsors, I don’t believe the trajectory of eSports is slowing anytime
soon — bigger, better things lie ahead. Whether you’re an industry
veteran or just starting to explore how eSports fits into your business,
these are five key trends to keep in mind while planning your business
strategy for the remainder of 2019.
1. New titles will shake up the top five eSports rankings.
This year, new games will likely challenge incumbents for supremacy.
Prominent 2018 launches include the inaugural season of Activision
Blizzard’s Overwatch League, the introduction of the NBA 2K League, and new battle royale title Call of Duty: Black Ops 4. With fresh content flooding the market, the most popular eSport of the future has likely yet to be created.
Given increasing eSports democratization, consumers will be hungry
for innovative content, and top rankings are ripe for the taking.
Currently, the most popular consumer trends I’ve seen include shooters,
multiplayer competition and mobile experiences — so future blockbusters
may feature these elements.
Why does this matter? Understanding what games are trending and why
is essential for anyone in the space, whether you’re running a gaming
company or a non-endemic brand looking to access the growing eSports
audience. For game developers, keeping a pulse on community reactions
and responses to new industry trends is critical to developing relevant
themes for future titles. Watch closely to see which games are picking
up traction. Industry analyst studies, focus groups and preliminary beta
testing are all useful options to consider for additional insight.
2. Brand investments in eSports will increase.
With eSports viewership projected to grow to about 600 million by 2020 (paywall),
sponsorships could become more valuable to brands looking to gain an
advantage in an increasingly lucrative and competitive market.
Sponsors like Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, T-Mobile, Adidas and even the U.S. Navy
have already invested in eSports. Given the positive results of
engaging with this global audience, brand investments will likely
increase this year, with even more non-endemic corporate sponsors coming
aboard.
Gamers are arguably one of the most sought-after audiences — many are young (paywall) and often loyal to their games of choice. According to Dot Esports,
research firm Newzoo estimates that global eSports awareness will reach
2 billion by 2021. If you’re in the eSports business, I recommend
looking to capitalize on this influx of interest in 2019.
For developers looking to grab a slice of the audience, focus on
creating a game that’s simple to pick up, complex to master and fun to
watch. The combination of these elements is what I’ve found makes a
great spectator sport — and once you get viewers on board, the sponsors
will likely follow.
3. Mobile eSports will go mainstream and sell out professional stadiums.
With an estimated 2.3 billion mobile gamers worldwide (paywall)
in 2019, mobile is an incredibly popular gaming platform. As mobile
eSports become an increasingly important part of the ecosystem, even
more competitors could view it as mainstream entertainment.
This year, you may see more players earning sizable salaries and
collegiate scholarships from mobile eSports. In addition, mobile eSports
events could sell out more professional sports stadiums. In countries
like China, mobile gaming is already taking center stage.
Keep an eye on your smartphones, because they’re growing at breakneck
speeds in terms of both technical capability and consumer adoption —
GSMA estimates
that there will be 5.9 billion unique mobile subscribers in
2025. Developers — especially those that may have overlooked mobile in
the past — should consider how rapidly advancing mobile technology can
help them achieve a blockbuster hit and reach the largest subset of
gamers. I believe the key to breaking into this industry is creating a
game that is easy to learn, has a compelling core loop, and offers its
players strategic depth in terms of game mastery. This stimulates player
acquisition and new user performance metrics — ultimately driving
player retention and deeper game monetization.
4. The industry will experience heightened cheating risks.
While eSports growth has been impressive, it’s not without risk.
Similar to offline sports, the growing fame and fortune of athletes can
also attract cheaters.
In 2018, BattlEye banned over a million PUBG accounts for hacking. According to PCGamer, banning cheaters is also the “highest priority†for Fortnite developer Epic Games. In Asia, hackers are facing jail time and multimillion-dollar fines
for developing and distributing cheats. Although the industry is
working tirelessly to prevent cheating, it’s likely that as eSports
grow, so too will fraudulent efforts.
This year, I expect more eSports to institute fairer environments for
their games, just like we see in offline sports. Whether it’s by
integrating increasingly comprehensive third-party anti-cheating
software or developing their own, developers creating the next big
eSport will have to keep cheating at bay. Otherwise, their game might be
over before it begins.
5. A boom in availability and production value could occur for eSports broadcasts.
Now featured on YouTube, ESPN and more, eSports are quickly becoming a
hot area of growth in digital entertainment. ESL, a large eSports
league that runs CS:GO and Dota 2 tournaments, signed an exclusive streaming deal with Facebook in 2018 for an undisclosed amount. Twitch’s exclusive rights to stream the Overwatch League is purportedly worth as much as $90 million.
Both traditional and emerging channels are vying to showcase
tournaments to viewers. I’d count on seeing even more significant
broadcasting collaborations among both cable networks and social media
juggernauts in 2019.
Companies and developers planning to break into eSports broadcasting
in 2019 should keep the growing number of distribution options in mind
to ensure they’re picking the best channel for their content.
The eSports landscape is shifting quickly, and I project the coming
months to be some of the most important for the industry’s future. As
eSports viewership is expected to grow and mobile devices are becoming
more widespread, businesses should consider how they can take advantage
of this growing sector.
